News
Border, schools, economy discussed at event
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| District 25 Republican candidate Peggy Judd of Willcox, left, and Britt James, representing state candidates Tom Horne (Attorney General) and Margaret Dugan (Superintendent of Public Instruction), lead the audience in singing the national anthem. (Carol Broeder/ARN) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
Dr. Gary Thrasher, a well-known speaker on the international border and illegal immigration, headlined the Willcox TEA Party last Saturday in Willcox.
Thrasher, of Hereford, Ariz., introduced himself as a member of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association and as a veterinarian who has "worked on both sides of the border."
"It didn't used to be dangerous, " he told the audience.
"Good, honest rural people used to come here and (we) used to hire them as vaqueros who worked our cattle and raised our children."
He explained that after the 1986 amnesty for illegal immigrants who were already in the United States, he saw a rougher type from ghettos beginning to cross illegally.
"And what takes over at the edge of the barrios? Gangs," said Thrasher.
"If we have no border, we have no country," he told the audience. "We've lost our sovereignty. Everybody in the world knows where our open door is."
"We're throwing it all away - what our parents and grandparents fought for," Thrasher said.
"That one generation from tyranny is our generation. My generation is the 'me' generation. I was given more freedoms, but I didn't pay for them properly," siting military service as a way to learn the value of freedoms.
Thrasher said that while he was in the military, "I was a veterinarian. I fought the battle of Huachuca City," as he remained at Fort Huachuca.
Responding to a question from the audience about patrolling the border, Thrasher questioned why the Border Patrol should have a station in Willcox - 60 miles from the border.
"And why is the Tucson Sector in Tucson?"
Thrasher pointed out that crossing the border illegally the first time is a Class 6 misdemeanor.
His son, who is in law enforcement, asks him, "How can I pull a gun on that? It's less than running a stop sign."
As to the federal government, Thrasher said, "We are going to hound them until they do something. I want the border shut down."
Willcox was on the campaign trail for several federal and state Republican
candidates during the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party event at Big Tex BBQ.
Britt James spoke on behalf of Tom Horne, candidate for state Attorney General, and also Margaret Dugan, candidate for state Superintendent of Public Schools.
James talked about Dugan's "vision" for education in Arizona, which includes setting high academic standards for all students; requiring eighth graders to pass a U.S. Constitution test for graduation; and adding history exams as part of end-of-course exams at fourth, seventh, and all high school social studies courses.
Dugan will insist upon accountability for schools, teachers, and students; implement early interventions to assist the fast learners, as well as slow learners, and end social promotion; and increase the use of technology to eliminate "seat time" and replace it with "real learning" time, allowing options for students.
She also plans to introduce performance pay to high-performing teachers to recruit and retain the best teachers in the schools; and open up teacher certification to enlist more quality candidates into the teaching profession.
Dugan's plans also include increasing school choice (charter schools) for parents and students, so that all parents have the opportunity to select the best educational program for their children; and increase availability of education and career action plans (ECAPs), so that students and parents can plan for college or the work place.
"It took him five years, but he succeeded in banning ethnic studies in Tucson," said James, adding that those courses fostered "hatred and separation like the Old South."
"The kids are taught that Conservatives hate Hispanics," she said.
James described Horne as "a staunch supporter of SB 1070."
"He will protect your borders," said James, adding that Horne believes in increasing the National Guard there, as well.
Calling Horne a "brilliant and masterful" trial lawyer for 30 years, he is also pro-life and pro-traditional marriage.
Roger H. Contreras, currently a deputy county attorney, is a candidate for Judge in Cochise County Superior Court Division II.
"My goals if elected are to work hard for the people who pay my salary," said Contreras, adding, "to work hard for my neighbors who pay taxes."
"I want to be the guy in the Cochise County Attorney's Office who turns out the lights," he told the TEA Party audience.
Mary Ellen Dunlap is running for Cochise County Clerk of the Superior Court.
"My goal is to make sure that cross-training is a priority," she told the audience.
"The telephone services need a lot of help. The present system does not run as smoothly as it should."
"Whatever your needs are, they need to be met," Dunlap said.
Candidates in several state races talked to the audience about improving the economy, creating more jobs, and doing what is best for the residents.
Willcox's Peggy Judd is running for the Arizona House of Representatives from District 25. She described that large district as encompassing "the whole southern border" of Arizona.
However, it does not include the Sierra Vista city limits and Fort Huachuca.
Judd talked about the porous borders endangering citizens as well as costing taxpayer money, and would like to see a quicker response time from the Border Patrol.
"I know that we're overspending," she said about state government.
"I want to be the person who is instrumental to curb the spending."
District 25 House of Representatives David Stevens said residents are worried about jobs, the budget, and the border.
Stevens said he would work to retain funding for rural hospitals like the one in Willcox,
"We don't need more taxes, we need more taxpayers," he told the audience.
"It's very important that you keep our feet to the fire."
Calling himself a staunch supporter of SB 1070, Stevens said, "there are six pending lawsuits from the Feds and the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)."
"I am the et al when people sue the governor, et al," he said.
Gail Griffin vowed to do a better job than current District 25 Senator Manny Alvarez, saying that he has voted against all illegal immigration bills.
"We need a change right now," she said. "People are living in fear. My opponent signed a resolution opposing SB 1070."
"It's important that you're here," Griffin told the audience. "If we don't take a stand, our freedoms are gone."
"When Peggy, David and I are elected, we will hold our own town halls with you," she said.
"We need to create jobs in rural Arizona and keep our kids here."
One of the hottest races of the season is the District 8 congressional seat, currently held by two-term Democrat Gabrielle Giffords.
Five Republicans are on the primary ballot, including front-runner Jonathan Paton, Brian Miller, Andy Goss, Jay Quick, and Jesse Kelly.
Kelly was the only one represented at the Willcox TEA Party, by Kale Kibayu.
Part of Kelly's campaign platform is to curb out of control spending by the Federal government, and he believes in taking a hard line approach to curbing border violence and ensuring they remain secure.
Each Republican candidate was given five minutes each to talk and take questions from the audience.
(Editor's Note: Wick Communications Reporter Thelma Grimes contributed to this article.)
Thrasher, of Hereford, Ariz., introduced himself as a member of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association and as a veterinarian who has "worked on both sides of the border."
"It didn't used to be dangerous, " he told the audience.
"Good, honest rural people used to come here and (we) used to hire them as vaqueros who worked our cattle and raised our children."
He explained that after the 1986 amnesty for illegal immigrants who were already in the United States, he saw a rougher type from ghettos beginning to cross illegally.
"And what takes over at the edge of the barrios? Gangs," said Thrasher.
"If we have no border, we have no country," he told the audience. "We've lost our sovereignty. Everybody in the world knows where our open door is."
"We're throwing it all away - what our parents and grandparents fought for," Thrasher said.
"That one generation from tyranny is our generation. My generation is the 'me' generation. I was given more freedoms, but I didn't pay for them properly," siting military service as a way to learn the value of freedoms.
Thrasher said that while he was in the military, "I was a veterinarian. I fought the battle of Huachuca City," as he remained at Fort Huachuca.
Responding to a question from the audience about patrolling the border, Thrasher questioned why the Border Patrol should have a station in Willcox - 60 miles from the border.
"And why is the Tucson Sector in Tucson?"
Thrasher pointed out that crossing the border illegally the first time is a Class 6 misdemeanor.
His son, who is in law enforcement, asks him, "How can I pull a gun on that? It's less than running a stop sign."
As to the federal government, Thrasher said, "We are going to hound them until they do something. I want the border shut down."
Willcox was on the campaign trail for several federal and state Republican
candidates during the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party event at Big Tex BBQ.
Britt James spoke on behalf of Tom Horne, candidate for state Attorney General, and also Margaret Dugan, candidate for state Superintendent of Public Schools.
James talked about Dugan's "vision" for education in Arizona, which includes setting high academic standards for all students; requiring eighth graders to pass a U.S. Constitution test for graduation; and adding history exams as part of end-of-course exams at fourth, seventh, and all high school social studies courses.
Dugan will insist upon accountability for schools, teachers, and students; implement early interventions to assist the fast learners, as well as slow learners, and end social promotion; and increase the use of technology to eliminate "seat time" and replace it with "real learning" time, allowing options for students.
She also plans to introduce performance pay to high-performing teachers to recruit and retain the best teachers in the schools; and open up teacher certification to enlist more quality candidates into the teaching profession.
Dugan's plans also include increasing school choice (charter schools) for parents and students, so that all parents have the opportunity to select the best educational program for their children; and increase availability of education and career action plans (ECAPs), so that students and parents can plan for college or the work place.
"It took him five years, but he succeeded in banning ethnic studies in Tucson," said James, adding that those courses fostered "hatred and separation like the Old South."
"The kids are taught that Conservatives hate Hispanics," she said.
James described Horne as "a staunch supporter of SB 1070."
"He will protect your borders," said James, adding that Horne believes in increasing the National Guard there, as well.
Calling Horne a "brilliant and masterful" trial lawyer for 30 years, he is also pro-life and pro-traditional marriage.
Roger H. Contreras, currently a deputy county attorney, is a candidate for Judge in Cochise County Superior Court Division II.
"My goals if elected are to work hard for the people who pay my salary," said Contreras, adding, "to work hard for my neighbors who pay taxes."
"I want to be the guy in the Cochise County Attorney's Office who turns out the lights," he told the TEA Party audience.
Mary Ellen Dunlap is running for Cochise County Clerk of the Superior Court.
"My goal is to make sure that cross-training is a priority," she told the audience.
"The telephone services need a lot of help. The present system does not run as smoothly as it should."
"Whatever your needs are, they need to be met," Dunlap said.
Candidates in several state races talked to the audience about improving the economy, creating more jobs, and doing what is best for the residents.
Willcox's Peggy Judd is running for the Arizona House of Representatives from District 25. She described that large district as encompassing "the whole southern border" of Arizona.
However, it does not include the Sierra Vista city limits and Fort Huachuca.
Judd talked about the porous borders endangering citizens as well as costing taxpayer money, and would like to see a quicker response time from the Border Patrol.
"I know that we're overspending," she said about state government.
"I want to be the person who is instrumental to curb the spending."
District 25 House of Representatives David Stevens said residents are worried about jobs, the budget, and the border.
Stevens said he would work to retain funding for rural hospitals like the one in Willcox,
"We don't need more taxes, we need more taxpayers," he told the audience.
"It's very important that you keep our feet to the fire."
Calling himself a staunch supporter of SB 1070, Stevens said, "there are six pending lawsuits from the Feds and the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)."
"I am the et al when people sue the governor, et al," he said.
Gail Griffin vowed to do a better job than current District 25 Senator Manny Alvarez, saying that he has voted against all illegal immigration bills.
"We need a change right now," she said. "People are living in fear. My opponent signed a resolution opposing SB 1070."
"It's important that you're here," Griffin told the audience. "If we don't take a stand, our freedoms are gone."
"When Peggy, David and I are elected, we will hold our own town halls with you," she said.
"We need to create jobs in rural Arizona and keep our kids here."
One of the hottest races of the season is the District 8 congressional seat, currently held by two-term Democrat Gabrielle Giffords.
Five Republicans are on the primary ballot, including front-runner Jonathan Paton, Brian Miller, Andy Goss, Jay Quick, and Jesse Kelly.
Kelly was the only one represented at the Willcox TEA Party, by Kale Kibayu.
Part of Kelly's campaign platform is to curb out of control spending by the Federal government, and he believes in taking a hard line approach to curbing border violence and ensuring they remain secure.
Each Republican candidate was given five minutes each to talk and take questions from the audience.
(Editor's Note: Wick Communications Reporter Thelma Grimes contributed to this article.)
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