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Spencer requests meeting with Phoenix mayor
July 26, 2009
Mayor Phil Gordon
200 W Washington St
Phoenix, AZ 85003-1611Phoenix, Arizona
Dear Mayor Gordon:
American Border Patrol is an Arizona charitable organization. It is authorized to solicit donations from every state in the U.S. Its sole purpose is to bring the truth about the border to the American people. Our pioneering work in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles led the U.S. government to adopt this technology on the border. Our use of remotely operated border cameras has been featured on CNN, in USA Today and in Arizona media.
ABP is a watchdog organization that works to keep an eye on the government's border fence effort. As reported in the Sierra Vista Herald, we have challenged reports of border fence progress made by the government. These challenges led Angela de Rocha, head of Public Relations for Customs and Border Protection, to tell a reporter that ABP "was doing an important service for the American people."
According to the Arizona Republic, you are soon going to be meeting with representatives of the Southern Poverty Law Center to "help raise awareness about the presence of hate groups."
On May 17, 2007, USA Today reported: "The Southern Poverty Law Center has accused ABP of abusing and illegally detaining immigrants, and the center lists ABP as a hate group."
These are very serious charges and I would hope that during this process of raising awareness, you would entertain the idea of raising awareness of the deleterious effects of false charges. To that end, I am requesting a meeting with you to discuss the charges against ABP by SPLC and to let you know of the important work ABP is doing. At a minimum, I would expect ABP to be included in those who are notified of, or are invited to, meetings dealing with this issue.
I am concerned that in this time of heightened emotions over the border issue, and immediately following the murder of a Border Patrol agent in California, some who are convinced that ABP abuses and illegally detains immigrants might decide that violence is an appropriate remedy.
It is time to set the record straight.
Sincerely,
Glenn Spencer
President
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