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Below is a copy of testimony I gave to the Missouri House Special Committee on Immigration Reform on June 29, 2006.  At this time, I had already founded the St. Louis Chapter of the Minuteman Project, Inc.  Shortly afterward, I decided not to continue with this Chapter.  About a month later, I founded Missourians Against Illegal Immigration (MAII).  However, I am still a proud Minuteman and member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (www.minutemanhq.com), Chris Simcox's organization.

Some time after my testimony, I found out that Ken Lester, who is the subject of my testimony below, had long ago had a tattoo done right below his eye - a blue teardrop.  He said this teardrop represented the sadness he felt for his Country because of what illegal immigration was doing to it.

My name is Janet Renner and I am the Founder of the St. Louis Chapter of the Minuteman Project, Inc.  Thank you again for allowing me to speak before your Special Committee on Immigration Reform.  Today, I would like to make a brief statement.

On June 25, 2006, I received a phone call from someone I did not know at the time.  His name was Mr. Ken Lester.

Mr. Lester began his conversation by thanking me and the State of Missouri because we had recognized the serious nature of the illegal immigration problems occurring in the United States.  He said that he was encouraged and very happy because he had found out, through the Minuteman grapevine, that he and the western border states were not alone in the battle to secure the borders and enforce American laws. 

Mr. Lester lives in a small town called Chula Vista in California, just five miles from the U.S. - Mexican border.  He told me, in a concerned tone, that the culture of the small town in which he had lived for nearly all his life had changed dramatically with the influx of illegal immigrants.  When he goes into town, the usual scenario is that the Hispanics shout expletives at him.  Mr. Lester also mentioned that he was a Minuteman.

Each day, Mr. Lester patrols a section of the U. S. - Mexican border approximately twelve minutes from his home because the United States government fails to enforce its own laws.  In less than a year, Mr. Lester reportedly sighted at least 63 illegal aliens attempting to cross into the United States and notified the Border Patrol, who, he added, works very cooperatively with the Minuteman organization.

Mr. Lester seemed particularly proud of the work of the Special Committee on Immigration Reform because, you see, Mr. Lester is a native Missourian, born and raised in Moscow Mills. He said that occasionally he returns home and sees the house where he grew up in which is located in an area known as "The Point."  Mr. Lester is seventy-seven years old. 

Missouri and the United States exist in a critical time in history.  The essence of America is at grave risk due to the invasion of illegal immigrants into our Country because of  the absence of law enforcement.  The fate of generations of Americans to come will be influenced, in part, by what you, the Special Committee on Immigration Reform, do today and in the days to come in the Missouri Legislature.

As you go about your sworn duties in the House of Representatives, I hope you will keep this courageous American patriot, Mr. Ken Lester, in mind  and especially when the going gets tough, I hope you will remember the words of Tom Burnett, United Flight 93.  As you recall, on September 11, 2001, presumably energized by sheer determination to protect Americans and faced with certain death, Tom Burnett, an American citizen from Minnesota, a husband and father of three young daughters, reportedly said "We're Going to Do Something."  And they did