Three generations protest Fox, immigrants

Eileen Olson waved her miniature American flag and yelled “Enforce the law” as Mexican President Vicente Fox walked across the Utah state Capitol courtyard Wednesday morning. The 81-year-old Californian drove up for only one day to join her two daughters, a grandson and a great-grandson in protesting Fox's visit.

Actually, great-grandson Ben didn't do any protesting because he is only 13 months old. But excluding him, three generations of the same family were proud to be affiliated with the Minuteman Project and want to see undocumented immigrants deported and U.S. borders secured.

“It shows the American spirit to have my family all here and on the same page,” said Robin Hvidston, Eileen's daughter. “It's brought our family closer.”

Hvidston carried a sign that read, “Fox fix Mexico.”

Eileen Olson's other daughter, Laurie Lisonbee of Orem, defended her family members' fight while removing them from the stereotype that she said is wrongly hung upon the Minuteman Project.

“We're a family of professionals,” said Lisonbee. “Almost all of us have higher degrees in education and medicine. We're anything but vigilantes.”

For more than a year, Hvidston has been organizing weekly anti-immigration rallies in Southern California. She is a member of the Minuteman Project and Citizens for Securing Our Borders. She joined the organizations after about 100 undocumented immigrants marched near her home several years ago.

“I was ordered off a city sidewalk so illegal immigrants could march past me, spit in my face and flip me off,” she said. “Something just snapped . . . and I got very involved in immigration.”

Lisonbee recently began protesting with the Minuteman Project after watching “angry militant illegals on the television” during marches held in the streets of Salt Lake City last month, she said.

“I want [Fox] to keep his people in Mexico,” Lisonbee said. “They are using the U.S. infrastructure to benefit their country. His noncitizens of the United States are benefiting without paying their taxes. If they paid their taxes and were citizens, I would be fine with it.”

Scott Olson, who brought his wife and young son from Mesa, Ariz., to Salt Lake City, doesn't think Fox's visit to Utah will help solve anything. Once a supporter of President Bush, he is now against him. He also has nothing to say to Fox.

“Theses politicians are duplicitous and not representing the Americans' will,” he said.“These people are so far gone, they are not worth talking to.”

jbergreen@sltrib.com