Fences
When I was a boy, we learned that the United States had the longest unfortified border in the world. We were very proud of that. We didn't fear our neighbors and they didn't fear us. Thousands and thousands of miles of international border and you wouldn't know it was there unless you were a surveyor.
Now that won't be anymore. We are going to build 700 miles of fence because we fear people who want to better their lives and the lives of their families; just like all of our ancestors who came here from beyond the sea. How can I be proud of that?
Bureaucracies being what they are, the fence will never go away. No federal program ever does. People will go around it so it will get longer and longer, and deeper and higher. Ultimately there will be calls to shoot-at people who want a chance to cut the grass in a Chicago suburb.
Years ago, when I would start a statement with the phrase "I've been thinking..." an old friend of mine would stop me and say "No Carl, don't do that. Every time you think, it weakens the nation."
I can't help it though, I think about the fence and it shames me. It shames me.
Now that won't be anymore. We are going to build 700 miles of fence because we fear people who want to better their lives and the lives of their families; just like all of our ancestors who came here from beyond the sea. How can I be proud of that?
Bureaucracies being what they are, the fence will never go away. No federal program ever does. People will go around it so it will get longer and longer, and deeper and higher. Ultimately there will be calls to shoot-at people who want a chance to cut the grass in a Chicago suburb.
Years ago, when I would start a statement with the phrase "I've been thinking..." an old friend of mine would stop me and say "No Carl, don't do that. Every time you think, it weakens the nation."
I can't help it though, I think about the fence and it shames me. It shames me.
posted by Carl at 2:03 AM
3 Comments:
We should all be ashamed.
The amazing thing to me is that this entire dialog is being driven by a few rich fat white guys who are really upset that their children will be a political minority in the next 50 years.
There is merit in discussing border security and the US/Mexican border in particular.
I just wish the dialog would include a thoughtful examination of how we (the USA) got to this point in the first place. There has been an ebb and flow involving Mexican workers in the US for more than 75 years.
Any econ 101 student knows that a country either needs to import low wage workers or export low wage jobs in order to fuel a growing economy. But since most Americans are too lazy to understand the complexity of the economic realities of this undocumented work force it is easier to just build a wall.
Never mind that crops are rotting in the fields across the southern US this year because there is no one to pick them...that story isn't being told. Never mind that those who employ undocumented workers must by law withhold federal, state and local taxes as well as social security tax and that undocumented workers will never collect the withholding ... that story has no public appeal.
Keep the faith Carl. The vote was to build the wall but it is currently unfunded. Besides, in 25 to 50 years, a majority of the electorate will be of Latin origin and maybe they will remember the words of Ronald Regan and "tear that wall down."
Me too, Carl. Me too.
Spoken like a true gentleman.
PS. Your thoughts do not weaken the nation. If more thought along your limes it would strengthen the nation. It is those whose convictions change with the latest polls who weaken the nation and shame us.
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