One hundred landowners in Texas are gearing for a showdown with the government surveyors intent on building a 700 mile wall on their properties, at the 1,200 mile long Texas-Mexico border on the banks of the Rio Grande. The land owners are against the move to erect a fence that the Homeland Security authorities believe would deny entry to illegal immigrants, since this would infringe on their rights to the property. Some of these lands were grants from Spain, prior to the existence of the United States, and regarded as a family heritage. Homeland Security Security Michael Chertoff is not about to back off since he believes that an enterprise cannot be discontinued for the benefit of one individual. He adds that giving up the land in this case is a civic responsibility and would solve the entry of illegals as well as criminal elements and drugs.
The massive wall being planned is intended to intimidate illegals from access to the United States. However, doubts remain about its effectiveness. Two years ago, the US Congress voted 239-182 to stem the tide of illegals from the South, and among the provisions was the construction of of a barrier at the Mexican border.
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano believes no wall would be effective. She said two years ago : " show me a 50 ft. wall and I'll show you a 51 ft. ladder". What Arizona has implemented is the Legal Arizona Workers Act which would penalize employers and business entities who knowingly hired illegals in their establishments. Penalties range from 10 days suspension of license to permanent closure. A week ago, Governor Napolitano asked that the law be amended to include provisions that would prevent use of the Act for abuse or discrimination. The Law, which took effect on January 1st has seen the exodus of foreigners in the last 6 months prior to 2008. The State looks at the returning illegals as self-deportation and Attrition by Enforcement. In Texas,
Governor Rick Perry has used State and Homeland Security funds to increase border patrol personnel, provide overtime pay, initiate radio communications with rural citizens to alert patrols, use the National Guard for hot spots and for training of rapid deployment teams, among others under the program Operation Linebacker.
Another method that will take effect on the 31st of this month is for US and Canadian citizens to present Proof of Citizenship and a government issued ID when entering the US at land border crossings and sea ports. What used to be mere "oral declarations" now require documented evidence of citizenship. This move is viewed as a means of discouraging illegals and screening undesirables and terrorists.
The intended wall will most likely be a gigantic white elephant. One side claims the right to property, while the other invokes the right of the state to protect its citizens. Court cases will soon follow, but Homeland Security will not stop its construction while talks are ongoing. This is courting a gunfight similar to OK Corral. The key question before they start shooting each other, either with bullets or with legal action, is, "will the wall be effective?". The Walls of Jericho tumbled over upon mere blowing of Joshua's horn; the Berlin Wall did not stop the escape from East Berlin by those enclosed by it, until it was torn down by the imperative of unity and openness; the Great Wall of China, the most massive Wall the world has known, did not stop invaders from attacking the mainland throughout its history. Human ingenuity, intent, and frailties always take the upper hand when such physical structures are erected. This is the lesson of history. At best, it will minimize the access by illegals, but it will be nothing more than a billion dollar ignominy.
What will stop the illegals from blasting portions of the wall while it is still under construction, either as a means to gain entry or as a decoy? At what cost will the wall be maintained. What about those Legal Ranchers and farmers affected by the limited or total lack of access to the Rio Grande for their operations? What sort of logic was behind the genius of this outstanding abomination?
The Arizona Legal Workers Act is showing good signs of success. The flagging economy and a stringent law on hiring illegals will prevent entry since the traffic will stop if there are no jobs available. Employers will not risk their business to hire cheap illegal labor and lose their license in the process. This Law was written by thinking legislators, unlike the wall building idea which is like sweeping the dirt under the rug to get it over with. Garbage in-garbage out. While some quarters see the foreigners, legal or illegal, as contributors to the economy of Arizona, authorities believe that the labor demand will rise versus supply, but will eventually taper off.
The Proof of Citizenship method will test the patience of personnel at the border and the citizens themselves. Massive traffic jams and outbursts of anger are expected, but the intent is to get Americans used to carrying identification. Facilities such as portable outhouses and water fountains should be installed, especially during the summer months.
Immigration is without doubt a big issue in the US. Candidates' viability are affected by their positions on illegal immigration. The imminent recession, if not already existing, will make the issue more sensitive as the continued entry of illegals will take jobs, livelihoods, and even health care benefits from American citizens already experiencing difficulties with their standards of living.
But since the beginning of America's history, illegal immigration has always been a problem. The aliens took out their lands without compensation, destroyed the environment, brought diseases, deforested their mountains, decimated their animals, drove them to starvation, committed genocide against their people, wrecked their culture, lied to them for 150 years with unfulfilled Treaties, and gave the insignificant number of survivors a wasteland so they can be buried there when their "worse than death" existence is over. Ask Russel Means of the Lakota Sioux. Ask the Navajo tribe, or what remains of them. Look back to the Indians.
What the majority of Americans at the border are experiencing is nothing compared to that suffered by the true American. This is poetic justice, albeit a very small one.
Haaarrrrwwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!
The massive wall being planned is intended to intimidate illegals from access to the United States. However, doubts remain about its effectiveness. Two years ago, the US Congress voted 239-182 to stem the tide of illegals from the South, and among the provisions was the construction of of a barrier at the Mexican border.
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano believes no wall would be effective. She said two years ago : " show me a 50 ft. wall and I'll show you a 51 ft. ladder". What Arizona has implemented is the Legal Arizona Workers Act which would penalize employers and business entities who knowingly hired illegals in their establishments. Penalties range from 10 days suspension of license to permanent closure. A week ago, Governor Napolitano asked that the law be amended to include provisions that would prevent use of the Act for abuse or discrimination. The Law, which took effect on January 1st has seen the exodus of foreigners in the last 6 months prior to 2008. The State looks at the returning illegals as self-deportation and Attrition by Enforcement. In Texas,
Governor Rick Perry has used State and Homeland Security funds to increase border patrol personnel, provide overtime pay, initiate radio communications with rural citizens to alert patrols, use the National Guard for hot spots and for training of rapid deployment teams, among others under the program Operation Linebacker.Another method that will take effect on the 31st of this month is for US and Canadian citizens to present Proof of Citizenship and a government issued ID when entering the US at land border crossings and sea ports. What used to be mere "oral declarations" now require documented evidence of citizenship. This move is viewed as a means of discouraging illegals and screening undesirables and terrorists.
The intended wall will most likely be a gigantic white elephant. One side claims the right to property, while the other invokes the right of the state to protect its citizens. Court cases will soon follow, but Homeland Security will not stop its construction while talks are ongoing. This is courting a gunfight similar to OK Corral. The key question before they start shooting each other, either with bullets or with legal action, is, "will the wall be effective?". The Walls of Jericho tumbled over upon mere blowing of Joshua's horn; the Berlin Wall did not stop the escape from East Berlin by those enclosed by it, until it was torn down by the imperative of unity and openness; the Great Wall of China, the most massive Wall the world has known, did not stop invaders from attacking the mainland throughout its history. Human ingenuity, intent, and frailties always take the upper hand when such physical structures are erected. This is the lesson of history. At best, it will minimize the access by illegals, but it will be nothing more than a billion dollar ignominy.What will stop the illegals from blasting portions of the wall while it is still under construction, either as a means to gain entry or as a decoy? At what cost will the wall be maintained. What about those Legal Ranchers and farmers affected by the limited or total lack of access to the Rio Grande for their operations? What sort of logic was behind the genius of this outstanding abomination?
The Arizona Legal Workers Act is showing good signs of success. The flagging economy and a stringent law on hiring illegals will prevent entry since the traffic will stop if there are no jobs available. Employers will not risk their business to hire cheap illegal labor and lose their license in the process. This Law was written by thinking legislators, unlike the wall building idea which is like sweeping the dirt under the rug to get it over with. Garbage in-garbage out. While some quarters see the foreigners, legal or illegal, as contributors to the economy of Arizona, authorities believe that the labor demand will rise versus supply, but will eventually taper off.
The Proof of Citizenship method will test the patience of personnel at the border and the citizens themselves. Massive traffic jams and outbursts of anger are expected, but the intent is to get Americans used to carrying identification. Facilities such as portable outhouses and water fountains should be installed, especially during the summer months.
Immigration is without doubt a big issue in the US. Candidates' viability are affected by their positions on illegal immigration. The imminent recession, if not already existing, will make the issue more sensitive as the continued entry of illegals will take jobs, livelihoods, and even health care benefits from American citizens already experiencing difficulties with their standards of living.
But since the beginning of America's history, illegal immigration has always been a problem. The aliens took out their lands without compensation, destroyed the environment, brought diseases, deforested their mountains, decimated their animals, drove them to starvation, committed genocide against their people, wrecked their culture, lied to them for 150 years with unfulfilled Treaties, and gave the insignificant number of survivors a wasteland so they can be buried there when their "worse than death" existence is over. Ask Russel Means of the Lakota Sioux. Ask the Navajo tribe, or what remains of them. Look back to the Indians.
What the majority of Americans at the border are experiencing is nothing compared to that suffered by the true American. This is poetic justice, albeit a very small one.
Haaarrrrwwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!
