Should We Build a Wall?

Sometimes I can only shake my head.  I’ve seen a number of postings on FB about how walls are ineffective and can be defeated.  Some have gone so far as to invoke God as being against walls.  It gives me reason to question the sanity of those who are opposed to a particular wall, or really a political belief in sovereignty yet are unable to make rational arguments supporting their position.  It is far easier to stand on a corner and shout the other side is insane, than it is to decide, perhaps they are not.

We can start with simple yes or no questions but regardless of the answers, it will never alter the positions of those who are for or against a border wall, because the time for logical debate is long past and neither side is willing to concede they are maybe wrong (even a little bit).

The real issue at hand isn’t whether or not we should build a wall, or even if walls are effective or not, those are only wonderfully convenient talking points to mask the foundational question, “Should the laws of a sovereign nation be subject to the whims of outside political activists who have gathered together to trample on the laws they dislike?” Unfortunately, that question is unanswerable in the 15-second sound bites we’ve now come to accept from the media as they cull through the politicians and other elite seeking just the right 15-seconds to inflame their viewers.

After the 2016 election, the Congress created a Special Investigation into this question as it dealt with the allegation of Russian influence/corruption of the voting process.  So far, after two years of investigation and some $30 million dollars, there remains no clear indication whatever Russia did – had any distinct impact on the national vote.

It has long been said we are a nation of sheep and there is a lot of truth to that, for like sheep all most of us want to do is live our lives in peace and let someone else guide or guard the flock.  The politicians and the power-elite know this and gain their power from the flock as they drive them in whatever direction suits their particular need.

So, what is the answer?  Unlike others who suggest they speak for God, I don’t know.  What I do know are the following facts. 

• Over the past 200 years, America has been in the enviable position of not spend massive amounts of energy and capital guarding its borders.  We had acceptable relationships with both Mexico and Canada and none of us saw much need to invade the other.  Sure, we had entry points and we had coastal defenses in case those pesky Europeans wanted to invade, but for the most part, everyone knew the rules and followed them.  Canada kept the Arctic hoards from coming south, and Mexico kept the Incas from coming north.
• Immigrants of the past are not the same as immigrants of today.  There were rules that were followed, and for the most part, they assimilated into the culture adding to our society with their foods, their art, and their histories.  Today’s immigrants are overwhelming the communities as many try and force their culture on the natives without a real desire to assimilate.  At the same time, we native Americans seem to have lost our identities and shared cultural values as we fracture into ever-smaller groups, each demanding a superior place in the social fabric.
• The historical labels of Liberal and Conservative are no longer valid descriptors.  Liberals today are intolerant of those who oppose their views and seek power through manipulation.  Conservatives have no true sense of the natural evolution of society and tend toward knee-jerk reactions against the more extreme social changes.  Labels remain only so those in power can herd the right sheep into the appropriate flocks.
• As long as America remains a viable market for addictive drugs the flow of those drugs from their various points of origin will continue.  The by-product of this is the issue of human trafficking and the increased expenses of border security.  So far, every strategy the US government has tried in its “War on Drugs” has failed.  We’ve filled our jails and watched as lives are lost to the addiction.  I am not sure the government can ever fix this problem, for its root is in a moral choice each individual makes and regardless of what politicians may say the Government is amoral.

So, at the end of the day should we build a wall or should we just do away with Homeland Security?  I guess the answer depends on who you think the new arrivals will vote for.