Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Tear Down This Wall, Mr. Trump

Don't worry I got Pink Floyd all cued up, too. No Robert Frost. The Republican candidates seem to be competing over who can build the longest wall on our borders with the most beautiful door.

If he were to occupy the Oval Office, Donald Trump promises to build a “beautiful” wall along the entire US-Mexican border. Not to be outdone as a fellow GOP presidential hopeful, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he is willing to “look at” putting a wall on the US-Canadian border – the longest border between countries in the world.

It may be rude to point out that you can go around or over a wall. So, I'm rude.

Many politicians like Mr. Trump are responding with promises of impenetrable borders.

Is raising such a hope realistic? Experts say that walls – whose history goes back nearly 4,000 years – have a dubious record. They often merely divert migration elsewhere and make it more dangerous. 

Well, he's raising the hopes of dolts, so anything is probably realistic to them. Sorry. That really is rude. 

Border barriers can have unintended consequences. They may forestall peacebuilding and reinforce differences. By enclosing a country, they are a signal of fear of the other and a symbol of mutual distrust and defined differences.

Border walls can serve as a symbol for a country by collectively sharpening its identity and create the impression of a sanctuary. But they also may prevent a country from dealing with the root causes of illegal migration, such as poverty and war. The best long-range solution is for countries to work with each other in tackling core problems and share information on potential threats, such as drug cartels or terrorist suspects.


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