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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