News, AP IMPACT: Border fence may cut property. (illegals, Mexican border, interviews)

[John1960]

GRANJENO, Texas — Founded 240 years ago, this sleepy Texas town along the Rio Grande has outlasted the Spanish, then the Mexicans and then the short-lived independent Republic of Texas. But it may not survive the U.S. government's effort to secure the Mexican border with a steel fence.

AP IMPACT: Border fence may cut property | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle (broken link)

[cousinsal]

Better we have a "virtual" fence that zaps people automatically when they cross the line. Just a bit of an electric jolt to show that we mean business.

[macmeal]

I saw this article too, and I guess I'm just getting "cynical" in my old age....the VERY FIRST thing that popped into my mind was "I'll bet they're just trying to 'enrage' the local people, get this story into the news, and turn public sentiment even more against the fence than it already is"...sorry If I just don't trust the authorities on this. (We ALL know, of course, how scrupulously up-front and honest they've been, up until now)...

I can see "having to" put a 300-foot-wide freeway through someone's backyard---freeways are huge, their curves and embankments extensive, and sometimes you just have no choice but to "make room" for them....but a FENCE?...give me a break !...You'll have to tear down your house so we can put a FENCE through it?...a fence that's ALREADY thousands of feet from the actual border?...sorry, but I'm not buying it. Fences can make corners...they can, and do, "go around" obstacles, if the fence-builder wants them to.

This is just one more childish, foot-dragging attempt to NOT build the fence at all---infuriate the "locals", get the story into the news, and "presto"...the public will DEMAND that the fence NOT be built.....pretty slick, I'd say...

[Hawkeye48]

I really don't care where they build it, just get the darn thing up.

[Jim280]

Originally Posted by macmeal

I saw this article too, and I guess I'm just getting "cynical" in my old age....the VERY FIRST thing that popped into my mind was "I'll bet they're just trying to 'enrage' the local people, get this story into the news, and turn public sentiment even more against the fence than it already is"...sorry If I just don't trust the authorities on this. (We ALL know, of course, how scrupulously up-front and honest they've been, up until now)...

I can see "having to" put a 300-foot-wide freeway through someone's backyard---freeways are huge, their curves and embankments extensive, and sometimes you just have no choice but to "make room" for them....but a FENCE?...give me a break !...You'll have to tear down your house so we can put a FENCE through it?...a fence that's ALREADY thousands of feet from the actual border?...sorry, but I'm not buying it. Fences can make corners...they can, and do, "go around" obstacles, if the fence-builder wants them to.

This is just one more childish, foot-dragging attempt to NOT build the fence at all---infuriate the "locals", get the story into the news, and "presto"...the public will DEMAND that the fence NOT be built.....pretty slick, I'd say...

You may just have something there, I just wish they would stop bickering about the fence and build it... get it over with and done.

[Hawkeye48]

Originally Posted by Jim280

You may just have something there, I just wish they would stop bickering about the fence and build it... get it over with and done.

I agree, just get the thing up. But I wish they would stop with the virtual fence nonsense. Virtual fences don't work. Virtual fences are nothing more than vast gateways.

I've seen too many border patrol agents say in interviews that the real purpose of the border fence is not to stop the terrorists, drug runners and illegals, but to slow down them down long enough to catch them. Virtual fences don't accomplish that.

[Jim280]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye48

I agree, just get the thing up. But I wish they would stop with the virtual fence nonsense. Virtual fences don't work. Virtual fences are nothing more than vast gateways.

I've seen too many border patrol agents say in interviews that the real purpose of the border fence is not to stop the terrorists, drug runners and illegals, but to slow down them down long enough to catch them. Virtual fences don't accomplish that.

I read an article a few months back about the border fence and it said much the samething as the Border Agents say, it's only an obstacle to slow the people down.

I have to agree on the virtual fence, I think one would be useless along the border. They may be ok for animals like cattle and dogs etc., I really don't know how effective they are at that.