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Short Answer, yes, obviously a fence would be more of a deterrent than "no fence". Whether or not it would be economically worth it is another matter. The sad fact underlying this whole thing is that, in our famously "free" society, where, to a degree just about unmatched anywhere in the world, we are free to act, or not, without being compelled to do so. It is really "all up to us", and, human nature being what it is, people are loathe to "act", particularly when the problem isn't seen as relevant to their own lives. Much more often, we tend to "react", closing the barn door, as it were, after the horses have gone.
In the cold light of reality, it is probably true that far more Americans will die in traffic accidents, or with heart attacks, than from terrorists. One way or another, no matter what we do, life will go on. The people of Israel, for example, have learned to carry on their daily lives with a consciousnrss of terrorism we might think totally intolerable. Yet they carry on; they have little choice.
The US is so big, and so powerful, that no group of terrorists can ever realistically make a "dent" in it. Our own hysteria, though, may prove our undoing. More than likely,we will continue to "react" to events. (Frankly, at this point, I'm still amazed that 9-11 didn't 'bring us together' more. It did, for a time, but then seemed to 'fizzle') We just don't have the type of society here, like the middle east does, in which "an attack on Denver is an attack on Cincinnati". To some extent, an attack on Denver is just an attack on Denver.
The border fence would certainly complicate life for any would-be terrorists arriving by way of Juarez or Nogales. It certainly couldn't hurt. We still must realize, though, that a border fence will still have to contend with charges that it's a "racist" idea, and that a secure border "makes us just like Nazi Germany"...don't know if we can ever overcome these obstacles.
If we wake up some morning to find that Kansas no longer exists, perhaps we'll re-think things. Maybe not. Perhaps we'll just say "Too bad about Kansas- nice place-- but AT LEAST we didn't trample on anyone's civil rights, and for that, the people of Kansas would have been PROUD of us"....I just don't know.
Let me see if I can picture this...an al-Qaida terrorist crossing into the US via the southern border. Three ways of doing this: (1) legally through one of our checkpoints along the border. If said terrorist goes through a checkpoint (legally), that's incompetence on our part. (2) However, if said terrorist uses the services of corrupt Mexican government officials, coyotes (people smugglers) or drug smugglers, that terrorist is more than likely going to be robbed, beat up, maimed, killed AND left unburied (so the buzzards can eat him) by the very same same people he "hired" to help him. They will take the terrorist's money and belongings and then they'll kill him. Mexicans DESPISE terrorists. If they so much as suspect that you're "not right" or even "out of place", they'll kill you. Mexicans have family/friends in the states. Do you think they are going to allow a terrorist kill one of their own? When pigs fly. (3) The terrorist can also try to "hoof it" or drive alone across the desert. In that case, he's risking running into a corrput Mexican cop, a coyote, or drug smuggler. These people will demand to know how dare he be out there without paying THEM. Again, said terrorist will be robbed, beat up, killed and left to rot. That's Mexican corruption for you. It is so bad you can't even count on the rotten apples to keep their word!
Not many Mexicans speak English, remember? Said terrorist would have to speak perfect "Mexican" Spanish, right down to pronouncing every "p". Although anything's possible, I think that one is unlikely. The whole border is a very dangerous, suspicious, violent area.
Why go through all that trouble when they can just get into the yacht of a very wealthy Saudi national and sail from British Columbia, CA to the shores of Washington state or Oregon? It is wide open, folks. Why not take the path of least resistance? That would make more sense to me.
A fence would help with generalized illegal labor migration to the US and drug smuggling operations. However, I've read reports that tunnels have been dug and found. Is a fence a good idea? Sure, why not. It'll probably be built by an American corporation using illegal labor. Will it stem illegal immigration, drug smuggling at a 100 percent rate. Doubt it.
ED nurse, stop making sense. You are blowing a hole into the "lets' say we want to build a fence and stop the terrorists" so we can really stop those icky Mexicans crowd.
Exactly. The Fence is a comedy from start to finish. Building and maintaining a 2,000-mile long fence is immensely expensive, and effective counter-fence technology was already perfected prior to the start of recorded history. It will stop no terrorists at all. There are too many ways of going over, under, around, or through a fence.
ED nurse, stop making sense. You are blowing a hole into the "lets' say we want to build a fence and stop the terrorists" so we can really stop those icky Mexicans crowd.
Stop making sense? How about start thinking.
That is a completely absurd post.
The reasoning of some people is absurd. Why have taxes? People cheat on them all the time, so why have them? Why have drunk driving laws, plenty of people get away with it.
Of course it isn't going to be 100% perfect, but it WILL deter and stop plenty.
As for the icky illegal Mexicans (who actually come from many countries, some of which are in Asia), there is exactly one way to stop them: make it easier and cheaper to come and work here legally than it is to come and work here illegally. When you do that, the so-called problem of illegal immigrants will magically vanish. Until you do that, it will only continue to grow.
The reasoning of some people is absurd. Why have taxes? People cheat on them all the time, so why have them? Why have drunk driving laws, plenty of people get away with it.
Of course it isn't going to be 100% perfect, but it WILL deter and stop plenty.
It will deter and stop plenty of what? Illegal immigration or the infiltration of terrorists?
Is it absurd that an al-Qaida terrorist could sail from British Columbia to the coast of the Pacific Northwest? Or go across the northern border, you know where nobody is really looking? Why can that not happen?
The reasoning of some people is absurd. Why have taxes? People cheat on them all the time, so why have them? Why have drunk driving laws, plenty of people get away with it.
Of course it isn't going to be 100% perfect, but it WILL deter and stop plenty.
Good point. It has already been documented by the Bush Administrations own intelligence estimates that terrorists have already come across our southern border and are continuing to do so. The criminals that guide illegals and drugs across our border are just that, disgusting criminals who will do anything for a buck.
Build the fence, put the troops on the border, and put anyone who is here illegally on a chain gang.
Good point. It has already been documented by the Bush Administrations own intelligence estimates that terrorists have already come across our southern border and are continuing to do so. The criminals that guide illegals and drugs across our border are just that, disgusting criminals who will do anything for a buck.
Build the fence, put the troops on the border, and put anyone who is here illegally on a chain gang.
Hey, if it has been documented by the Bush administrations' intelligence estimate, that is good enough for me. Or maybe another one of their "gut feelings"?
A fence would deter nothing. I can show you how to get through a fence if you don't believe me. Another stupid idea.
By the way, what "troops" would you put on the border? Would you take them in between their 15 month Iraqi tours and stick them there instead of with their families? More "supporting the troops"...
Maybe the new age biblical plague known as 'Big Corps'
could actually do the right and moral thing to and stop
making the conditions so horrifying for them that they dont
want to come over here. All the stuff these carpetbagging
charlatans promised during the WTO / NAFTA surges and
annexations of Mexico were all lies. A Corp lying, pretty
unbelievable, huh ?!?! Say it aint so.....
Do a google search on 'DOLE hurts Mexican farmers' for
a little more insight on what America is doing to Mexican
farmers wrecking that industry, there....also, if you like to
mix humour with your politics, ala Stuart or Colbert, a hilarious
but very serious movie on the subject that is a MUST SEE, is 'Yes Men'.
Put it on yer 'must see' list right up there with Pink Flamingo's
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Say it aint so.....
