Should a wall be built between the US and Mexico?- Page 2

[TheatreDiva612]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:01am

No way.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:36am

Why don't we spend the money trying to improve the quality of life in Mexico so people would not so desperately need to leave that they are willing to do anything?

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:38am

when did it become our job to improve the quality of life in Mexico?

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:44am

I'd rather help my neighbor than help finance a war in Iraq......but apparently that's my job now........

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:47am

Maybe we should focus on the US. Improving life here. Fix our own problems before we fix everyone elses.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 11:03am

I totally agree.......but we never have, and no administration, democrat or republican, is going to start now.....
and until the American public gets off it's giant collective Lemming ass and makes that clear to it's leaders, that will never change......so, for now.....we need to help where we can.....
We have no problem spending billions in Iraq, but we do have a problem spending anything for education, universal healthcare, and affordable housing........ah, the American way.

As long as Joe American can sit on his overweight ass in Kearney, NE and scratch his stomach, and watch TV, guzzling a few beers......what does he care that the future of America is getting an education that is the laugh of Europe.......don't even get me started on all of that.......

[DBillyP]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 11:23am

My point, Zone, is that if the money is going to be spent anyway, why not spend it on something that would actually make a difference in the world.

I would wager that the vast majority of people calling for a wall to be built would call themselves "Christians." It is since then that it became their job to improve the quality of life for people in Mexico, aka their neighbor.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 11:26am

<----------------atheist

[DAME]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 11:47am

NO!

[DBillyP]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 11:56am

The atheists I know still hold compassion for the other as a value.

[liotte]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 2:46pm

Thank you all for your answers, my kid and I really appreciate it!

If anyone hasn't responded yet (even yes or no) and wants to, we will be working on this project through tomorrow.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 2:59pm

No -- and I must say that I like DBillyP's comment. Or even if you disagree that we should be helping out another country, I can think of countless ways that money could be better spent improving the lives of our citizens. Illegal immigration is a problem, but I have a feeling that it's the vogue issue of the moment while there are other problems that we'd do better to be focusing on.

[slimandslam]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 3:48pm

I don't think that a wall would be effective over that much length. The maintenance costs would be prohibitive, and eventually either we'd shirk on the maintenance or the contractor who got the contract to do the maintenance would skim too much money off the top, and the wall would simply crumble.

Before it crumbled, there would be many more night entries into the US from the sea. If you think that the coyotes who run people into the US through Mexico are fleecing their clients now, just wait until the service requires a boat...

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 3:55pm

I don't think it would work, the Mexicans would swim or do something else to get to the States. Why is a country created by immigrants doing all this against them? i don't know...such a complicated matter. I do think the president should go to jail for killing all those innocents in Iraq and he should get deported himself though.

[Burlesquebabe]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 4:30pm

Yes, or just get tougher on the border.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 6:20pm

there had to be one........then YOU pay for it burlesque

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:29pm

As far as boarded control is concerned I do believe that it should be tightened, but wall is just not feasible. Just look at America’s infrastructure, our highways are falling apart and four out of every 10 bridges we drive on are unsafe, now tell me that we will actually maintain a huge wall.

[thats*like*shotastic]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 10:46pm

No, but there should be tighter border control. Yes, we are a country created by immigrants, but those immigrants came here legally and busted their asses to build this country up. If everyone keeps victimizing the minorities, we're never going to get anywhere. I have nothing against immigrants, as long as they come legally. The problem with everyone trying to be the minority and be "diverse" is that they clump themselves together in little groups and complain all day about how everyone else is racist. It's a big waste of time, and a wall would only make matters worse. What's it going to do, keep people out for, what, two minutes? The only way to really stop illegal immigration would be for Mexico to improve itself. America has plenty of problems to work out and doesn't need to be bothered with the problems of Mexico and the other half of the world. Our education system is already the laughing-stock of Europe. A wall would only open up for more discrimination and criticism.

[chealion313]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 11:34pm

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I think the biggest problem alot of us have with the immigrants coming in is the fact that they're not trying to help build this country, but they're taking whatever money they can here and sending it back to their country.

My personal biggest issue with it is the fact they keep saying "they didn't cross the border, the border crossed them", or they keep referring to Mexico (or whatever Latin American country they're from) as their "home", while they're living here illegally, earning a living, and rarely paying taxes. I have no problem with them coming here if they're going to try to get an education, learn the English language and become a citizen, but it is rarely happening.

But anyway, to the original poster, a wall would really serve no purpose--it's too costly to a country that already has a huge debt, and they would find their way across anyway.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 4/28/06 at 12:46am

How ironic...they're playing the South Park where they build the wall to keep the Mongolians out right now!!

[liotte]

Posted: 4/28/06 at 12:10pm

Thanks again for all your help everyone!

[paradox_error]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 3:37am

The thing is though, why shouldn't the money be leaving the US? Because god knows, you guys have fleeced the rest of us out of enough...It must be terrible to think that the money might be leaving...but the rest of us have to deal with it, so you guys should have to to. And anyway, the more financially stable a country is, the more trade you'll be able to do with them anyway. The money will come back...

[orion59]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 9:10am

This sudden need to crack down on illegal immigrants and focus os much attention on the "problem' they create is reminiscent of another time in history when a country faced problems and the focus was turned toward immigrants. then it was the Jews that were taking jobs and sucking the economy dry. It's just another shiny object to put there in front of Americans so they look away from the real problems and failures of our country.

The facts are that the Latinos coming into this country are peopel who, for the most part, are working and paying taxes. They are doing jobs that have been left unfilled by Americans who refuse to do them and they are not putting any type of starin on our economy. Legal outsourcing of foreign jobs does that more than illegal immigrants.

As far as arguments about drug trafficers and criminals, unfortuantely, those people will always have the means to get across the border whether or not there is a wall.

There are two books written by a former missionary in Mexico, Luis Alberto Urrea. One is called The Devils Highway and it documents the true events of a group of people who died a horrible death trying to get into the United States. the other is a colelction of short stories entitled "Across The Wire" that tells of the lives of people living on the otehr side of the border, making their homes in city dumps in cardboard shacks within sight of the city lights of Southern California. Both books give a great insight into the types of epople who are crosing the border illegaly and the reasons they give what little they ahve and risk their lives to do so. These books also give you a good idea of why the argument that Mexico and other Latin Amercican countries should "improve their conditions" is just not a realistic exectation without the help of outside nations.

The expense of building and maintaining a wall could be put to better use in programs designed to help the working poor, elderly, enhance education and any number of thngs needed in this country. Things that are much more important than keeping out people who want to come and clean our streets and toilets.

"I think the biggest problem alot of us have with the immigrants coming in is the fact that they're not trying to help build this country, but they're taking whatever money they can here and sending it back to their country."

Do you have any idea what thes people are making? They don't make enough to get by in this country, let alone send money back to their homeland. We seem to have a belief in the US that peopel come here, make money that gets shipped back home and banked so that they can go back there and live like kings. Five dollars and hour doesn't leave you with much to send home. Those that do manage to scrape together a few dollars a month to send home by living in group situations and depriving tehmselves a few meals a week, are doing so because they have families back home who are living in horrible conditions with little to no income.

The cost of getting one family member across the border takes a lifetime of savings paid out to criminals who act as guides. the rest of the family stays behind in the hope that the one getting to the US will get here alive, find a job and send money to be given to these criminals to get the rest of the family here eventually so that they can all work two or three low paying jobs and live in a ghetto which is step up for most of them.

Updated On: 4/29/06 at 09:10 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 9:53am

"The facts are that the Latinos coming into this country are peopel who, for the most part, are working and paying taxes."

Really? They're paying taxes? You know this?

"They are doing jobs that have been left unfilled by Americans who refuse to do them and they are not putting any type of starin on our economy.'

Maybe the legal immigrants are, but that is a separate issue. The illigal immigrants are working mostly as day laborers or restaurant staff (and most women work in domestic services) in which the businesses know they can exploit the use of illegal immigrants by paying them practically nothing in cash and NO ONE pays taxes. This is exactly why we have had all these protests against cracking down on businesses hiring illegal immigrants. They want "protection" for what? Not paying taxes and not being citizens. They want a Human Resources department to protect ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. For that matter, why don't we just abolish citizenship? We should let terrorists know that admission to our country is free and we will be happy to support anyone who wants to stay as long as they want.

Poverty exists in every city, in every state, in every nation. And poverty will always exist in the world. That does not make it the responsibility of the US to take care of them. And giving a free pass to those who cross the border illegally is flipping the bird to those who spent years to become US citizens legally and to those who are still trying, like Jarico.

"The cost of getting one family member across the border takes a lifetime of savings paid out to criminals who act as guides."

The family member is also a criminal. They all know they are doing somethin ILLEGAL.

"We seem to have a belief in the US that peopel come here, make money that gets shipped back home and banked so that they can go back there and live like kings. Five dollars and hour doesn't leave you with much to send home."

You're obviously not from Houston. There are huge communities and businesses devoted to doing exactly that. You see, once the immigrants are granted amnesty, they start their own communities and businesses designed to bring in and assist illegal immigrants until the next amnesty period. The community gets larger, and once they get in the country, they know where to go, and the process gets easier.

Updated On: 4/29/06 at 09:53 AM

[orion59]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 10:57am

"You're obviously not from Houston. There are huge communities and businesses devoted to doing exactly that. You see, once the immigrants are granted amnesty, they start their own communities and businesses designed to bring in and assist illegal immigrants until the next amnesty period. The community gets larger, and once they get in the country, they know where to go, and the process gets easier"

So what you are saying is that you judge all people of by the actions of some? There will always be businesses set up by a criminal element that will prfoit from the needs and desires of the poor. A wall will not stop that.

"We should let terrorists know that admission to our country is free and we will be happy to support"

Making an analogy to terrorism is ridiculous. We are not talking about people who are planning acts of terror. We are talking about people who are looking for a way to make a living. The biggest complaint I have with the whole issue is the fact that we are grouping people who come to work here illeagally with terrorists, drug dealers and other types of criminals.

Some of your comments seem valid, but many obviously come from bigotry and fear. Again, so much of the retoric being used lately in this country sounds very similar to that used in Germany when economic and other issues made the atmosphere ripe for finding a scapegoat. I see very little difference in some of the fears being voiced now over the Latin Ameican immigrants.