The Border Fence: Is it Feasible? Absolutely!

Since it seems nobody in Congress or the U.S. Senate wants to come forward with a solution to the “Border Fence” issue, I thought I would speak up. I’ve read and heard almost every argument as to why it can and can’t be done, and why it should and shouldn’t be done. But being the person I am, I’ll tell you what I think and just take the flak for it; I’m not worrying about being re-elected.

First, before I begin, I don’t want to hear from anyone how racist this is. This has nothing to do with racism. It has to do with national security, taxes, terrorism and a little opinion thrown in for good measure.

The thought of building a fence or wall from San Diego to Brownsville is a daunting one. Map Quest says it is 1554 miles, but that’s driving on the roads. Google Earth shows 1500 miles if you follow the border, so for the sake of argument, let’s use 1500 miles as our length of a fence or wall. That’s a heck of a long wall! If you are to drive that distance, it would take you about 22 hours, depending on if you pack a lunch and stop for Mother Nature. To build a wall of that size could take who knows how long!! Or will it?

My idea for a wall would be a masonry structure, 25-30 feet high, approximately 20’ thick, using 8x8x16 blocks, surrounding a solid core of concrete. Yes, this sounds like the Great Wall of China, and just think, we could see it from the moon when we go back there. If we put lights on it, it would look cool at night. If you add a 10-foot high electrified fence on top of it, which could light the lights. It could also be an indicator that when someone gets fried for trying to climb over or cut through it, the lights in that section would go out, indicating an attempted breach.  WOW! Do I sound like an isolationist or what? No, not isolation, security.

We know the Mexican government will do nothing to stop the flow of Mexican citizens into the U.S. They have said so, and former President Vincente Fox says it’s OUR fault for this flood of Mexicans to this country. Mexico gets too much money from Mexicans sending money from the U.S. back to Mexico! But I’m not just talking about Mexican citizens. I’m talking about the flood of non-Mexicans that cross our border on a daily basis. Try crossing into Mexico from the southern border, you’ll get shot. They have armed guards guarding their southern border. If we put armed guards on our southern border, suddenly we’re fascists, isolationists and murderers.

OK, back to building the wall. We know there are about 20 million illegal aliens in this country; many of them are indeed from Mexico. Having spent a number of years in the construction industry, I have worked with many masonry crews that were entirely Hispanic. They are excellent masons, and they are efficient and hard workers. I don’t know how many illegal aliens are now employed as masons, but if you chose several of the larger masonry companies in southwest, and gave them a contract to build the wall, and hire all of the illegal aliens they could find and start building this wall, it could be finished far faster than leaving it in the hands of the government and going through the bidding process, and all the red tape involved in having the government pay for a project. By now you’re thinking I’m smoking something that has been smuggled across the border, but let’s break this down into some simple tasks.

First, find the contractors who will come forward and undertake the task. They have to understand that anyone they hire, must be an illegal alien, and that anyone who submits an application is subject to a background check and make sure they’re not hiring a bunch of criminals. Now, again, so that I am not called a racist, if someone from Egypt, Ireland, Spain, Italy, or any other country is here illegally, they can sign up too. Once it has been established that they are here illegally, they get a temporary work permit, and they get paid minimum wage. In addition, so that no one is late to work, they can live in “tent cities” close to the work area, and can be given 3 meals a day, also provided by the contractor. (They only need to ask Sheriff Joe Arpaio about how to go about this process.)

Since they are living close by, they can get back to their tent right after work for supper and English lessons, and, I’m sure the ACLU would be glad to volunteer some lawyers to go down and sit in the heat and talk to the workers about how to go about legally immigrating to this country, and even assist them with the paperwork. During this timeframe, anyone who is found to be a criminal because of forged documents to get the job would immediately be handed over to I.C.E. By the time the wall is finished being built, many of the workers would already have their initial paperwork completed and the wait time to get their Immigration visas, would be much less. If, during the course of the construction of the wall, someone quits, then off to I.C.E they go to be processed for deportation.

There was a time in this country when the government stepped up and created jobs, by having things that needed to be done. It was called the depression. It was hard work, building dams on the Colorado, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and other bridges and roads that were constructed during that time. People died because of poor working conditions and lack of safety equipment. Those times are gone. Safety equipment is the best ever, working conditions can be made safely very easily, and the workers can be cared for by a staffed health center, even if it is in a tent, or portable trailer. Again, there are enough doctors, healthcare workers, students that would volunteer their time to make sure these workers are cared for properly.

This is a simple idea, and it CAN be done. 

Now comes the folks who are going to say that building any wall or fence is being an isolationist, or paranoid about Mexicans, or is racist. I’m none of them. I’m a hard working American who lives in Arizona, and I am tired of paying taxes that support the hospitals in the area that are forced to give care to people who not only can’t (and won’t) pay for healthcare, but they are here illegally, and having their babies here, and now they can’t be deported because of the “anchor baby” policy. Now there is a policy that needs to be changed, but again, that’s another argument for another day. I’m tired of paying taxes for paying for anything that has to do with someone being here illegally.  And don’t think about what this wall will cost, think of what it will save. It’s a simple theory, simple to implement, simple to pay for, and in the long run, simplify the life of people who want to come here legally.

Lastly, I’ll say it again, as soon as someone smuggles a 1,000 pounds of highly explosive ordinance across the border instead of pot or cocaine, and lights up any number of targets that could devastate this country, and bring much of it to a standstill for years, then someone in the government will get off the backsides of their Armani suits and do something. It is time for the government and citizens to become proactive, instead of reactive.

I hope the headline caught your eye. Scary, isn't it? Saying those 4 words can send shivers down a spine, and at the same time make an entire religion rejoice. It can make you shake like an ample bosom at the beach. There, I’ve already been politically incorrect twice in less than 30 seconds. 

The mere process of thinking about the downfall of America is not something anyone would enjoy. I don't. But it's something I do think about occasionally, especially when I watch the news and hear about another erosion of our liberties, or enforcement of our liberties. The Supreme Court regularly hears cases that may continue to erode your liberties, while granting more to others. Insane thinking? Well, let me lay it out for you, and you think about it and decide for yourself. I'm going to write this so that even I can understand it. If you disagree with something, because of an inaccurate fact, let me know and I'll change it. If you disagree with it philosophically, build a bridge, and get over it.

The Constitution of The United States of America is comprised of a Bill of Rights (8 Articles and their respective Sections), and amendments (numbered I through XXVII).  Within the Bill of Rights, is the basic roadmap of how the founding fathers wanted to go about setting this Country up, and also gave basic limits and allowances to Congress. It was ratified by the nine states and signed by the founding fathers. The amendments to the Constitution were put in place as they became necessary, and they weren't just put there by anyone. They were written, included in the document, have all been voted on and ratified by the States, and in many cases, argued before the Supreme Court of the United States, so that your rights are very clear. So what makes me think that this document, that was talked about for years before being ratified, and written by men much smarter than I, can bring down the very country that brought it to fruition?

The concept is very basic, so it shouldn't be difficult to understand, but it leaves room for argument. And the argument is where the problem lies. Let's start after the road map, after we're all here and living free!

The First Amendment to the Constitution states simply: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

If you read it carefully, you'll see that nowhere in there does it say anything about separation of Church and State. That was in a letter that Jefferson wrote to Franklin (if memory serves). Jefferson wanted the Constitution to spell it out that there would be no "Church of the United States", and that people could freely practice the religion they chose. (And that's also another argument for another day.) The Constitution says it, and the Supreme Court has upheld it time and time again. It's as clear as a spring day in the Rockies. So again, how is the Constitution (read First Amendment) going to bring down a nation?

What types of religion existed during the writing of our Constitution? Many of the founding fathers had puritan lineage. Since I'm not a theologian, and I don't know the history of every religion in the United States, nor do we have time for it here,  I'm going to go with the basic idea of Christianity/Catholicism/Protestants. Maybe there was a Baptist thrown in for good measure, and maybe Martin Luther had already founded the Lutheran Church and there were a few of those around too. (I know, I'm being horribly politically incorrect here.) How many Muslims do you think lived in the United States at the time the Constitution was written? Go ahead, take a guess. A million? A few thousand? A few hundred? I may be reaching here, but I'm going to go with none. Not one Muslim was considered, consulted or represented during the writing of the Constitution. Now, depending on who you talk to, what website you look at, what bookstore you go into, or what news channel you watch, you will get many differing opinions on the Muslim religion and the Kuran (or Quran, or Koran.  No one can even decide on the correct English translation or spelling!). The Kuran, by the way is generally accepted as the Bible of Islam. It is in fact, the writings of the recitations of Muhammad, as brought to him through the Angel Gabriel, during God's (Allah?) 23 year revelation to Muhammad. And here's where the arguments start.

Supposedly, the words of the Kuran have not changed in 14 centuries, yet when we hear of another tape being released by one of Osama's minions, it is said that this violence, hatred and death is all taught in the Kuran. When we listen to some of the talking heads of Islam in the US, they say that the religion teaches peace. So which is it, or does it matter? We have hundreds of different religions all based on our God, and we can practice them freely, even if they tell you to catch a ride on a comet's tail, or drink Kool-Aid laced with arsenic. We even have many different translations of the Bible, so which is accurate? According to your faith, they all are. 

If your faith in God told you that next time Halley's comet came flying by earth, you were to take your own life so you could ride that comet's tail out to meet God, would you? If your faith in your God told you that you had to listen to some whacked out failure in life, that was going to set you and your family on fire so you could rise with the smoke to be with God, would you allow it? Faith is an odd thing, and we all can criticize anyone else's religion, but ours is the one and only. The Truth.  Or is it?

In the History of the World, more people have died in the name of religion than for any other cause. World Wars, plague, locusts, drought and starvation can't hold a candle to the numbers that have died in religious wars. So is a religious war where we're headed? It could be argued that the First Amendment allows anyone to practice any brand of his or her religion, no matter how distasteful you find it, or how odd it may seem to you. So if the First Amendment allows a religion to practice freely, and the teachings of that religion want you dead, is that OK with you? Why not? You're an infidel! And if you dare print a comic strip that portrays a prophet, then you should DIE! It's perfectly OK that any member of any religion can stand if front of 30,000 people, and knock Catholicism and Christianity, and it's perfectly OK to take a likeness of Jesus on the cross and put it in a jar of urine. It's perfectly OK to draw a picture of quadruple amputee and make Donald Rumsfeld the backside of the joke in a horribly wrong cartoon. (Oh wait, that's Freedom of the Press. we'll talk about those idiots later.) See what I mean? In the name of religion, whether you like it or not, this country is heading down a road of potholes and landmines that can kill anything in it's reach, and the Constitution will allow it. So, do I have any suggestions? I do. I always have an opinion on everything (except abortion). What can we do with the Nation of Islam? What can we do to keep the fringe groups that teach radical and deadly behavior, from proliferating?

Ban them. Ban all aspects of Islamic teaching in any part of our country. All aspects, because we can't discriminate one from the other. Wait, we can't do that. That would make every Muslim move out of the country. OK then, make them all practice an approved form of the Kuran. Nope, can't do that. That's like saying Mormons must read the King James version. Ah, here's one; make sure that every mosque that opens only has peaceful members, and that every member is subject to a background check. No? Help me here folks...I'm offering up suggestions to keep us from being overrun, and keeping this country from falling.  What are you doing?

Seem farfetched? Does this seem like something out of an acid induced recitation of 1984 and Orwellian theory? It seems highly unlikely that any religion can have that much influence over it's followers, right? Do yourself a favor; pick your brand of news, whether it be Fox, NBC, CBS or ABC (skip CNN and MSNBC) for that matter, and watch it. Start taking 30 minutes out of your hell bent for that new car, or 96" plasma screen day, and watch the news. See what is happening in this world, and country of yours in the name of religion. A religion.

The Islamic faith is supposed to teach it's followers peace and understanding. It also preaches that Allah is the one and only God; that any other religion is a farce, and that if you're not Muslim, you're not worth a damn. Is this a good thing? Is the fact that I'm a Lutheran make me less of a person than Louis Farrakhan? (It's amazing that Spell Check has Farrakhan as an approved word!) Is a Baptist a lesser person than a Shi-ite in Iraq? In this case, your religion may not matter much, because it's not about your religion, it's about their religion. 

This country's Constitution guarantees every citizen the freedom to practice any religion they choose. The First Amendment is slowly being eroded to the point that the masses no longer have the option of celebrating Christmas by putting up lights in the city, a Christmas tree in the park, or a nativity scene by the courthouse. The very place you must swear to God, (or affirm) is off limits to Him. And it's not just Atheists and the ACLU who are doing it to us. 

When is the last time you saw a group of 50,000 religious zealots marching on Washington to protest the publication of a cartoon of the Pope? When was the last time the Religious Right ground this country to a halt, literally, because of protests over a drawing of the first Fab Four; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? How about never?  As Christians, we do practice the "turn the other cheek" philosophy for the most part. We don't want to kill a cartoonist for that Pope cartoon. We may not like it, and may write a letter to the editor, but we don't stop a freakin' nation over it! They do. Pakistan came to a screaming halt during President Bush's visit last year, because of the protests over the published cartoons. Musharrev himself said that as a Muslim nation, they could not condone the printing of the cartoons because of "Freedom of the Press". This is our ally in fighting the war on terrorism? 

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the U.S. It is growing approximately 400% a year, and it is the second largest religion in the world with 1.1 billion followers! Wouldn't you think that that would be a threat to Christianity? Christians are tolerant of Muslims, but Muslims are not tolerant of Christians, and in fact, Christians are the most persecuted religion by Muslims. (If you're a woman reading this...remember that you must keep your face covered and be subservient.) Also, as Musharrev proved, Muslim nations are just that; theocracies. I'm not trying to say that Muslims will not integrate well into society in America. Many have, but many say they are practicing a watered down version of the Kuran, so they can fit in here.

What I am suggesting is not something that would or could happen overnight, or within a few months, but, like losing your hearing, it slowly happens until one day you realize you need hearing aids.

I could go on, but I really don't want to start a religious war. That was not my intention when I started writing this. It was merely a suggestion that came about in a discussion, and I expounded on it a bit. I invite you to spend sometime thinking about this. It is not going to go away. Your country is at risk, and the very document that allows you to pray to the God of your choice is at risk. Think about it.

Maybe it is just that I am a product of the Mesa Public School System, and maybe I have no basic understanding of the English language, but there is something I don't understand. 

I have written numerous to several newspapers, news agencies and TV networks about the term "illegal immigrants, or "illegal immigration". These are contradictions in terms, therfore it does not make any sense whatsoever to continue to use those terms. The Arizona Republic has been asked to quit using the term, and I even asked them to advise their entire staff to quit using the term. 

To immigrate to the U.S., it is a legal process that involves time, money and patience. If you cross the border into this country without a visa or the proper paperwork to stay in this country, you are a criminal. Period. No questions about it. You are not an immigrant, you are a CRIMINAL. If you use forged documents, or use someone else's Social Security number, you are a FELON. You are an illegal alien felon/criminal.

As long as the Republic continues to lean further and further left, and continues to use the term "illegal immigrants", it only proves that they are not concerned with the Constitution of the United States, nor law enforcement, nor catching criminals, so they should just give up reporting anything on illegal activity. Just report on the height of the daisies at the park, the concerts coming to town featuring some great musician, like Bruce, so we can go to a political rally instead of a concert. Bruce, you'll never get another dime from me. I go to concerts for the music, not the political rhetoric.

Everything will be nice and cozy in the EE UU of Mexico as long as the Arizona Republic continues to deny there is a problem and slam every law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency that actually upholds the law. So will it be the EE UU of Mexico Republic? Will EJ still be here, or will he be working at the San Francisco Chronicle by then. His "reporting"  is sounding more and more like San Francisco every day. I think he'd like it there. There is a nice fog most days, so you don't actually have to worry about seeing things happening, you can just kinda guess, or dig through old newspapers and use some comment that someone said years ago and use it against them now.

Of course, I will be called a racist, and isolationist and any other term that the left loves to throw at anyone who is against ILLEGAL ALIENS freely flooding our country. I have NO PROBLEM with getting in line and immigrating here legally.  Like I said, it is a legal process that takes time, money and patience.

The Left Can’t See Right from Wrong

October 31, 2007

I have started writing letters to different companies that I deal with when I call them for human interaction, instead of dealing with them online, and the first thing I hear is “Press “1” for English.

 For some reason, this stymies me. As far as I know, English is the official language of the U.S.A., and even though we have people in this country that speak something other than English. I have no problem with people living in this country and speaking their native language, but I do have a problem with companies based in this country telling us that order to conduct business with them, we have to select, by pushing a button, to interact with them in English! WHY?

When you call a popular restaurant in Moscow that caters to American tourists you are greeted in Russian. After 3 minutes of a recording, they then repeat the same thing in English. It’s the same thing when you call anywhere in Russia, and the number is out of order, you hear about if for 45 seconds in Russian first, then English. Can you imagine the gall of the Russians not to offer us the option of Pressing “1” for English? (This is said tongue in cheek, for those of you not recognizing sarcasm).

Back to my letter writing; When I call a company, and I have to press 1 for English, I write them down, and then look up their corporate offices and write a letter. If there is no corporate office address, I send an email if they offer an email address that I know is not going to be read by a bottom rung peon who will just laugh at it and hit <Delete>.

I have yet to receive a reply from any company about my complaint, so it just goes to show that I am in the minority when it comes to not want wanting to Press 1 for English.

I simply think that since English is the language of the U.S.A., companies should not be asking us to press 1 for anything. How about just come out and put their interactive phone system in English, and let them push 1 or 2 or 3 for whatever other language they want. What does California offer? Their driver’s license tests are offered in 30+ languages!! If you call the California DMV, how many options do you get? Obviously, if a company has a customer base that speaks a different language, then I would expect their phone system to be in that language.

Did you know that if you call the National Visa Center in Portsmouth, NH, you have to press 1 for English? Granted, this is the very place that people who speak a different language would need an option, but the only options offered are English and Spanish. Again, my question, why press any button for English?

I’ve already been call xenophobic, which is totally untrue, but I would just like to know why we are put in this position? To top it off, so many companies make you press 1 for English, and then get to talk to someone who obviously is not a native English speaker. I called a wholly owned American company and got someone who I could hardly understand, and asked, “Where are you located?” What I got was “Thank you Mr. Mark for asking me the question. We are located offshore. Is there anything else I can help you with tonight? Thank you for calling XYZ.”