One Critical Difference
Mexican President Fox compared the proposed wall between the US and Mexico to the Berlin Wall.
There's one critical, critical difference.
The Berlin Wall was built to keep the people in.
The more I think about this, the more offensive the Mexican government's protestations become to me. Let's see: the wall is built on our property, paid for by us, maintained by us, and certainly represents no overt danger to Mexico. So, why doesn't Fox simply come out and say it: we need your money and your land, and we want to send our criminals to you. Our own country is a basket-case, and we have neither the ability nor the inclination to do anything about it.
Put this issue on a micro scale. Say you want to put a fence on your own property - your home for example. But, your next neighbor takes you to court to tear it down. Furthermore, let's go on to say that his argument to the court for tearing down your fence is that it will prevent him from driving across your lawn.
While the above is a ham-fisted analogy, it does illustrate to me how absurd Mexico's shrill arguments are. While we on this side can make all kinds of arguments about why we don't like the fence - it will cost too much, it won't be effective, or maybe that's just not what the United States is all about (no person is illegal!) - those arguments sound less genuine when they come from the other side of the border, which is why they aren't really making those arguments. Instead, they'll trot out more lofty words like "offense" and "shameful."
Diffuse words like those sound a lot better than we want your money, your land, and succor for our criminals.
There's one critical, critical difference.
The Berlin Wall was built to keep the people in.
The more I think about this, the more offensive the Mexican government's protestations become to me. Let's see: the wall is built on our property, paid for by us, maintained by us, and certainly represents no overt danger to Mexico. So, why doesn't Fox simply come out and say it: we need your money and your land, and we want to send our criminals to you. Our own country is a basket-case, and we have neither the ability nor the inclination to do anything about it.
Put this issue on a micro scale. Say you want to put a fence on your own property - your home for example. But, your next neighbor takes you to court to tear it down. Furthermore, let's go on to say that his argument to the court for tearing down your fence is that it will prevent him from driving across your lawn.
While the above is a ham-fisted analogy, it does illustrate to me how absurd Mexico's shrill arguments are. While we on this side can make all kinds of arguments about why we don't like the fence - it will cost too much, it won't be effective, or maybe that's just not what the United States is all about (no person is illegal!) - those arguments sound less genuine when they come from the other side of the border, which is why they aren't really making those arguments. Instead, they'll trot out more lofty words like "offense" and "shameful."
Diffuse words like those sound a lot better than we want your money, your land, and succor for our criminals.
posted by Ixman at 9:55 AM
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