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Op-Ed: The negative impact of a wall between Canada and U.S.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was questioned on NBC’s “Meet the Press” today, but again, he skirted the issue of “birthright citizenship,” arguing that securing our borders and enforcing immigration laws should come first.

“Whether it’s talking about the 14th Amendment or anything else, until we secure the border and enforce the laws, we shouldn’t be talking about any other issue out there,” Walker told NBC’s Chuck Todd. But this is just Walker’s way of trying to climb out of another hole he has dug for himself.

Walker has changed his views on immigration, going from supporting Obama’s “path to citizenship,” to opposing it heartily. While running for governor, he got the needed dairy industry vote, partially based on that very issue. Wisconsin dairies employ undocumented immigrants, with some dairies having as many as 26 percent or more of their employees being illegals.

But his swing to the far right, agreeing with Donald Trump on the US-Mexico great wall issue, shows Walker is riding the Donald’s coattails. Walker argued that his perception of the issue has become clearer, from “better understanding” Americans. “What that comes across as is a governor who actually understands how things work,” he said.

How Walker plans to fix the border issue
Walker told Todd the most important issue with immigration is the terrorist threat posed by the nation’s porous borders, and he intends to fix that if he’s elected president. He added that while he is most concerned with our southern border, he is not averse to discussing a border fence between Canada and the U.S.

“Some people have asked us about that in New Hampshire. They raised some very legitimate concerns, including some law enforcement folks that brought that up to me at one of our town hall meetings about a week and a half ago. So that is a legitimate issue for us to look at,” he said.

Oh boy, that’s all it took for the Associated Press to grab onto a headline. The rest of the interview was ignored. Walker’s views on the Iraq war, endorsing the use of ground troops against ISIS, or anything else he commented on was left by the wayside.

Walker’s comment leaves me with the impression that he, and maybe other like-minded people, would rather see the U.S. sealed off from the rest of the world, secure in our own little safe place on the planet. I picture scenes from the movie, “Escape from New York.” A high wall with sharpshooters every so many feet, with “shoot to kill orders,” just to keep out illegals trying to get into our country.

The border between the U.S. and Canada
Actually, discussion of a fence along our northern border with Canada is not a new idea. Can you imagine a fence stretching 5,525 miles across the boundary line? But serious talks have been held, especially since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has made a proposal for “fencing and other barriers” along the 49th parallel to manage “trouble spots where the passage of cross-border violators is difficult to control.” This is politically correct jargon for “let’s build a fence between us and them.”

The agency also suggests that we have an increased technological presence, such as radar, sensors, cameras, drones and vehicle scanners. But in reality, nothing, a solid wall or a barbed-wire fence will keep out a terrorist intent on committing violence.

Fences don’t make for good neighbors, and we can’t stick our heads in the sand. Élisabeth Vallet, author of “Borders, Fences and Walls State of Insecurity?” and professor at the University of Quebec at Montreal, says that border walls don’t work.

Citing the present immigration crisis in Europe, as well as the post-9/11 era we now live in, she says border walls are like a public relations operation. It looks good when it is said and written down, making the populous feel safe in knowing the government is working for them, but the walls “work as a symbol of a political goal, which is to show that you are secure within your territory.”

Looking at the bigger picture in the 2016 presidential elections, we have been short-changed by all the emphasis being put on immigration. It has become a war against people, based on unproven fears. There are much bigger problems going on is this country, and the world, actually. But we are stuck on one issue, and it is not even that interesting anymore because it has been beaten to death.

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We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.

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