Bad Fences Make Bad Neighbors

Special Contributor Lloyd Garver Tells Congress 'Don't Fence Me In'

(CBS)  Recently, the news has been All Mark Foley, All The Time. Because of this obsession, another story seems to have gotten lost: Congress passed and President Bush signed The Secure Fence Act, a bill that calls for the construction of a 700-Mile fence along our southern border. I'd like to give my opinion on this fence, and I'll try to be as diplomatic as possible: It's ridiculous, it's embarrassing, it's shameful, and I'm against it.

One of the most famous moments in recent American history was when President Reagan, referring to the Berlin wall, said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." He added that "The wall cannot withstand freedom." It's incredible to me that now we are the ones talking about building a wall between countries.

And this structure won't be cheap. A 14-mile fence that is under construction on the San Diego-Tijuana border is costing approximately $126.5 million. Using my calculator, that means that a 700-mile fence should cost $6.325 billion. But it would really cost much more. Remember, we're talking about the federal government here — they can spend $6 billion before lunch.

How much graft, how much price-fixing, how much "friendly bidding" do you think will take place? Are we going to suddenly learn that Halliburton also makes fences? Will workers be using some of those $400 hammers that the Defense Department is famous for? The Senate might as well start organizing its investigative committee now to look into all of the shenanigans that are sure to take place.

There are other reasons to oppose the fence. Environmentalists point out the proposed fence would interfere with the natural migration patterns of animals in the area.

Texas Rancher Mike Vickers, who heads a group that opposes illegal immigration, says, "The Rio Grande is the lifeblood of South Texas. A wall is just going to stand between farmers and ranchers and others who need legitimate access to water. It's not going to stop the illegals."

The wall would also stop Mexicans from spending their money in American border towns. And it would prevent Americans and Mexicans who live on the border from visiting their friends and relatives across the border.

The construction of the fence is also just not practical. As Arizona Representative Raul Grijalva said, this region is not "Iowa farmland." They're talking about putting a fence in mountainous areas and in rivers. What are they going to suggest next? Building a four-lane highway to the moon? Oops! I shouldn't have put that idea out there.

Besides, does anyone really think the federal government could build anything 700 miles long? Can you imagine all of the construction problems, delays, and just plain incompetence? Do the words, "Heck of a job, Brownie" ring a bell?

And who is actually going to build this fence? My son suggested that they will probably end up secretly using undocumented immigrants from Mexico to do the work.

Even some of those who are gung-ho for this fence were disappointed in the bill. There are more holes in the act than there would be in any fence constructed. GOP congressional leaders have pledged that Native American tribes, Congress, and local leaders would have a say in "the exact placement" of the fence, and that the Homeland Security Secretary can call for other measures "when fencing is ineffective or impractical."

In other words, there's a good chance this fence will never make it from the paper it was written on to the boondoggle it would become.

So, if it's impractical, expensive, and even unlikely that it will ever be built, why did Congress pass the bill and why did the president sign it? It makes for good campaigning. It's like getting a haircut before making a campaign speech: it really doesn't mean anything, but it looks nice to the voters.

In this case, it's a shame that the idea of this fence apparently "looks nice" to so many voters. Recalling Reagan's speech again, he referred to the wall as "this brutal division of a continent upon the mind of the world." And that's what our proposed fence would be.

America is supposed to be a beacon of liberty and a symbol of a free, open society. At a time when more and more people in the world unfortunately see us as putting ourselves above and apart from them, what could feed those feelings more than a 700-mile fence?

So, I have to say, "Mr. Bush, don't build that fence." And to all those politicians who plan on bragging during the campaign about the fence they voted for — get a haircut instead.

[bellal-2009]

Zycracosmos, Becoming legal in America should not be simplified. Most Americans have had family members who have fought and died for this country. Becoming an American should not be as simple as signing a piece of paper or walking over a border. Immigrants need to learn US history and English. They should want to become American for a reason. Some of the most interesting immigrants I've met have been from Romania and they love America and what it stands for after having lived under a Communist dictator.

[mjv2944]

Bring our troops home from Iraq and put them on the border, with the power to stop the drug and human trafficking, I don't think that the casualties will what they are over in Iraq and will will definitely be fighting terrorism. Its takes big ba**s for the Mexican gov to say they don't want a fence. Tell them to go to hell.

[peaceforusa]

All I know is I am sick of illegal aliens destroying our country. And I am sick of these so-called Americans that support them in their quest to destroy our country. I want them out of my country and I want them out... yesterday!!! A 700 mile fence is not long enough.
All these people from other countries that say a wall is not right.. do not have live here and watch the cesspool America is turning into with all these illegal aliens.
All these people who are blaming our Government for agreeing to the fence...I say bug off...Our government works for the people and the majority of the people want this...so lets build it long and tall so that they stay on their side of the border...

[nynative1340]

It is ridiculous that we have to educate the children of, and provide welfare for,the milllions of illegals coming into this country.

It is embarrassing that the most powerful nation on the planet is slowly becoming a third-world country because we can't stem the tide of millions of illegals coming across the border.

It is shameful that any American would defend this illegal activity.

The Berlin wall analogy is ridiculous; that wall divided a city and a country and was meant to keep people in. It's shameful that you would even make that comparison.

How ironic that you quote Reagan. In his farewell speech, he referred to the "eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit." Nations survive by uniting around common emblems of nationhood. This isn't happening today. Foreigners in this country are marching in protest to our laws while waving the flags of their homeland. They are not assimilating into our society. Instead they are hanging on to the customs and language of their homeland. We can not survive as a nation if this continues.

How ironic that El Presidente Fox is protesting our wall while he has the same situation on his southern border. In addition, his border patrol (Mexican Army) beats, brutalizes, robs, rapes, and murders illegals coming across his southern border.

I suggest you get educated about the facts of illegal immigration.

Build the wall, wide and tall.

[nynative1340]

There's a reason for immigration quotas: Our country can not assimilate millions of people into our society in a short period of time. That's the problem now--assimilation. It takes at least a generation to assimilate. The new crop coming from the south refuses to give up their culture and adopt ours. If you are not going to accept the culture of the country you are emmigrating to, you should stay home.

This country was founded by Europeans and our culture is European based. Well, except for the Southwest, which we took from Mexico, and don't think they don't resent it, even today. The Mexican president has made it well known that the 'Reconquista' is going to happen; if not by the Mexican Army then by a large influx of legals and illegals.

Stand by, America. By 2050 those living today will not recognize this country. It's already happening in CA, AZ, NM, & TX. Look around and see how many government documents are in both English and Spanish.

Think about it: How well would you function in a foreign country if you didn't learn the language and customs?

Build the fence and make it long and tall.

[zykracosmos]

amd one more thing: If they would start treating people who are here legally with some respect, maybe more people would choose to go the legal route in the first place. It takes forever for someone to get permanent resident status who is here on a work visa, and the cost is so prohibitive that many people have to give up and leave. Children of those here on a work visa are not allowed to work, must pay out-of-state tuition at colleges, and if they age out (21) before the parent gets their foreign labor certification approved (necessary before a green card can even be applied for), they have to leave (don't ask where, just anywhere!), even if they grew up in this country and graduated from an American public school system and have no relatives anywhere outside the US!!! Build the fence and address legal immigration issues realistically. Reward those who follow the rules, punish those who don't. Put employers of illegals in jail. No illegal jobs, no illegals!

[zykracosmos]

amd one more thing: If they would start treating people who are here legally with some respect, maybe more people would choose to go the legal route in the first place. It takes forever for someone to get permanent resident status who is here on a work visa, and the cost is so prohibitive that many people have to give up and leave. Children of those here on a work visa are not allowed to work, must pay out-of-state tuition at colleges, and if they age out (21) before the parent gets their foreign labor certification approved (necessary before a green card can even be applied for), they have to leave (don't ask where, just anywhere!), even if they grew up in this country and graduated from an American public school system and have no relatives anywhere outside the US!!! Build the fence and address legal immigration issues realistically. Reward those who follow the rules, punish those who don't. Put employers of illegals in jail. No illegal jobs, no illegals!

[zykracosmos]

After the fence is built, put land mines on the south side and fill the Rio Grande with African or Australian man-eating crocodiles. This country is open for legal visitors. There are plenty of legal border crossings. Anyone who thinks it's a good idea to allow undocumented people to flood our country and roam around at will haven't gotten the message from 9/11 yet. Everytime I call a utility company with a problem and have to press "1" for English, I want to volunteer to go down and help build the fence. This comes from an otherwise liberal Democrat. Securing our borders is not a leftwing/rightwing point of view. It is common sense. If Mexicans start stacking up at the border, hire more immigration staffers to process them and reduce the paperwork. But someone's got to shut off the valve that has already flooded us with illegal immigrants.

[hsmagst]

Actually, the fence needs to be about 5000 miles long......and on both borders. The thing Garver doesn't seem to understand is we are not building fences to keep people from leaving our country as happened in Berlin....we are building it to keep people from illegally entering our country and forcing them to go to legal entry points and comply with our immigration laws. Open borders might have some attraction if it were an equally recognized plan but try to be an American in Mexico without the proper paperwork or try to buy property or a car without the legal required paperwork. Mexico won't allow it, they demand we follow their laws while dumping their poor and unemployed on our society and then complain and call us hateful when we do the same......go figure.

[wordland]

A fence is a great idea.

I completely support this kind of endeavor.

It`s long past due!

[cantshutup]

goo kk!!! gobbly-goo k!

[cantshutup]

lmao! they *astericked "***"

[rbird8728]

This proposed fence will be a wonderful opportunity to dole out more pork barrel benefits to companies which arrange to make the necessary 'campaign comtributions'. Whatcha want to bet a lot of the construction will be no-bid?
If the U.S. wants to be really nasty, what's wrong with using land mines? I would be a lot cheaper and, perhaps, more effective. How many people would take a chance on being blown to smithereens?

[rjrossco]

The morons who bring up the Berlin wall seem to forget it was there to keep people in a country, our fence is to keep unwanted people out.

[bobgee_1999]

Alright, Lloyd! I am in 100% agreement. And for the rest of you, I am also in favor of controlling immigration. Remove the incentive, and they'll stop coming. National IDs, "pre-emptive strikes" against countries that never once threatened us, fixed elections, border walls, 24/7 revisionist propaganda courtesy of the Fox minions---doesn't this ring a bell to any of you dingbats?

[c3227ahb]

How did this guy get a column? What a moron.

We are a sovereign nation. Why don't you pass that judgement on Mexico.
I lived in Europe for 10 years and I was in Germany when the wall came down in 1989 and I'll bet you could not find one German to agree with your analogy. I can't believe someone could be so ignorant of reality.

[mjv2944]

cathaleen

No guest worker programs, its all geared toward corporate America. I read if the pay of people picking tomatoes was $15 per hour, it would raise the price 15 cents per pound. Dole and all those big farms are ripping us off. How much do you pay for bottle of water, now figure what it would cost for a gallon of the same water. Its all relevant, bit the cost of health care and education is getting to be overwhelming. We need strict enforcement against employers to curatil the problem.

[cbslogin12]

A fence can be too easily breached. Let%u2019s build a huge solid wall instead. Our home is America and putting locks on our doors and windows in no way makes us unfriendly or bigots. It simply makes us wise to ensure that only invited guests are welcome to enter.

Yes a wall will cost a huge amount of money. Let%u2019s use the money being wasted in Iraq and for special interest projects like Alaska Senator Ted Steven%u2019s bridge to nowhere. Our best protection begins right here IN America.

We%u2019ve all heard about the enormous strain the Baby Boomers will put on our economy. Our senior citizens deserve our help. As do many other American citizens who are in great need. Let%u2019s use the money being spent on illegals for AMERICAN Citizens! We can still help the rest of the world as we do everyday with charity donations, mission trips and so on. Many Americans are generous and want to help. But we don%u2019t unlock our doors and let anyone enter our homes to take what is not rightfully theirs to have.

[cathaleen]

What we need is a guest worker program - carefully monitored. This way the Mexicans can still work on the farms and do whatever else they do. I just can't see Americans paying $5 for an apple. And if the farmers have to employ Americans at min wage, that's what we will pay. And all these yahoos will be screaming bloody murder.

[random_radar]

bellaL commented that millions of illegal immigrants are coming here for free health care, food, and housing. That wouldn't be a problem if the government didn't give out those freebies.

The real solution is for the government to quit robbing us through taxation to subsidize certain groups of people with free health care, food, and housing.

No one deserves anything free from the government because it is paid for by robbing ordinary workers of what they rightfully earned.