the u.s. wall
On October 4th, the president signed into law a bill that allows for and begins funding the construction of about 700 miles of wall between Mexico and the United States. It appears that the U.S. government wants to more closely imitate the government of Israel.
Of course, this newly approved wall does not snake miles into Mexico, stealing land, creating more illegal settlements, and destroying houses, businesses, and agricultural lands, while separating families, neighbors, and communities like the other wall does. However, this development is something about which to be deeply concerned. And it does divide communities and neighbors along the border, as well as indigenous people*, like the Tohono O'odham and Yaqui, whose lands stretch across the border.
I do not want to be part of a country that builds walls. It's that simple. Walls like this are always about those with money, power, and privilege and those without. In the case of the wall in Palestine, it is the Palestinians who have next to nothing; in the example here at home, it is the non-privileged classes in Mexico who in many ways are like their siblings in Palestine. And it is corporations that will see the benefit of building this wall, in the form of profit. We need to take part in resisting the building of this wall, just as Israeli citizens should protest the wall in Palestine (and some are).
A large section of the wall being built by Israel, a portion that completely encloses the town of Qalqilya in the West Bank, is being constructed by a U.S. corporation (Detektion). Likewise, U.S. corporations will be making huge profits by building the wall along our border. Boeing has already received a contract for $67 million; the bill allocates an initial $1.2 billion for construction, although the total cost will be much higher and numerous sources have predicted the total to be from $7 to $9 billion. It is a policy that fills the pockets of rich corporations and attempts to garner votes by playing on hyped-up fear, all the while alienating humans from one another and showing the true nature of our government.
Presently, borders are at best imaginary lines that are respectfully seen as increasingly unnecessary and archaic; at worst they are lines drawn in the sand, built up with concrete and steel walls, rimmed with razor wire, all for the purpose of severing and destroying communication, friendship, respect, knowledge, and community. It is clear the
direction the U.S. is choosing.
*Three Native American nations and 23 tribes live in borderlands of Mexico and the United States. The three nations that will be impacted and divided by the wall are O’odham, Cocopah, and Kickapoo.
Of course, this newly approved wall does not snake miles into Mexico, stealing land, creating more illegal settlements, and destroying houses, businesses, and agricultural lands, while separating families, neighbors, and communities like the other wall does. However, this development is something about which to be deeply concerned. And it does divide communities and neighbors along the border, as well as indigenous people*, like the Tohono O'odham and Yaqui, whose lands stretch across the border.
I do not want to be part of a country that builds walls. It's that simple. Walls like this are always about those with money, power, and privilege and those without. In the case of the wall in Palestine, it is the Palestinians who have next to nothing; in the example here at home, it is the non-privileged classes in Mexico who in many ways are like their siblings in Palestine. And it is corporations that will see the benefit of building this wall, in the form of profit. We need to take part in resisting the building of this wall, just as Israeli citizens should protest the wall in Palestine (and some are).
A large section of the wall being built by Israel, a portion that completely encloses the town of Qalqilya in the West Bank, is being constructed by a U.S. corporation (Detektion). Likewise, U.S. corporations will be making huge profits by building the wall along our border. Boeing has already received a contract for $67 million; the bill allocates an initial $1.2 billion for construction, although the total cost will be much higher and numerous sources have predicted the total to be from $7 to $9 billion. It is a policy that fills the pockets of rich corporations and attempts to garner votes by playing on hyped-up fear, all the while alienating humans from one another and showing the true nature of our government.
Presently, borders are at best imaginary lines that are respectfully seen as increasingly unnecessary and archaic; at worst they are lines drawn in the sand, built up with concrete and steel walls, rimmed with razor wire, all for the purpose of severing and destroying communication, friendship, respect, knowledge, and community. It is clear the
direction the U.S. is choosing.
*Three Native American nations and 23 tribes live in borderlands of Mexico and the United States. The three nations that will be impacted and divided by the wall are O’odham, Cocopah, and Kickapoo.
posted by matt iv at 4:16 PM
2 Comments:
thanks for posting this. it's been on my mind as well. what are you doing with this? have you gotten involved?
hey mz! i didn't notice until now that you had left a comment here. i haven't done anything about the passage of the bill to begin construction of the wall (i've been involved in some immigrant rights stuff here, very little though). i read about a man who was walking hundreds of miles along the border to draw attention to the communities that will be affected by this wall....that was really cool. have you read anything about plans for direct action if construction actually begins?
Post a Comment
<< Home