This may not come as a big surprise to most, but it seems our American cousins don't have a lot of faith in us when it comes to security matters.
So little faith, in fact, they're now considering throwing up some fencing on the 49th to stop the hoards of terrorists that flow in daily from the Great White North.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency are looking at a number of ways to beef up security and "The Fence" is just one of the options. Apparently, public input is more than welcome.
Many Canucks, I'm sure, would take offence to a fence, but not I. What the Yanks do on their side of the border is their business. For all I care, they can build a wall coast to coast as long as their taxpayers are footin' the bill... not one penny from OUR coffers.
What would this fence look like? There's little detail in that regard, but we're told it would blend in with the environment, "complement the natural landscape." Nice.
But would the "Great Wall of America" be effective? While it might make Americans feel more secure, would it actually foil a dedicated terrorist bent on destruction? Obviously, the answer is, no.
Despite what many American still believe, the 9/11 al Qaeda gang flew into the States from outside North America... they DID NOT cross from Canada. In July 2004, the report from the 9/11 Commission was clear on this fact, yet over the years a number of prominent U.S. officials continued to blame Canada.
Among the finger pointers were U.S. Senator, John McCain, Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano and U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton! They were either frightenly unaware, or playing politics... reassuring their people they'd found the "leak."
But anyway, if the U.S. truly believes, like Frost's stubborn neighbour, that "good fences make for good neighbours," then I say, go for it!
Mr. Obama... put up that wall!
Paul and Carol Mott can be heard discussing the issues weekdays from 11 until noon streamed through their website www.themotts.ca. Download the Motts App for your Blackberry & listen anytime!
Time to stop giving them our oil and water and make them bid for it with the rest of the world.
"Is that fence to keep us out, or to keep you in?"
Landrum Kelly
Livingstone College
Salisbury, NC
Yes, to be truly safe, The U.S. should not take our oil, or any of our goods, or trade any goods with any of the planet. They should isolate themselves from the rest of the planet completely, never allowing anyone in or out.
Of course, that also means their military withdraws from the rest of the world, and they withdraw all financial and military aid to countries, including Israel, and we would NEVER hear from the u.s. again.
Yes, that is the only true way they can be safe. The fact that the rest of the planet just got safer and nicer by a factor of 10 is just a side effect, not a desired state.
Truly, it is a construct of man like none other and marks like petrography our voyage in life. Generations future will marvel if future generations exist beyond the birds that fly over or the creepy crawling things that climb beneath. Build on, oh mighty nation, and revel in your industry.
-Homeland security
-Afghan war
-Iraq war
-Wall Street bail out
-etc.
tower's mine field etc.