Dear Wall Supporters,
You may be my professor, my friend, or even a relative. It is hard for me to discern supporters from non-supporters because so many of you feel you can't share your beliefs because they are unpopular. I'm asking you to do the opposite. If you see me walking to class or getting coffee, stop me and ask me why I do not support the building of a wall between the United States and Mexico. If you ask I hope you have a few moments to spare, because there are quite a few reasons why.
1. Why corrupt our national image?
Trump is building a physical wall that will not only damage our relationship with Mexico but will ruin the way other countries view us. If you lived in a subdivision and a neighbor put up a concrete wall around his house, what would you think of him? What would the whole neighborhood think? You might be reading this and thinking, "Well I don't care how other countries view us." Maybe you don't care, but know that every American who travels outside the U.S. will be labeled based on the actions of our country. Just as the general population labeled all people from Iraq and Iran to be terrorists after 9/11, so will Americans be stereotyped after the building of the wall. If you get excited about the fact that we will likely to be compared to East Germany, then that's another issue.
2. This country was founded on immigration!!!
Need I remind you that the first people who migrated to America came here WITHOUT CONSENT of those who already lived here. We invaded their landed and claimed it as ours. We killed thousands of Native Americans and pushed them around the U.S. when we found it convenient. Who are we to claim that these people have no right to cross our borders.
3. What happened to "love thy neighbor"?
Whether you are religious or not, you've probably heard of the story of The Good Samaritan. Even if you don't believe in the bible, the message of helping others in need despite where they come from is universal! So if you are in support of the wall and you claim to be a Christian, how can you claim that the two are mutually exclusive? Also, what if it were you? You did not get to choose where you were born. If you were born into extreme poverty or a war zone, wouldn't you want to try to move to create a better life for yourself?
4. Don't get me started on the environmental impacts...
I could go on for pages, but there are endangered species living near the borders. Why disrupt their environment for NO good reason.
5. The United States is already spending billions of dollars combating drug trafficking.
$48 BILLION A YEAR, TO BE EXACT!!!!
6. History has proven building walls does NOT solve a problem.
Great Wall of China, Berlin Wall, Belfast Peace Walls, West Bank Wall, Israel/Egypt... do you need more examples?
In conclusion, feel free to come talk to me about why you support the wall. I am open to hearing new perspectives. You can disregard this article as left-wing propaganda, but just because something is written in a different perspective than yours does not make it wrong! We can't keep writing things off as being invalid because we don't like what it's saying. For my final thought, I will stand on the border of Mexico and let the wrecking ball hit me before I'll ever let this thing be built. I'm not going down without a fight, and if you have empathy for your neighbors you shouldn't either.
