Something there is that doesn’t love a wall . . .

Particularly when one feels they are being “fenced out.” My title is a reference to the famous poem by Robert Frost called Mending Fences. In the poem, he ponders why he and his neighbor should even have the stone fence between them –

He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors’.
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it
Where there are cows?
But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.

I understand Frost’s thoughts here – and it holds true throughout life. Unless we’ve been taught from a child to respect boundaries, our bodies, minds and souls rebel against them. Having been raised in a family where self discipline and respect for others was consistantly emphasized, though, I find myself agreeing with his neighbor in saying “Good fences make good neighbors.”

A wall (or fence) has a psychological component which (at least in my mind) is more important than it’s physical aspect. A wall says to me that those on the other side do not wish to be trespassed against. It says “you’re not welcome here unless you’re invited.” I respect a wall. Doesn’t necessarily mean I like it, but I respect it.

I believe we should build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. It’s time that we stood up for ourselves – those who want to share in our freedom badly enough can either go through legal channels to get here, or work to reform the situation in their own country. I know it’s a radical idea – but our forefathers put all their blood, sweat and tears into this nation. They fought and died to insure the freedoms that we take so lightly. Why cannot those in other countries work their own revolution? The answer is that as long as we keep our borders as easy to navigate as they have been, why should they? A wall might just inspire those on the other side to work towards reform to better their lives in their own country.

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