Border Sanity Por Favor

The political tactics of divisiveness are tearing open the wounds of hate, bigotry and myopic self-interests. It is time that San Diegan parents and grandparents stand up and demonstrate an example for our children and our leaders. We must set an example that displays collective wisdom, pragmatic problem-solving and unity to address an issue that impacts all of us.

Whether you are a natural-born citizen, an immigrant who came here and became a citizen or currently an undocumented resident of this land we share one common bond…we all cherish our children’s future.

Let us set aside the matter of immigration for a time, and address the singular issue of border integrity and National security.

Make no mistake we are at war with an enemy intent on doing this nation harm. This enemy spares no one in their misguided quest to advance an agenda through death and destruction. Their victims include non-military citizens…women and children. The young and old, the defenders and the defenseless are potential victims of these religious zealots who have long ago de-famed and rejected the tenets of their own deity. They intend on killing your children and mine.

During this time of war, regardless of your politics on immigration reform we can agree that terrorists can use our vulnerable southern border as an unsupervised port of entry. We cannot wait for the transporters of tools and terrorists with their agenda of hate, death, and destruction to our nation.

We have witness far too often the reactive nature of our government that engages issues clumsily and ineffectively after a major event. The lesson of Katrina is the lack of acknowledging predictable potential dangers and failing to prepare. Planning and preparation are more important and effective that reactive regret. Our governments (local, state and national) failed to prepare, were too slow to act and then overspent and clumsily reacted after a major city, built under sea level within the historical path of hurricanes finally was hit. Motivated by political fear and regret, and belated not public service our Government has spent and continues to spend irresponsibly to repair damage to lives and property. Having a lucid plan for evacuation would have served the citizens of New Orleans much better.

We cannot wait for Al Qaeda to attack El Paso, Yuma or San Diego to recognize the current threat. We should prudently protect our homeland from predictable events. We owe our children the safety of prudent protection, not prove our love after an attack with grandiose and belated symbolism.

You and I as parents must reject the politics of divisiveness and assert our power as citizens. We must unite and demand that our leadership immediately provide the funding and action necessary to secure our borders. We must provide the infrastructure, technology and man-power to protect all of us (citizens, new citizens, soon to be citizens, and temporary guests). We must secure the border as a nation defense reaction to the reality of the War on Terror.

Let us defer the debate about immigration just long enough to focus solely on the Nation Defense Imperative of securing our borders. We have been at risk for nearly 5 years. Our President, the Congress and the Dept. of Homeland Security are charged with the responsibility of providing for the common defense. We have allowed them to provide common-rhetoric.

Our Nation has the skill to accomplish anything we collectively decide to pursue. America can and must secure the border while providing dignified, safe and legal access to this nation of immigrants.