Is Mexico, America's friend or foe? Should we build a wall?

1. 75

   Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years ago

   Is Mexico, America's friend or foe? Should we build a wall?
   
   I keep hearing about a wall built to keep Mexico and the United States separate.
   Does this mean Mexico is an enemy?

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2. 79

   always exploringposted 8 years ago

   I've always believed that America is a land of opportunity for all good people who want to come here legally for a better life. Building a wall will not keep people out. Remember when Reagan told Gorbachev to tear down that wall. A closed society is not America! Only a twit like Trump would do that!

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      Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Ruby my friend. You are so right.

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3. 83

   Au faitposted 8 years ago

   I think sometimes Mexico is a friend and other times not much of a friend.  It depends on the issue. 
   
   There are many people in the Mexican government who perpetuate the idea that we 'Americans' stole Texas and other southwestern U.S. territory from them.  (Technically Mexicans are Americans also.)  As a result some of the people who come here believe they have every right to be here illegally or otherwise. 
   
   This is a major reason Mexicans (and even natural born Mexican-U.S. citizens) disrespect our flag and prefer to fly their own.  They really believe we stole major parts of the U.S. from them and that those sections of the U.S. really belong to them.  So they prefer to dis our flag and our authority.
   
   The cost of building a China-like 'Great Wall' as Mr. Trump seems to envision, would be prohibitive.  With no middle class left and only the working class paying taxes since the wealthy are given a pass on that, we would have to scrap some major programs in order to finance such a wall.
   
   After we've dug up the money for the wall, a major undertaking by itself, we would need to actually build the wall.  Since Mr. Trump says he will force the Mexican government to pay for the wall, will he, true to his own character, also hire Mexicans and other foreigners to build it?  Regardless of who builds it, it will take a very long time to accomplish.  Not likely you or I -- or Mr. Trump, would see the completion of such a project.
   
   The only way any wall might do what it is supposedly designed to do, keep Mexicans and other illegals out, would be to station guards (or drones) every 20 feet or so with orders to shoot to kill anyone trying to get through from the Mexican side. 
   
   While Trump might welcome such an idea, actually carrying it out is another matter.  The military would have to be increased considerably as it is already spread pretty thin with operations already on our plate.  We have a long border with Mexico and placing an armed guard every 20 feet of it would be quite a task.
   
   Mexico actually encourages it's citizens to come here from what I've heard.  So in that sense Mexico is not our friend.  It is promoting untruths about who our country really belongs to and it encourages its citizens to break our immigration laws.
   
   A wall is not practical for many reasons, and Mexico is a sometimes friend.

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      Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Au fait, I totally understand what you are saying.
      Blessings my friend.

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   Readmikenowposted 8 years ago

   I think we should more on securing our boarder than on securing Mexico's southern boarder with Guatemala. The Obama administration recently gave Mexico $75 million to help them secure their boarder.  Why?
   
   http://dailycaller.com/2016/06/03/obama … rn-border/
   
   If we treated the people illegally coming into the US the same way Mexico treats people coming into their country illegally, there would be a huge outrage.
   
   Mexico has neither the desire, nor the ability to overthrow the United States.  They want economic cooperation.  That makes them a friend.  They just don't have a country that can provide a standard of living to keep their citizens living there.  Just like Guatemala.  Their drug gangs have so much power in Mexico, like they do in most of Central and South America.
   
   The goal of a wall is to control our immigration.  When immigrants come here and live illegally, it is a slap in the face of every person who followed the laws and immigrated legally.  We need to respect those who respect and follow our laws.

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      Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      readmike, thank you for your comment

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5. 86

   Mel Carriereposted 8 years ago

   Walls are ugly
   
   Walls are mean
   
   Wall graffiti
   
   Can be obscene
   
   Stall the wall!

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   1. 75

      Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Mel for the comment, I appreciate you very much.

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6. 83

   tamarawilhiteposted 8 years ago

   Mexico's immigration laws are actually more than what Trump has ever asked for:
   * illegal immigrants deported, and citizen's arrest of suspected illegal immigrants
   * more border patrol agents on Mexico's southern border than we have on ours
   * employers have to prove they can't hire a local and if they hire foreigners to undercut wages, stiff penalties
   * legal immigrants are deported if they engage in any protests or political activities
   * you have to have a job or other means of support like retirement account - try to use welfare, get deported
   * immigration based on demographic needs so they can suspend it if their unemployment rate is too high or that immigrant group is so large it is having trouble assimilating
   * must speak Spanish
   * no birthright citizenship

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      Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you ms. wilhite, my question was "Is Mexico a friend or foe?"

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7. 61

   wingedcentaurposted 8 years ago

   Hi Mrs. Shenko!
   
   I know that you do not mean to suggest that the entire Earth is either composed of America's friends or foes. I know that you did not mean to present your question in such stark, Cold War-era terms.
   
   As you say, you keep hearing about a wall being built. By the way, didn't the Republican nominee, Mr. Trump, say something about building a separation wall and making Mexico pay for it? That was him, wasn't it? He did say that, didn't he?
   
   And I believe he said something about "... they're bringing crime... they're bringing drugs... they're bringing problems..." That is right, isn't it?
   
   On the one hand, he is not exactly portraying the Mexican government as an enemy. But he does portray elements of the undocumented migrant Mexican laboring population as "enemies," in the sense of being, shall we say, "undesirables."
   
   And "undesirables" are the eternal, existential enemy of good, law abiding people everywhere, of all times, and all places. Are they not?
   
   But since Mr. Trump wants to "build a wall" and make Mexico pay for it... Well, he certainly seems to think the Mexican government bears some responsibility -- whether unwittingly or deliberately -- having unleashed the pestilence upon us (sarcasm!).

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      Shyron E Shenkoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Mr. Thomas, Mexico is our neighbor and our countries are connected. Mr. Trump is portraying Mexico as an enemy, when most illegals are coming here by way of Mexico.  Thank you for the comment without the sarcasm!

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      johnmariowposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      A very small minority of illegal immigrants commit crimes other than entering our nation illegally. Mexico is passing a law making it illegal for any Mexican person or Mexican business to contribute to the building of the wall.

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8. 0

   johnmariowposted 7 years ago

   Thanks for answering my question. I welcome all answers now and in the future.   
   
   I think Trump should select a bipartisan committee. The bipartisan committee should be comprised of electrical engineer, mechanical engineers, structural engineers, landscape engineers, officials from our Immigration Services and officials from Homeland Security.
   
   This committee should research the most effective and least expensive type of wall to be built.  They should determine what  we need to monitor the activities on the Mexican side of the wall.  That activity might be a catapult which might be used to break a hole in the wall. How much manpower do we need? Should we use man-less drones? Should we use tear gas? There are countless recommendations the committee could provide.

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      Au faitposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Mr. Trump is already backtracking on his wall just as he's been doing on other issues. Now that he has decided he wants to keep parts of ObamaCare rather than repealing it & starting over, he has recently also decided that a"fence" will do just f

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