The Aug. 10 editorial regarding (or I should say ignoring) the border crisis finally set me off. I have been tempted a dozen times the past two years to write but was deterred by the memory of the Beto supporter who stole my yard sign and tried to slash my tires.
First, I respect your right to express whatever opinion your editorial board majority has. Of course, it’s usually left of center, but this one is so far left it surprised me. At the same time, I appreciate you publishing Jim Taylor’s editorials as a counterbalance to your own views. Jim is a smart guy, and I always look forward to his political take — whether or not I agree with him 100% of the time.
Back to the border crisis. Am I seeing the same photos, the sa me coverage in other publications, the same radio talk shows you are? It seems unlikely, because you dismiss the whole situation and just look at it through your 100% humanitarian prism. There’s another name for that — open borders.
I would be satisfied if you admitted it’s a major crisis for the Valley and the country and suggested reasonable steps to limit immigration on the southern border to less than 2 million a year — how about several hundred thousand?
I also realize our laws get in the way of handling this situation rationally and are unlikely to change with Democrat control of Congress. If I’m a Nicaraguan and have been coached by someone with border experience, I know the key to a positive hearing: “My country is dangerous. My children have been threatened with death if they do not join a violent gang; my wife cannot go to the grocery store for fear of attack.” (Oops. That sounds like Detroit or Chicago).
There is another sure-fire way to avoid being sent back. Just don’t show up for your hearing in 18 months. I have heard the number of “no shows” is horrendous — maybe 90%.
The free pass for unaccompanied children is another major crisis. Don’t you wonder who those children end up with all across the country? No one has said how many sponsors are true relatives. Are we so naïve we think every 12 year old girl living with strangers is safe? Come on, man.
You probably think the heavily Democrat Valley is on your side in supporting open borders. Think again. I dare you to poll readers’ views. You would be surprised that a large minority of voters / readers are considering supporting Republicans in November 2022 — after years of their so-called Dem leaders like fake macho, filthy talk Filemon Jr. telling them the party is evil and hates poor people. Quite a few are realizing they have been duped.
Let’s leave Donald Trump out of the discussion of what to do about our many problems — the border, inflation, crime, handling COVID. Whether or not the 2020 election was fair and square (you could guess my opinion), Trump is no longer the president. Joe Biden is, and Kamala Harris is the appointed border czar.
Now my last point. Thanks for canceling RGV Memories and four other of my features a year and a half ago. Yes, I said thank you. That led me to the idea of putting together an online semi-monthly RGV Memories. It has the same focus of stories by those who grew up in the Valley and Valley/Texas icons like Southwest Airlines, H-E-B, and Bobby Lackey. It’s free — no ads even after a year — and readers can join 1,600 other subscribers by emailing [email protected]. We avoid politics.
John Bourg, Harlingen
