Wednesday, July 20, 2011

4th of July, Harley Davidson, mascots and ...border crossing

Answer: All things American (actually United States, but we like to just say American; as if it's all ours)


We spent The Fourth in St. Louis.  Uncle D put on a great fireworks show after the pool party.





The boys got to go for a spin on the Harley.




and the tractor...




EQ was honing his WWF skills, another great thing American!

After Tom's race we got some pics with the Mascot, well not really, he was busy, but we did find his double. 


While on vacation I read a great book, one I've put on here before.
Amexica: War Along the Borderline
by: Ed Vulliamy

The border fascinates me, I mean the US Mexico border.  The Canada/US border is not so interesting, although I'm sure much goes on there that I'm unaware of. 

I still don't know exactly how the border should be "controlled"; I don't think a fence is the answer.  The bulk of the drugs coming North and the guns and money going South, cross over the legal border crossings.   This book is from 2010, the stats are very current.  I highly recommend this book if you live in the United States.

Now I'm reading
Midnight on the Line: The Secret Life of the US - Mexico Border
by: Tim Gaynor

This book is equally fascinating and enlightening.  The author spends years on the border, on both sides.  He rides out with mounted US Border Patrols, gets to see the drone in action, flies out in the Black Hawk, meets and talks with the Native American Special Tracking Unit (not tracking Native Americans, made up of Native Americans who use their skills to track across the desert).  

Tim even attempts to cross from Mexico into the US via the most popular route; he and his partner get lost, run low on water, and have to call it quits.  They can't make the trip that kills unknown numbers of men, women and children.

If you live in the US this is an issue you need to know about, and give thought to.  What is the part about the border that is the worst issue?  the people coming over to get jobs?  the drugs? the guns and millions of dollars flowing South?  The drugs are my highest concern, and the resulting guns and money that go South.  The huge appetite for drugs here, feeds the narcotics cartels there with more guns and money.  It really is a war and needs to be seen as such. 

Some people view the migrants as the number one problem.   That's okay, but at least ponder what is behind their drive North?  Do you really think they want to leave their villages, family, Church, all that they know, to cross illegally into the US in hopes of getting a job, living a secret life, hoping not to get caught - just to send money back home so their family can eat.  These people would rather stay home, work at home, live at home.  There are many solutions, micro-loans, education, etc., but with the cartels running the country, it will only get worse.  

Give some thought and prayer to this issue. 

Don't dismiss these people.  And realize that the border cuts through many tribes, villages, people groups, randomly making some US citizens and other Mexican citizens.  Not all Mexican folks you see are immigrants, many of their families were here long before ours came to the US. 

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