Editor,
Matt Grocott’s column (“The importance of border security”) that was published in the Jan. 29 edition of the Daily Journal, was straight out of the president’s playbook. He used the same scare tactics that are based on limited anecdotal evidence.
Of course, the examples he cites are tragic and regrettable. But how many tragic deaths have resulted from the actions of legal immigrants and U.S. citizens? What about other factors, such as the ready availability of guns? If the government had done its job properly on gun control, more and larger tragedies could be avoided. The “crisis” at the border is largely manufactured. Illegal entry has decreased in recent years and illegal immigrants have been shown to be no more likely to commit crime than other portions of the population. I’ll agree that our immigration system is in need of repair, but illegal immigration is not the most significant factor in tragic, criminal deaths. And given that most illegal entry is at legal check points, where border patrol agents are understaffed and overwhelmed, a wall isn’t the answer in any case.
Brian Wright
Belmont
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(9) comments
Brian- how does it feel to have your head buried in the sand all day every day. Why believe our border security who are on the front lines and the 400,000 illegals the were apprehended last year. Keep in mind that is only what were caught. Brian obviously doesn't mind illegal drugs, illegal human trafficking and a porous border.
Trump is going to call a national security emergency and have the defense department build it, end of the problem.
Dear Christo - in many ways Brian has some good points. You should take him out to lunch at Coyote Point and mentor him like you would any decent *big brother* type or attend an AA meeting where Love and Tolerance are practiced and preached.
Just don't continually trash the guy with comments like:
Brian- how does it feel to have your head buried in the sand all day every day.
Dude- I think you need some serious help. Big brother and AA meetings, what are you even talking about. I know you keep watch on me 24/7 but you really got let me go. Good luck with your AA meetings.
Dear Christo - you said "Dude" - did you mean like the Big Lebowski. BTW I never said You went to AA meetings nor did I say I did. My reply was about Love and Tolerance something THEY happen to teach within their global and nationwide program.
I hope you had a chance to DVR the POTUS speech. He did the best he could but he will never be the orator that Abe Lincoln or Doctor King was.
Brian, please cite your sources for data? 40 % of our prison population are illegal criminals not nearly corolated to our population. Also according to FBI data most crimes committed with firearms were committed using illegally obtained firearms. No Gun controls will ever stop a criminal from obtaining guns. And new gun laws will never stop law breakers from using them. The nature of criminals is to ignore laws not follow them.
Chris the only one being dishonest is you. There are many sources of proof to back Matt’s claims. I think this is just more Fake news from the Editors.
Mr. Wright - your straw man arguments don't work here. I mean, if we didn't have cars, we wouldn't have fatal car accidents. If we didn't have guns, we'd probably be speaking German or Japanese. We can see through your use of the usual specious Democrat playbook talking points. Talk is cheap - if you don't think walls are effective, why don't you remove your doors, windows and fences?
And though the administration has claimed that many terrorists are among those crossing the border, in the first half of 2018 CBP apprehended only six people on a government terrorist watchlist.
If anyone in this trail does not believe that we have an emergency aside from the criminal aspect, consider the following: while the US Census Bureau counts 120,000 children in our County between the ages 5 and 18, the San Mateo County Office of Education reports that there are 300,000 children in K-12 public and charter schools. Of those, 200,000 receive free or subsidized meals, 150,000 are English learners and the Office reports that after all of those efforts, 16,000 became proficient in English. Does anyone realize the cost to the taxpayers of supporting this illegal invasion which is diverting funding for our documented children? And I am not even addressing the health care and the other plethora of benefits extended to this demographic. Yes, get your head out of the sand, this is breaking our backs and it is an emergency! A wall would go a long way along with revisiting the phony asylum provision in our immigration laws.
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