Oh, border protection. Everyone disagrees about the exact recipe of that family chili, but can’t agree on a perfect blend. There are people who want their chili hotter and others milder. Then there is the cousin who insists on adding chocolate. When we discuss keeping our borders safe, people have their own ideas about what the secret ingredient is. Visit our official website here for detailed information.
Let’s be real for a moment. It’s not just a matter of putting up a fence, or digging an alligator-filled moat (although I’m certain someone has already suggested this). It’s like being a bouncer in the biggest and most complex nightclub on the planet. You have to know how to manage the crowd, keep track of who is coming in and who you should be watching, all without causing a riot.
Imagine trying to watch every person in a room full of people while making sure that no one sneaks in the back door, or tries to get in the bathroom window. It sounds difficult, doesn’t it? This is what most countries face. It’s like trying to nail Jell O to a wall.
Many people who support border security say it is crucial to keep out “bad actors”–people who may want to harm others or disturb the peace. These people are not always wrong. No one wants to have uninvited people ruin the mood of their party. Here’s the tricky part: convincing your grandmother that you did, in fact, eat enough food at Thanksgiving dinner is impossible.
Some people are concerned that locking down things too much could prevent us from meeting great people or experiencing cool stuff. Imagine you’d never eaten sushi because you were afraid of raw fish. You’ve never heard K-pop music because you didn’t know the lyrics. Occasionally, stepping out of our comfort zones can bring us the best surprises in life.
It’s the same as playing Monopoly and deciding to only buy Baltic Avenue, because you feel safer buying it than Boardwalk. You won’t go bankrupt, but you also won’t win big. People are needed to move around the country, buy things, work, create businesses and generally stir up the pot.
Let’s also not forget those stories that are as heartbreaking as a telenovela plot. They tell of people fleeing dangerous zones or families who hope for a better future. These stories remind us that this debate is about real people, not just numbers or dots on a chart.
Where does that leave us? You’ll find it somewhere between “build the wall” and “come on, everyone.” Find your Goldilocks Zone: neither too hot nor too cold, just right. This means being creative with technology, without becoming Big Brother in George Orwell’s nightmares or daydreams. It means having laws and policies which are fair but firm, like Mary Poppins running Homeland Security.
As a conclusion (because every ramble has to come to a close), discussing border security is like debating whether pineapple should be on pizza. It’s complex and it gets people excited. Finding balance at the end (or of the meal) is important, even if it means trying a few strange recipes.