Borders
For our latest in-class essay, we read the poem “Bordertowns,” which is in “City of God” by Gil Cuadros. Cuadros describes the border as having an overpowering, overwhelming effect on those who interact with it. For example, Cuadros illustrates the “fresh asphalt drive to San Diego/Tijuana” as “long,” he describes Laura as sleeping and feeling completely exhausted, and he describes Laura as having a connection with the land by comparing her hair and the freeway and her body and the road. Even though at first, Cuadros and Laura don’t speak much, it is clear that they have a very special, protective, caring bond. The border, and the journey to and from the border, is illustrated as having powerful effects on people, whether it be making Laura exhausted, or forging a strong bond between Cuadros and Laura, which could’ve been formed as a result of shared experiences, specifically with the border.
This poem led me to think more about borders and how they and the people who cross borders are characterized in the United States. In the media and politics, borders have often been characterized as powerful and dangerous. Additionally, borders have been criminalized and racistly portrayed as methods of keeping “invaders” out of the United States. With regards to Mexican immigrants, Trump said that Mexico is “sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” With regards to people crossing the southern border and seeking asylum, Trump said “It’s like an invasion. They have violently overrun the Mexican border.”
This hateful rhetoric, however, is not new. Tom Lea, El Paso’s mayor(1915-1917), wrote in a telegram to the surgeon general of US that “hundreds dirty lousy destitute Mexicans arriving at El Paso daily/ will undoubtedly bring and spread typhus unless a quarantine is placed at once.” The racist characterization of Mexicans as “dirty” and “inferior” led to the implementation of a disinfection camp at the border in 1916, where immigrants were forced to strip naked, be inspected for lice, and their clothes were disinfected and sent to a “gas room” to be fumigated with poisonous pesticides. If lice was found, they were forced to bathe in a mix of kerosene and vinegar and shave all body hair. In 1942 with the Bracero program, Mexican migrants were sprayed with DDT, a dangerous pesticide, and were forced to be stripped naked and be inspected. Many contemporary horrors, such as family separation and putting children and adults in dehumanizing conditions like cages, have also occurred at the border between Mexico and the United States. Over 5,400 families were separated at the border by the Trump administration. Recently, Trump considered restricting travel at the United States-Mexico border because of coronavirus, even though there are only three confirmed cases in Mexico.
Some Questions:
- What are some examples of how you’ve heard borders characterized, whether it be the US-Mexico border or any border in the world? Also, how have you heard the people who cross borders characterized as?
- Do you think that there should be borders? Why or why not?
- Why do you think borders are described as overwhelming, like in Cuadros’s poem?
- Write about anything else you are thinking about with regard to this essay.
If you want my honest opinion, fine: I am sick and tired of the rhetoric recently associated with our southern border. Some of the things that come out of the mouths of Trump and his followers literally make me feel ill. Like solid 6 out of 10 upper-left quadrant abdominal pain. This is because my main problem with the claims about the border and the people crossing it is that they are riddled with pure lies. We know that about 1/3 of the facts ever stated by Trump as candidate and president are simply false (Politfact). Another 1/5 are mostly false and only 14% of all statements are true or mostly true. Yet another 14% of the crap he says is labeled "pants on fire". What enrages me most about all of this is that the percentages of lies increase the closer he gets to the discussion of undocumented immigration. It seems to me that undocumented immigrants are an incredibly easy scapegoat for some societal problems (human trafficking, narcotics trade) and are therefore being taken advantage of by hateful politicians with a similar base. Poor, uneducated, angry, white Americans continue to flock to the GOP and its extreme politicians since they somewhat effectively portray the undocumented immigrant as a rapist or murderer at worst, and a lazy and diseased foreigner at best. A common enemy. I believe that we have seen this pattern too many times in history to ignore it this time. As far as the borders and points of entry therein being overwhelmed: YES!! The facilities used to house undocumented migrants and programs designed to treat them humanely are notoriously underfunded, under staffed, and poorly maintained. It is safe to say that the beds and health care and temporary housing of undocumented immigrants do not lie at the the top of the agenda at budget committee meetings, and it shows. Holding rooms are overflowing, resulting in people sleeping in chairs and in hallways. Medicine continues to become more expensive, and more and more drugs are being taken out of the arsenals of detention center nurses. These nurses continue to rightfully complain about the impossible job with which they are tasked: taking care of sick populations who do not have any kind of medical records with some of the lowest medicine to patient and nurse to patient ratios anywhere in the country. There is a recent case of a registered pediatric nurse who came out of retirement to treat the children of immigrants in southern Arizona. One day a few months ago, at the peak of the flu season, she ran out of vaccinations. The government would not be sending any more until the next fiscal year. When interviewed on camera, she broke down in tears, frustrated and heartbroken that she could not get her hands on the incredibly cheap to produce medicine that has the power to save her patients. Kids. And if you'll remember, many of the children who recently died in ICE detention centers perished from the simple seasonal flu. Think about that, the government is responsible for child neglect resulting in death. That's a hell of a sin. The overwhelmed nature of detention centers cannot possibly be blamed on the individual migrant. Indeed, it is the federal government who is falling short of its obligations.
ReplyDeleteRecently, and as a result of the media and political rhetoric that has been proliferated, the language used to describe borders has portrayed them as things that must be secured, and as barriers that keep some people in and some out. Subsequently, as we spread messages that all those who challenge borders, or don't restrict themselves by these barriers are evil, unwanted, and criminal. I know this message is not promoted in every country but it is certainly promoted in the United States. I’m not sure I have enough knowledge or experience to definitively pass a judgment on borders, but in general, I think borders are not a good thing. I think anything that inhibits connection creates unnecessary divide. I think borders can be described as overwhelming because they can seem inevitable, or imposing, something permanent that stops you from reaching your goal. It can be stress inducing and make one feel as though there is nothing they can do and they no longer have power or autonomy.
ReplyDeleteBorders are often characterized as being extremely scary, dangerous, and unwelcoming. When I think of borders, I think of barbed wire, armed guards, and death. I also think of desolate wastelands. Borders are in the middle of no where, so it is easy to assume that every border would have the appearance of being in a post apocalyptic world. People who cross borders are often characterized as brave, displaced, audacious and desperate in my life. However, many people characterize people who cross borders as criminals, hazards to society and public health, and untrustworthy.
ReplyDeleteBorders do serve a purpose. They make distinctions between different countries. Many countries have different systems, different ways of life, different currencies, different politics, and different languages. As a result, I do think that borders make sense. Should borders be as strict as they are though? No.
Cuadros describes borders as "overwhelming" because they are in fact overwhelming. Many have heavily guarded parts, there is an incredible stigma surrounding the idea of crossing borders, there is a big association with crime and areas near borders, and you are literally crossing from one culture to the other.
Similar to Bianca, I have heard borders characterized as powerful and dangerous, but that mostly applies to the US/Mexico border. I have heard other borders described as the separator of different cultures and ways of living. If we had a chance to start all over again, I would prefer to not have strict borders, but we are in too deep to get rid of our borders now. I think we should keep our borders, but we should take down borders that have walls because of how problematic and contemptuous they are. Borders are described as overwhelming because they make you feel like you are entering a completely foreign place when in reality you are just moving across the same piece of land.
ReplyDeleteSome Questions:
ReplyDeleteWhat are some examples of how you’ve heard borders characterized, whether it be the US-Mexico border or any border in the world? Also, how have you heard the people who cross borders characterized as?
The border has been characterized as this sort of destitute and dying place in the media that I’ve consumed and the mental image that I’ve made up in my head. I think it came about because of the rise of anti mexican/south american immigration over the decade.
Do you think that there should be borders? Why or why not?
I don’t know if there should be borders. I think the idea of countries as a whole is sort of here to stay at this point. I don’t know how to answer this question because Ideally people would be allowed to move through spaces with ease and not really be tied to a nationality. I know in places like the european union people can do that, you can work in a completely different country where you’re born because the governments have allowed that. Im not sure in America that would work, there’s so much patriotism that it prevents any real flow.
Why do you think borders are described as overwhelming, like in Cuadros’s poem?
I think any place where two different cultures blend and merge would be chaotic.
The most recent things I've heard regarding people "crossing" borders has had to do with Coronavirus and the fearful associations that have come with it. There is a similar, if not near identical, concern about the "contamination" that the people who have crossed the borders will bring. Pretty ironic to see how history might repeat itself. There just seems to be a lot of fear surrounding the subject because of all the unknowns there are.
ReplyDeleteFor all intensive/practical purposes, yes, I think there should be borders. I do not think, however, that having borders means that there needs to be the hostility and rigid separation that our nearest borders have right now. Having borders can make policymaking and leadership easier—we have to break down the planet somehow because I don’t have faith in a worldwide understanding of what is right and wrong (I also acknowledge that this is impossible anyway). But the way that we in the United States/Los Angeles specifically go about handling borders is not the only option and not necessary at all. The harder we press to keep people who are "other" out, the more fear and unease builds around them, which leads to harmful stereotyping and then racism. Somehow, we need to come to an understanding of the similarities we have with people who simply don't look or talk like we do. Honestly, a lot of problems would be solved if we could accomplish this. I just find it ironic how our country of immigrants can be so hostile and violent toward other immigrants to land that we (should) have no right to.
As a generalization, I think borders are associated with keeping people "out" of one area, as if they are a one-sided means of protection. In regards to countries, I never hear about borders as keeping citizens in, instead they are a barrier that must be crossed in order to enter a new place. Especially recently, people who must cross borders are seen as others, as invaders, instead of just as people. I think people's reasons for needing to cross borders and relocate their entire lives are often disregarded in order to focus on painting a negative image based in biases and stereotypes. I think there is also a certain amount of privilege associated with crossing borders -- for example, who is able to freely cross in order to vacation vs who must cross, possibly permanently, in order to save their life?
ReplyDeleteI think countries as established are working relatively well (with some exceptions). I think regulation of some borders should be lowered, but I don't think borders should be eliminated all together because I think there is a sense of pride and nationalism associated with the land a country has and even in the very shape it possesses. Thinking of how many things are stamped with the shape of the 48 continental states, you know what America looks like and can associate that with a sense of nationalism and pride (not to get too patriotic here, though. same thing applies with Italy or India or Russia or literally anywhere else). I think borders should still exist, however the way we approach crossing borders and the regulation should shift.
I'm not sure where to start, so I'll just start. I'm thinking of that speech Ronald Reagan made in Berlin where he called on Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!" His claim, backed by much of the world, was that it was abominable to imprison a population behind barbed wire and concrete under armed watch towers. By this point, more than 100 citizens had been shot trying to cross the barrier. I agree that the imprisonment of East Berlin was abominable. But why is it not equally wrong to keep a person from leaving and arriving?
ReplyDeleteSome countries function best when its citizens have a strong sense of identity tied closely with their nationality which encapsulates shared tradition, history, language, and culture. I'm thinking of generally homogenous states, particularly those who have just suffered war inside their national borders or ethnic persecution or a threat to their sovereignty. I can see the value in national identity, though I know the violent consequences of nationalism. (Generally I think state wide heterogeneity with smaller communities is ideal). But this was never America's legacy. I'll skip anyone who isn't indigenous is the descendant of an immigrant to get to this: despite the arbitrariness and colonialism of border-drawing, we've made laws not just about whether they are open, closed, or somewhere in between but about who can cross and when and why. Who is a refugee, who is an immigrant, who is looking for economic prosperity, who was suffering from drought, are they different, can you prove it?
One argument for border control is that states have the responsibility to provide safety and economic and social security for their citizens and immigration is a direct threat to these things. The logic is that open borders would mean mass immigration and subsequent stress on a nation's infrastructure (health care, public services, etc). But this argument assumes the legitimacy of a state's infrastructure (health care, public services, etc.) and then prevents a way to defend these things. I would call into question the legitimacy (and success) of these organizations in America and maybe America itself. If it is the citizen's rights (safety and economic and social security) we're out to secure, we'll need to first determine that the citizen has rights and the state has the right to prioritize them. First, what makes America so sure it has anything to protect or claim. Why is America's right more right. I know this isn't a judicially sound argument, but I don't care.
The past few years, extending into the 2016 presidential race, there has been a lot of hateful associations with the US-Mexico border. With Trump's campaign and presidency, "Build the Wall" has become a regular phrase seen in media and the world around us. It has contributed to false characterizations and stereotypes of Mexicans and added to a dichotomy between the US and Mexico which is causing the relationship between countries and people to become worse instead of more united. In addition to the US-Mexico border, the recent coronavirus outbreak has sparked fear of borders as well. People are afraid of travel and movement across borders for fear of the virus moving as well.
ReplyDeleteConceptually a world without borders would be like a utopia, everyone part of the same country, getting along, but utopia is unattainable. In reality, I think borders are important in giving each country a sense of nationalism and a unique identity. I think there are definitely issues in the ways in which borders are regulated, but I think they also serve an important purpose.
Borders are overwhelming. They distinguish one place from the other, separating people, cultures, land, resources, and beliefs. I feel overwhelmed going through customs and getting my passport stamped when going from one country to another (which is a privilege to be able to experience so easily), so I could never begin to imagine the worry, pain, and fear of crossing a border and not being let in, or being taken and separated from my family in a brand new country. Borders signify shifts between areas, people, and cultures and that within itself is an overwhelming idea.
Looking at borders in a solely practical lens, I think that they are used to physically divide the world into independent, autonomous nations, states, and governments. Borders categorize us. They empower individuals to differentiate between “us” and “them,” between “foreigner” and “citizen.” Oftentimes, this “us vs. them” mentality produced by the existence of borders causes individuals to believe that those living outside their borders (in other countries/states/continents) are entirely different people; however, in reality, the common cliche holds true: we are more alike than different. In a way, borders make the world “easier” to understand. Borders make things more convenient by making rules and setting limits that are sometimes pretty illogical. For example, Halluin, France and Menen, Belgium are only about 1.2 miles apart, and yet a powerful border (the France-Belgium border) sits right in between the two cities. The existence of this border, this invisible wall dividing two nations (which is nothing but a strange human construct in this first place) makes it appear as though two entirely different worlds exist on either side of it. But Halluin and Menen, at least geographically speaking, are most likely identical. The main difference one would probably notice between Halluin and Menen would be the stark cultural differences (assuming there are stark cultural differences — I’ve never been to either cities). Here’s a mind-boggling chicken-and-the-egg-type question for you: What came first, the border or the culture? Now I’m not even sure if this question makes sense but it’s something that I thought of so I’ll leave you all with it to think about if you want to.
ReplyDeleteThere is a stigma in the United States about people who enter the country illegally, especially from Mexico. While people also enter illegally from Canada, the primary focus is on Mexico due to the racial discrimination towards hispanics in the United States. Our own president characterized these people as “criminals” and “rapists”. That being said, I do think that there should be borders for countries. However the purpose of borders should be to protect the country from invasion or harm; not keeping out people seeking help.
ReplyDeleteI think borders are described as overwhelming mostly for literal reasons but also for metaphorical reasons. Borders are most certainly overwhelming; people are crowded, worried, and scared. Like Julian mentioned, countless services are overfunded and people die from easily curable diseases like the seasonal flu. Borders can also be overwhelming in terms of the amount of stereotypes there are surrounding people there: across our country, immigrants are unfairly characterized as thieves, murderers, and drug traffickers.
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ReplyDeleteWhen I think of borders between countries, the first one that comes to mind is the border between India and Pakistan. Having been all one country (including Bangladesh as well) until 1947, when because of reglious differences, a border was drawn. After this partition, the people of India and Pakistan became "enemies." I find it crazy that just because of this border, people who were just all of the same country and culture can loose that so quickly.
ReplyDeleteAnother border I think of is the border separating the U.S. and Mexico. As we know, there is a huge issue with America not allowing Mexican immigrants into the country. It is interesting to think about the difference between this border and that of India/Pakistan, because there is such a difference of people and cultures in America and Mexico.