Tuesday's Letter to the Editor

Southern border walls

Dear editor:

I haven’t written in a while due to my “burn out” concerning the present political environment. There is just so much hate and anger that I can stand from both sides and I’ve reached my limit. Life is way too short to stay irritated all the time. I’ll bet others feel the same way.

Most letters to the editor that I’ve read consist of the writer’s opinion, likes and dislikes and what they feel and think about our present local, state and federal government. I praise the Lord that I live in a country that has a Constitution that guarantees this right. But, rarely are issues discussed factually. So I would like to try to do so.

One can have a vigorous discussion concerning whether illegal immigration or unrestrained immigration across our southern border is right or wrong, moral or immoral. But that’s not the purpose of this letter. This letter is specifically to make a case for the effectiveness of a southern border wall (barrier).

When liberal Democrats claim that “walls don’t work” and “this is a complete waste of money” they clearly are wrong and just making this up. Unfortunately, many believe their rhetoric because it goes unchallenged. I have yet to hear their facts or examples proving walls don’t work. So below is my challenge.

For all of recorded history, walls work as long as they are big enough, thick enough and high enough and an invading army doesn’t breach the wall. Intact walls have always been effective. Whether it’s the Great Wall of China, which kept invaders out, or the Berlin Wall that kept East Berliners in, they work and work well.

A wall has reduced the number of apprehensions of illegal aliens in San Diego from more than 628,000 in fiscal 1986 to its current number of around 30,000 a year. It would be even lower if their wall was made higher and better and more complete.

The latest proof that walls work is the Israeli wall that keeps out its enemies, terrorists and illegal aliens. Since its completion, the number of enemy infiltrations has decreased to essentially zero wherever the wall exists. And the same is true for illegal immigration. It works so well that to protect its ports, Israel is now building a massive sea wall.

So, here’s the challenge to the liberal writers of this newspaper. Please write back and make your case if possible, using facts, statistics and examples, proving that walls don’t work. And please stick to what I have asked. Don’t obfuscate by talking about cost (which if built would actually save money spent on illegal immigrants and could be spent on our homeless and our veterans), the location of the wall or even environmental impact of the wall.

I ask you to answer specifically. Do adequate walls work or don’t they, period? And if you believe they don’t, prove it.

Jack Sternberg, MD

Hot Springs

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