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kate palmer's avatar

Eric Holle response:

This topic takes intellectual courage and insight to evaluate, and you have done a great job as usual. Reduce the need to migrate!! This is the key. Intuitively, it seems that most people would prefer to remain with their families in their countries and communities of origin, rather than engage in often dangerous travel to other countries in the hopes of being able to send some cash back to support the ones left behind. Unfortunately, US policies ranging from outright war and proxy wars to economic extortion (see Confessions of an Economic Hit Man) to "free trade agreements" can make migration a life-or-death necessity. Imagine the poor corn farmers of Mexico when NAFTA and other trade policies made it a de facto requirement to quit their traditional farming methods and adopt monocropping of GMO corn. It is simply not possible for people living traditional lifestyles to compete against today's mega-corporations that have the strength of US hegemony and international "aid" agencies behind them. Thus the need to choose between living a life of greater impoverishment or a desperate and often heart-breaking need to migrate to another country. Rather than building a border wall, we just need to respect the sovereignty of foreign countries and allow people to live as they choose.

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Walt Anderson's avatar

Thanks, Tony, for a well articulated essay. It's hard to feel optimistic, particularly since so many people and leaders resist listening to common sense (a true oxymoron). I hope this gets to some of those and that they listen and respond.

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