Mennonites Sued By Feds

ON the Southern Border the federal government continues to ignore the wishes of local governments and private property owners as well as tribes, environmentalists, ranchers, and human rights organizations. The federal government is intent on extending the physical barrier of a wall all along the border. Reagan once urged the USSR to "Tear down that wall", now we are building our own.

All of the groups mentioned above have begun to take a stand by refusing the federal government access to their land. The most recent of these is the Mennonite Church. The federal government is now suing them for access.

Simultaneously the government has decided not to build the wall along a posh golf course and country club. Apparently the wall is meant not only to keep poor people out, but also meant to impact the livelihood and environment of those citizens who are not rich.

Similarly, NAFTA and other free trade agreements are continuing to make the rich richer and the poor poorer in all countries who are members. Mainly, these agreements allow goods to flow freely while limiting human migration. The limitations on human migration pit workers against one another and isolate them from one another. The isolation of workers allows corporations and governments to pay less than a living wage and erode wages in developed countries, essentially weakening the bargaining power of workers. The wall makes it easier to maintain that isolation.

The wall will also result in riskier and more deadly border crossings. The wall doesn't change the conditions created by NAFTA or reform our immigration system. It maintains a power structure which exploits us all.