I enjoyed listening to Norma Cantu, she gave a lot of insight into what her life was coming back and forth from Mexico and U.S. While I listened to her speak on the flow of coming and going I thought to myself, what if we could do that now?
Elections are coming faster than the year ending. I wonder, if families from Mexico, Central and Southern America could come and go. No border would be necessary. Norma talks about this briefly, her going to lunch at Texas, and being home in Mexico by night. So my question to everyone is what if there were no border, how would we take advantage of this?
This would change everything between all countries, this would be the end of families being separated, disappear. Families would no longer be separated, and there would be no need for a wall to build. Why build a wall, wouldn’t it be better to build a bridge to join families.
Norma also mentions how she identifies, being a Mexican citizen, with an American mother. She feels connected to both countries. The accessibility to travel back and forth isn’t as easy, but most Latinos feel that way as well. The connections Latinos connections with our home land is also seen through our multiple languages. I was born in Los Angeles, my first language was Spanish, and attended in 1999 a bilingual school. I speak, write and read in both languages and it’s an advantage.
Her readings were nice to hear, she talks about her life in high school. Mentioning students that would survive and make it, and other classmates would stay behind. I think about my high school classmates, and myself. I just transferred to this school from SMC, and the adjustment hasn’t been easy, but I’m doing it, I’m in school pushing myself. I also think about some of my friends who couldn’t make it out, and who stayed home, had kids, or are in gangs. My education was something y parents always told me to be proud of, and with education I would succeed in life. I applaud everyone reading this, this means you’re making it, you are going to succeed in life.
I think boards are silly. When you look above from space you don’t see division lines. It’s really sad that families are separated, i’ve seen videos of people at the border who have to talk to their loved ones from across the wall and told each others fingers because thats all they can hold. i think that’s so cruel.
Hello,
Thank you for encouraging words of succeeding in life, that was very motivating while reading your paper. On the contrast, it would be nice to cross from Mexico and U.S with no borders being involved because we wont have to worry about crossing without hesitation. If there was no border I feel that it will be so much easier to cross and see our families. It would be nice to know that my family that is back in Mexico can come to the U.S instead of us visiting them. if there were no border families wont have to be worried about being separated or being in danger about their migration journey. Unfortunately, our society especially oppression institution does not permit that to happen.
Good evening!
I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on living without borders around us. To me borders seem like the most ridiculous developments that humans could have thought of. The people who thought this was a good idea are some of the most arrogant, selfish, and self-centered individuals with no heart towards humanity. I find myself constantly torn between positive and negative feelings towards the United States. Of course, I am privileged because I am able to go to college, have a job, be surrounded by my family, but I often think about the struggle my parents had to go through in order to get to this point. They thought facing the dangers of crossing the border decades ago seemed more reasonable than staying in their countries which were plagued by violence and poverty. As much as I would like to see our country open up its doors for people around the world, acts of racism and oppression seem as though they will still be practiced by conservative and unwelcoming people all around.
Your determination to accomplish everything you ever dreamed of and wanted is admirable. Never give up! You made it this far for a reason.
No borders??? Wouldn’t that be great!!! But, the reality is that government “constructs” this border to keep us safe and to prevent “immigrants” from “stealing our jobs.” So they say—I say it is bologna. I say it is imperialism at its best—It is not about “us” the people, and keeping us safe- it is about power and greed- the “land” and “profit.” —Borders, in my eyes, and maybe in many peoples eyes, are a means to keep people on the margins, especially those who do not fit the criteria of the dominant society. It is obvious, when looking at the Untied States from a historical perspective, that the border is used as means of segregation-keep “them over there.” They took the land, and decided who can and cannot be a part of the United States. Mind you this was Mexico’s land. In doing so, people were cheated out of their land grants, and family’s separated. And, top it off, historically, Mexicans/Chicana/os have been used as a labor force—when our labor is no longer needed, the United States closes its borders. But, when the United States has a labor shortage, they open their borders—hmmm, all to their convenience. So this says a lot, it boils down to profit-how they can exploit the Mexican, paying them as little wage as possible, well, often times cheating them out of their salary, and placing them in horrible working conditions, all to close the borders on them, when they are not longer needed as a labor force- How sad is this reality—THIS IS OUR HISTORY! So, my point, the United States border, has done more damage, than good, at least in my eyes. Our government has really taken this whole idea of the border to levels that are inhumane….
Hello,
I really enjoyed your response. I wish everything was simple and there was no border. This would indeed be a blessing for my parents because they have not seen their relatives for over 23 years. Every time my mother talks about how she misses my grandmother it makes me get a knot it my throat because she isn’t able to see her, and every time that I go to Mexico, my grandmother and other family members treat me in such welcoming way because its as if my mother was there with them. I also agree with you that being privileged with two languages because we are worth more. My parents also believe that my higher education is worth it all because I am striving for something that they weren’t able to accomplish. Everything I am accomplishing is for my parents.