Border-defined: Feels Like I’m Going to Lose My Mind

Madonna’s 1984 hit “Borderline” was in the background while reading an editorial The El Paso Times published today titled “Get serious on defining border security.”  It appears that Greg Abbott made some more vague comments regarding border security at a news conference last week, and the author of this article was having none of it.  They start by discussing how the habit of re-defining border security anytime a question is asked has become an old and obvious stall tactic for making any real progress.  The article takes a turn towards the end, though, and begins to target the lack of reporting on how Texas and Federal money is spent with regards to border security.

I feel that the intended audience is tired Texans.  I read it as more of an appeal to anyone who would listen than a calculated rant to heat up liberals or conservatives.  One thing that stood out, however, is that there is no single author listed.  It just states El Paso Times Editorial Board.  I take this to mean that the entire article is the opinion of the entire staff.  If this is the case, then perhaps that is why the article doesn’t lean left or right?  I hope so, because I respect a group of journalists who decide to collectively make a plea to anyone who will listen.  My job sends me to McAllen, TX, another border town, for weeks at a time and it truly is a different world down there.  I imagine the city of El Paso being tired of the circular jargon regarding border security, because to them, it could be more like home security.  I enjoyed the comment the author made questioning where the additional troopers are coming from, because this would obviously weaken other areas.  It would be interesting to see if that information is just as elusive as the budget numbers.

All in all, I completely see eye to eye with this editorial.  I watched part of the Civil Rights Summit last year and heard San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour talk back and forth about how a lot of the problems with “border security” stem from how no one defines it the same way.  Greg Abbott’s speech was just the same song different tune.  We need to quit talking about definitions and identify what the real problem is.