Disorderly Border

A very insightful post from John Krenson, posting at One Hand Clapping on the situation at the Mexican border. It makes a very strong case for why we really need control of the border - and it does so in a moral context. I think he hits it just right here.

I must admit that I had personal reservations about the role of the National Guard in this mission. There are no hostilities on the border. There is not a natural disaster. There is no rioting. These are the typical roles for the Guard - temporary emergencies. I feared that border security would become a permanent mission for the Guard keeping us away from home when we might be needed for state emergencies and causing a decline in our combat readiness for our national war time missions.

But then I heard the words of an experienced and wise Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). He said “Taking care of the nation is our business.” That’s the bottom line. And he is right. So often it takes the words of an NCO to put things simply and provide common sense.

My rotation on the border has given me a chance to perceive more clearly the intellectual case and the practical case for how the business of taking care of the nation by the National Guard includes protecting our borders. That may be for only a couple of years or even a couple of decades or more. But it must be done and somebody has to do it.

This one really is a must read if you are at all concerned about illegal immigration.