Wall reflects ‘living, breathing’ border
The border wall display on the UA Mall is one of the most controversial and provocative pieces ever displayed. It represents the not only political boundaries, but cultural ones as well. People often say it’s the U.S. and Mexico, and the line divides the two. What few seldom realize is that the border itself is a living, breathing entity that has become its own world.
People (such as myself) grow up seeing the best and worst of people from both sides of la línea. It isn’t about who is legal and who is illegal, it’s about dividing families and friends by rusted steel and scorching desert. It’s about more than laws, it’s about life. As a friend of mine put it, it represents the division of his culture and his heart. And I couldn’t agree more.
Jose J. Federico
Latin American Studies senior
If wall offends, ‘walk around it’
The fence across the Mall is meant to educate. If it’s offensive, walk around it! In case you did not know, you are allowed to hang your own stuff on it; the only requirement is that it’s waterproof because the sprinklers go off at night. Get informed, people!
Karen Flores
economics sophomore
Mall fence intended to provide student perspectives
Staff columnist Laura Donovan must be held accountable for the inaccuracies of her column about the border fence. First of all, I ask that Ms. Donovan properly attribute the project to Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs and the Social Justice Programs in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. Had Ms. Donovan taken a look at even one of the panels on the fence where sponsorship is freely published, she’d be better informed to write her column.
The efforts, which I applaud, of the project are not, as Ms. Donovan implies, “”to make her feel guilty about people who take risks.”” They are instead to remind the campus bubble by “”not allowing (the author) to walk freely across the Mall”” about the kinds of things that are happening and the systemic issues that are in place. The piece is an education piece, serving to present a well-rounded perspective on the fiscal, human rights, environmental, criminal and diplomatic issues surrounding the border. Perspectives are presented from U.S. governmental organizations, humanitarian organizations and volunteer projects like the Minutemen.
Students are invited to provide the project with other perspectives on the issue. This education piece serves to provide “”innocents”” like Donovan information on what is happening in our backyard so that intelligent discussion will ensue. Ms. Donovan also uses “”innocent citizens and students”” as exclusive categories. Citizenship and education are not mutually exclusive categories. Choosing to spend no longer than 10 seconds flippantly disregarding factual information is not innocence so much as ignorance.
Lesley Newman
ELL graduate student
Editor’s note:
Laura Donovan’s sound bite Thursday incorrectly identified the creators of the border fence on the UA Mall. The fence was created in collaboration with the Social Justice Leadership Center and Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs. The Wildcat regrets the error.
