The Issue of Walls

The Issue of Walls
As Seen by Pausch, Reagan, and Donald the Dumb

We live in a strange time indeed, and America has lived through other troubling times. In spite of those times, we made it through social disorder. Therefore, I want to look back to recent history at leaders who have dealt with wall issues. The first person that I wish to discuss is Randy Pausch. Pausch was dying of pancreatic cancer when he gave his Last Lecture.

Having done the dance with death twice, I have read and listened to his Last Lecture many times. Pausch is an important mentor in my life. After watching the Last Lecture, I finally understood the transformation that had taken place within me due to my two dances.

Randy Pausch

Pausch said regarding the wall issue, “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

The next leader that addressed the wall issue was President Reagan. He spoke at the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987. While it was a speech to the West Germans, he also addressed it to Mikhail Gorbachev. For a quarter century the Berlin Wall divided East and West Berlin.

Reagan and the Berlin Wall

We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev...Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.

The construction of the Berlin Wall started on August 13, 1961. However, after Reagan’s speech, it was a short period of time, a matter of a couple of years, before the Berlin Wall was breached, and the Soviet Union was no more.

None of these people support Donald the Dumb.

This kid isn’t a Trump supporter either.

However, several decades later, enter Putin’s Puppet, Donald the Dumb. Aside from not liking Muslims and trying to ban them from entering our country, Trump wants to build a wall that extends all along our southern border with Mexico. Additionally, he wants Mexico to pay for it.

This expression is either that of the leader of the Western world or the village idiot.

Now, the question is whether Trump really believes that a wall along all of our southern border will stop illegal aliens from Mexico, or he is merely preaching to his base. Trump said, “When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Regardless, the vast majority of illegal immigrants come through existing border crossing checkpoints. Beyond that, the vast majority also are asylum seekers from Central America even though Trump thinks some are ISIS terrorists from the Middle East.

Hopefully, we, as Americans, will be able to endure Donald the Dumb awhile longer. Then we can restore the America that once was. As Reagan said, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”