The US Mex and Can, Red,White and Blue, Iron Curtain

Some Fences need Mending before they're Built.

 

“Shazam ! Billy Bob ! We have gone and done it ! We have got Ourselves a gen-u-ine Red, White and Blue Iron Curtain !”

 

“As far as the Eye can See from hither and yonder and yonder and hither. Between Mexico and the US of A from East to West, and between Canada and the US of A from East to West, a gen-u-ine Iron Rod Super-Duper, High in the Sky, Fence of a Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain !’

 

“Boy howdy, Billy Bob, just lookin’ at it is enough to give a Body goose flesh.”

 

“I was thinkin’ somethin’ more along the lines of it givin’ me the Willies, Jedediah.”

 

“Just picture it, Billy Bob. Armed Guards and maybe even Military Men and Women out of work from the Oil Wars overseas. Thousands of ’em strung out all up and down this here Fence - this Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain. Each of ’em armed to the teeth with the latest Weaponry from some high falutin’, politically connected Weapons Makin’ Corporation from Coast to Coast and Sea to Shinin’ Sea.”

 

“Alright, I’ll play along, Pard. Just picture it, Jedediah, Flyin’ Drones and Helicopters fully loaded with Eye-Spy Cameras, mounted Machine Guns and Bombs, whizzin’ around, pinnin’ Immigrants down to the ground and blowin’ ‘em to smithereens.”

 

“Whoo-ee ! Now you’re gittin’ into the spirit of things, Billie Bob ! That’s right ! No more drive-in movie dates for me or you, Boy-oh. No, no. We’ll be takin’ our dates to the Borderlands Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain to watch those Drones and ‘Copters chase down Immigrants tryin’ to cross our Border. Tryin‘ to get our Slim Pickin’s Jobs. Tryin‘ to get our Tax dollars to pay for their Babies, and their hungry bellies. Pa-shaw !”

 

“Now, I’d have to say that would be an Action/Adventure Soap Opera our dates would never forget. And that the sight of all that chasin’ Immigrants down, and sickin’ the Drones, Helicoptors, Armed Border Patrol and Dogs to sniff ’em out, would send our dates flyin’ straight into our ever lovin’ arms as fast as Road Runners. Ha, ha !”

 

“Hey Jed, seriously, do you think that the likes of you and me could git hired on to be Border Patrol ? What a sweet gig that would be. We’d have Uniforms, Guns and Badges, and girls crawlin’ all over us.”

 

“Why heck, Billie Bob, I don’t see why not. We’re as good a shot as any of the rest of those sidewinders. And when we git the jobs, I wanna ask to be trained to use one of those new fangled Laser Cannons or Microwave Boomers.”

 

“Imagine it, Boy-oh, flip a switch and aim, and an Immigrant or a Terrorist either git’s a hole burned right through him or he cooks inside out til he spontaneously combusts ! Imagine it, Billie Bob ! Imagine the Power of it. The naked, stupefyin’ optics of it, Pard. It sets my blood to boilin’ just thinking’ about it.”

 

“You Boys are Fools. Just plain Fools. I’ve been sittin’ in the front of this ‘ole pick-up long enough listenin’ to your clap-trap. I’m ready to mosey on back to the Ranch. You boys stayin’ to admire that dad burned, overrated Rusty Fence or are you comin’ with me ?”

 

“Aw, Uncle Elmer, why you have to go and be such a Nay-Sayer ? Billie Bob and I are serious about joinin’ the Border Patrol to step up our datin’ and earnin’ potentials.”

 

“Well, I guess you boys could use all the help in those departments that you can git. But if I was you, I’d git me a job as a Texas Ranger.”

 

“But I want to go after Immigrants and Terrorists tryin’ to come across the Border illegally, Uncle Elmer.”

 

“Those folks crossin the Border are just like you and me Boys. Just plain folks doin’ the best they can to put food on the table for their Families. Just plain folks like me and you tryin’ to eke out a livin’ in what they think is a Better Place. Lookin’ for Better Opportunities and Wages.”

 

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear you say that Uncle Elmer. There are some Folks around these parts that would call you outright Un-patriotic for havin’ those sentiments.”

Oh, cow swallop, ask me if I care what those Knot-Heads think they know,” Uncle Elmer growled.

 

“Not to change the topic or nothin‘, but what do you think the Drug Lords in Mexico, Canada and the United States will think about all of this Fence Buildin’ and Militarization of the Borderlands ? This here Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain will surely gum up the works on their comin’s and goin’s,” Jedediah surmised.

 

“Not for long it won’t,” Uncle Elmer chimed in. “You know how the Wicked World works, Jedediah. Those scalawags will just find other ways to git their stinkin’ merchandise In and Out. They’ll pay off enough Politicos, Judges, and Border Patrol Supervisors or Foot Soldiers on All sides of the Borderlands and In-Country, lookin’ to pick up a little more money here and there for their Families. You know how The Game gits played, Boys. And off the Drug Snakes will go, slitherin’ across the Borders, right through the very bars of this Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain Contraption you Ya-hoos seem to be so fond of.”

 

Uncle Elmer spit down in between his dusty, pointy-toed boots. “What really gits me about this here High in the Sky Fence. This here Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain is that Contraptions like this, and the walled-eyed MindSets that think they need to make ‘em, wind up hemmin’ EveryBody In.”

 

“NoBody and Nothin’ gittin’ In. And NoBody and Nothin’ gittin’ Out. The Surveillance State is Born, and EveryBody BeComes its Prisoner in one way or another.”

 

“Aw, Uncle Elmer, now don’t you feel that’s a little bit of a over reaction ?” Billy Bob challenged with a sideways grin.

 

“No I don’t. I surely don’t. This hereRed, White and Blue, Iron Curtain will Cage the Terrorists and Immigrants In and out. Surveillance and ready-made Paranoia will expand Everywhere in the name of Safety and Security. Safety and Security will BeCome more important than Everybody’s basic Rights to Privacy, to Freedom, to Liberty, to Equality and Justice for All. Our Fears will BeCome the very Prison we’re on Our way to Livin’ In and Out of.”

 

“Prison awaits EveryBody on both sides of this dad blamed Contraption of a Border Fence, Boys. It’ll be a lot like the Communist Iron Curtain that they tore down in the two Germany’s years ago. Not a whit of difference between ‘em, and the damage they’ll do to our Democratic Republic. To the overall Morale and Health of the American, Mexican and Canadian People.”

 

“By golly, what your sayin’ makes some modicum of Sense, Uncle Elmer. But what can we do to stop it ? The Congress has loaded up the Immigration Bill they’ve been arguin’ over forever, with all of the Tax Payers Money they Need, and more, in order to build this dang Fence and Militarize it and Weaponize it,” Jedediah interrupted.

 

“Heck,’ Billy Bob interjected. “The Construction Companies are already lickin’ their chops for the Contracts to set all of it up. And the Weapons Makin’ Corporations, and Auto Makers are already takin’ their orders in for Guns, Trucks, Desert Rovers, Drones, Helicoptors, Sea Boats for the Coastlines and Sea Ports, and all kinds of other up-to-date Weaponry.”

 

‘He’s right Uncle Elmer,’ Jedediah said nodding his head slowly up and down. “My Uncle Hank is gettin’ hundreds of thousands of dollars to help construct some of the Fencin’ and Border Patrol Compounds. It’ll make him, and other Contractors like him rich men.”

 

“I don’t know as I like the sound of that, Jed,” Uncle Elmer snorted. “I don’t like thinking’ about AnyBody gittin’ rich off of the hard earned, and misspent money of Tax Payers”

 

“Not EveryBody thinks that this Tax Money is bein’ misspent, Uncle Elmer. Besides, I really do want to work for the Border Patrol. EveryBody keeps talkin’ about how good they’re goin’ to be Payin’ Folks.”

 

“Harumph, yes, I’ll just bet they are. That’s the Draw, Billy Bob. Like flies to horse manure. Grease the Wheels of their shenanigans with Money and sprinkle a little or a lot of Power here, there and everywhere, and everything and anything goes to Hades in a hand basket ! Ha ! America, Land of the Eye-Spy Constantly Surveilled, and Home of the Safe and Secure !” Uncle Elmer added caustically.

 

“The Supreme Court has already fiddled around with the Votin’ Rights Act. Took the Enforcement Juices right out of it. Now, States can mess around with Folks Votes any way they please, as they have in the past. They’ll Gerrymander the heck out of districts to get the Vote to come out just the way they want it to, and make it hard for the Poor, Elderly, Students and others to even Vote at all. It’s plain shameful ! Outright disgustin‘ !” Uncle Elmer spit into the dry kaliche dirt again with greater force of intention. A little line of busy fire ants scurried around his phlegm filled mud puddle.

 

“And our Congress up in Washington is filled with a bunch of Hair-Brained, Immature Nincumpoops makin’ Non-Sense of the Words, ‘Just and Fair Governance’. They refuse to Compromise, even when they See Eye-to-Eye. They’re destroyin’ our Great Nation with InAction, and outright Pigheadedness.”

 

“You gotta pass Bills through the Gills of a Nation to keep it Alive and Healthy, and Movin’ through the Rivers and Oceans of Life.”

 

“Nations are like Fish, Boys. Hold ‘em still and trapped for too long, and they slowly poison ThemSelves from within and die off.”

 

“Creatin’ a Surveillance and Eye-Spy, Militarized State of Governance based upon everything We Fear, will do the same thing. Folks Need Freedom, Equality of Being, Fairness, Justice and Basic Human Rights and the Rights to Privacy movin’ through their Gills to Survive.”

 

“We’re in the process of creatin’ a World full of stinkin’ dead Fish OverSeen by a handful of Power Hungry, Money Grabbin’ Hair-Brained Immature Nincumpoops !”

 

“Heck, we’re all Immigrants of one kind or another. We’re All God’s Children. Why should we be spending’ our Money on a Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain and Eye-Spy Surveillance and Military State that will wend up destroyin’ everything we hold Dear ? It makes no Sense at all. We just Need Better and Just Laws to control the ebb and flow of everything. And the Means to Enforce the Laws made. Not Soul Killin’ Fences, Spyin’ Eyes and Ears, Weapons and legitimized uniformed ImPrisoners and Murderers.”

 

“Whoo-ee, Uncle Elmer. Those are strong Words, sir. Fightin’ Words,” Billy Bob said testily.

 

“I don’t want to fight with you, Boys. Come on. Let’s go grab a little grub at the Lone Star Café down the road on the other side of this here Red, White and Blue Iron Curtain. Then I‘ll mosey you Boys on Home.”

 

The three lanky denim clad Texans climbed into Uncle Elmer’s Ford pick-up truck without another Word.

 

As the truck sped down the dusty road beside the already erected parts of the Red, White and Blue, Iron Curtain, Uncle Elmer began to softly sing to the tune of London Bridges Falling Down:

Build the Fence and Lock Fear In

Lock Fear Out, Lock Fear In

Build the Fence and Lock Fear In

Make Them All Prisoners

Make your Weapons

Shoot ‘em Down

Blow ‘em up

Hunt ‘em Down

Build the Fence and Lock Fear In and Out

Make ‘em All Prisoners

 

“Is there a mangy ’ole Coyote Howlin’ inside this rickety pick-up truck, Jedediah ?” Billy Bob asked grinning mischievously.

 

“That ain’t all that’s goin’ to be Howlin’ by the time all of this NonSense headed EveryBody’s way gets Played In and Out, Boys. We’ll all be Howlin’ a sorrowful tune to a US Mex and Can, Red, White and Blue, Blood Moon, Iron Curtain, by and by, Boys. By and by.”

 

Uncle Elmer continued to sing a little more loudly, “Build the Fence and Lock Fear In….”, as his two nephews good naturedly Howled to their Uncle Elmer’s unrelenting dirge.