Border insanity

I get that the images of mounted border patrol agents trying to prevent further entry of illegal immigrants is anachronistic; in some contexts it is shocking, especially if you think they are using the reins as whips. 

I have not seen any video, I've only seen the images circling. And only after a brief analysis, it's obvious the worst thing photographed is an agent grabbing an immigrant by the shirt, which is hardly damning since their job is to literally stop illegal crossings. I suppose reins could have been used as whips, but it's impossible to determine that from still photos--which is why I suspect we will never see video--because it likely provides contra-narrative context.

Mounted officers corralling humans IS anachronistic, whether or not it was done as humanely as possible--but so is having a humanitarian crisis right outside our borders because thousands of desperate people are under the impression they have a good chance of walking in and starting a new life.

Both of these facts lend support to a border wall. A wall is not just a physical barrier, it is a symbolic and psychological barrier as well. With a massive wall there would be less need for mounted border patrol agents chasing down and/or corralling immigrants, it would prevent (or at least hinder) illegal crossings, and would visibly and psychologically serve as a deterrent. I think a wall is morally and ethically ugly, but still way better than humanitarian crises and mounted agents corralling humans. If we had better immigration policy and rhetoric we wouldn't need a wall.

We need a realistic immigration policy and sane immigration rhetoric from both parties. Somewhere between open borders and amnesty for millions (or some Orwellian synonym for "amnesty"), and total isolation is probably where it needs to be. I would even support allowing hundreds of thousands of skilled AND unskilled immigrants from virtually all countries if they pass reasonable background checks, but that has to come with better security, better rhetoric, stability and predictability--we can't just significantly change the law every other year or we'll continue to have humanitarian/immigration crises.

The previous paragraph is fantasy. You know that right? I will continue to support such a policy or one close enough to it, but the big ugly wall is more realistic. Build the wall.