Thread: Battle of the border

Battle of the border
By: PHIL STRICKLAND - For the The Californian

You're probably aware by now that heading to the Baja isn't a great idea these days.

For many folks in Southwest County and beyond, living so close to one of the neatest places on Earth is a diversion that has attained blessing status.

If, city life, "civilization," is more your thing, just stop at the western gateway to this place of primitive beauty, San Diego/Tijuana -- the 21st largest agglomeration in the Western Hemisphere with about 5 million residents -- where there is a little something for everyone.

But that's all changing.

It's not the State Department travel alerts or three-hour gun battles with gangs that are as upsetting as it is the reports from longtime and frequent Baja visitors of victimization at a level they have not seen over the decades they have been crossing the border for business and pleasure.

This is not about some cop putting the bite on you for $20 and this is not even about getting caught in the crossfire between the good guys -- those being the cops and the military -- and the bad guys -- the drug gangs, smugglers, and corrupt cops and military officials.

This is about the apparently increasing incidences of armed robbery and rape reported against tourists and violence directed at our border personnel.

With Mexican law enforcement in official denial about crimes against tourists, travelers might be well-advised to forgo trips south.

And, as troubling as that is for people who like to explore the hinterlands, just getting back across the border from a day trip may carry increased risks if violence such as that which erupted recently between lawless elements in Colonia Libertad, just east of the San Ysidro crossing, and the U.S. Border Patrol spreads elsewhere and becomes less discriminating as such things have a habit of doing.

If there weren't a crisis with illegal immigrants draining our public services and if there weren't a fear that the next terrorist strike will be imported from Mexico, the state of affairs along our border still should be desperate enough to make clear that it is imperative we secure our border as best we can against the violence that is spinning out of control and the demonstrated willingness to confront us.

International gangs already have a strong presence in our harder neighborhoods and prisons. A porous border coupled with a confused state of affairs enhances the prospect of "internationalizing" parts of our backyard in a wholly unacceptable manner.

Given Mexico's failure to act, violence against tourists and our border personnel likely will continue to grow, making border security a personal-safety issue for anyone visiting Mexico or living within an easy commute.

With growing border violence ignited by rabble or worse on the other side -- which the Mexican government is unable or unwilling to halt -- U.S. citizens of border communities must be ever watchful for signs the infection is spreading.

And, our Border Patrol agents, National Guard members and municipal law enforcement officials must have the authority to respond to any provocation in whatever manner they deem necessary.

You'd think it would not be necessary to say that.

-- Phil Strickland is a Temecula resident and a regular columnist for The Californian. E-mail: philipestrickland@yahoo.com.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/01 ... _21_08.txt

FYI:
The San Diego/Tijuana border crossing is the same one as the Tijuana/San Ysidro border crossing. San Ysirdo is the name of the town along the border in San Diego county.
There are two border crossings in San Diego county, the Tijuana/ San Ysidro crossing and one in Otay Mesa a few miles to the east. The Tijuana crossing is almost on the beach.

Duplicate post:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-99602-phil.html+strickland