Thread: Man plans border walk to protest U.S.-Mexico fence

Oct. 9, 2006, 9:56AM
Man plans border walk to protest U.S.-Mexico fence

By TRACEY EATON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

He doesn't know where he's going to sleep or eat. "I'm more concerned," he admits, "where I'm going to go to the john." But a South Texas bed-and-breakfast owner is determined to walk nearly 200 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border to protest Washington's plans for a new fence.

"It's going to be a long, hot walk," said Jay Johnson-Castro, 59, of Del Rio. "But this is what needs to happen. People on the border have been ignored."

Lawmakers last week passed a bill to build 700 miles of new fencing along the border. And President George Bush signed a homeland security bill that could provide initial funding for part of the barrier, expected to plug some of the most vulnerable gaps along sections of the border in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Upset about the fence, Johnson-Castro decided to let his feet do the talking. He hopes others will hear about his trek and walk with him.

He sets off from Laredo on Tuesday and hopes to make Brownsville some 176 miles away.

"The more people who join us, the bigger the statement," he said. "A lot of people want to join. I don't know how many will."

The planned border fence -- which could cost $9 billion to built -- also has strong supporters.

U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Tx, praised the fence plan during a debate on immigration in at the Houston Club last week.

"Border security today has to be framed in terms of the war on terror," he said. "The day will come when they attack us in Houston. I don't know why the terrorists haven't hit us, but it will come."

Johnson-Castro said he disagrees, and doesn't believe the danger of terrorists slipping across the southern border is so great.

"When a politician comes along and says the border is a terrorism pipeline, I get offended," he said.

The border fence has become a "political football," he contends, and politicians in Washington aren't listening to voterson the Texas-Mexico border.

"We've been ignored," he said. "We feel we have a right to be heard. We are challenging the voice of the president, of congress."

Nuevo Laredo, the Mexican town across the border from Laredo, has a tremendous drug violence problem, Johnson-Castro concedes. But for that, he said, "the U.S. government is penalizing the entire border."

As for what to do about illegal immigration, he contends that America is hooked on immigrant labor, but won't admit it.

"I'd like for the United States to get out of denial," he said. "Our country would collapse without Latin American labor. We complain about these folks, but they're here to work. The Mexican people are maintaining our country."

He's not sure how long his trek will take. Nor does he know where he'll stop or rest.

Things are happening a bit too fast, he said, for much planning.

The idea for the walk came to him on Oct. 2. And it wasn't until Oct. 5 that he decided for sure to do it.

He figures the trek will take 15 days or so. Maybe more.

"I don't know where I'm going to sleep. I don't know where I'm going to shower. But my biggest concern is, 'where's the port-o-potty?'"

tracey.eaton@chron.com


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 45726.html

This guy has the nerve to say that America needs to get out of denial? he's just a wee bit dillusional.
Tell you what Johnson, if you're so up for walking along the border, please feel free to turn southward anytime and not come back.

I hope he has plenty of company....otherwise some illegal will rob him of everything he has!

Johnson-Castro said he disagrees, and doesn't believe the danger of terrorists slipping across the southern border is so great.

And we should just believe you, a wacko, wingnut! I guess he hasn't read about the ones we have already caught. When did this guy's spaceship land??

"Our country would collapse without Latin American labor. We complain about these folks, but they're here to work. The Mexican people are maintaining our country."

This, right here, is what gets me. Illegals are MAINTAINING our country!!!! No sir, they are NOT.

Originally Posted by dlm1968

"Our country would collapse without Latin American labor. We complain about these folks, but they're here to work. The Mexican people are maintaining our country."

This, right here, is what gets me. Illegals are MAINTAINING our country!!!! No sir, they are NOT.

I know, DLM.......crazy

Well, if he's hell bent on walking {and maybe he should as it seems he's never been away from home to experience our great country}
perhaps he should walk a little further NORTH, EAST, WEST so that he can experience the mesican's manner of maintanence.

While he's at it, maybe he can go check out those spinach and lettuce fields.


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