Informing yourself about the Border Issues.

I have just finished reading a very good book that is very well written, informative and interesting for anyone who wants to learn more about the US-Mexican border and the issues involved.

The title is The Border-Exploring the U.S.-Mexican Divide by David J. Danelo.

he writes with ease of readability that it almost seems like a travel book. He takes you through parts of Texas, Arizona, Mexico and California, the places that are relevent to the issue, the states that create the border with Mexico.

Large parts about the history of the area and the border in order to show how this divide has been a problem for a very long time. The cast of historic figures is well rounded, Pancho Villa, Judge Roy Bean, Geronimo and many who were not famous enough to be included in any history book or history lesson.

You will meet agents of the Border Patrol, local officials, everyday people and even panhandlers and Mexican fixers. You will learn about the drug cartels, the people who may have assisted them and those who hate them. You will meet entrepreneurs, business owners and people on the street. There are old timers and people who moved there later. You will hear stories of some of the illegals and the stories of people who help and assist them and you will meet those whose job it is to stop them before they enter.

There are two ride alongs, one with a local sherrif and one with a border agent., Mr. Danelo crosses the border a few times and meets some who once lived in America and then were deported. He visits some very scary places and some very beautiful natural areas. There are stories that show how local and federal officials work together and how they butt heads. There are stories how the miltary has helped and created problems

NAFTA is shown in both a good and bad light. How it has helped towns on both sides of the border and how it has hurt both sides.

You will see the numbers of illegals and drug runners and the estimates on the quantity of drugs that get through and how much is stopped.You will learn where the fence helped and where it will never help.There is information about water issues, farming issues and the problems associated with the two. Social problems, environmental points and other issues invovled with two countries that share a common border made up mostly by a web of waterways.

Did Mr. Danelo provide answer to these issues and problems? No, he did not. Did he try to encapsulate alll the things he learned on his travels? Yes he did that with exceptional quality and clarity.

I have learned much from reading this book and I feel that I can understand the complexity, the fear and the anger about much of this.

I have leaned much from this book and it has opend up new areas for me to learn about the area that is the U.S./Mexican border.

I jhope you will learn more about this issue, it is imporant that we go beyond the informatuion provided by media sources and poltical manipulators.