Comments on: Enter Sand Dragon: The $40m Floating Mexican Border Fence http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/sand-dragon-floating-border-fence/11239 for environmentalists who don't take themselves too seriously Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:39:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sonia http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/sand-dragon-floating-border-fence/11239/comment-page-1#comment-228527 Sonia Thu, 21 May 2009 15:36:35 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=11239#comment-228527 @ Morgan @ jbrotzman - thanks for your comments - it's agreed that there is an environmental impact as well and I'm glad you have pointed out these issues. As with any structure built by humans, there is a always a disruption to the land if not to the other organisms that live on it or need to pass through. In this case, Border Patrol decided to move ahead despite the environmental impact - to much debate. Also, this article wasn't written with the intention of being "pro-fence" - rather, the perspective is that the fence comes at a very high cost and may not even do what it is intended to do, which, to a very large extent, is to keep drug smugglers out. As for the ethics of building fences and "borders", we would need much more than one blog post to discuss this topic... @ Morgan @ jbrotzman – thanks for your comments – it’s agreed that there is an environmental impact as well and I’m glad you have pointed out these issues. As with any structure built by humans, there is a always a disruption to the land if not to the other organisms that live on it or need to pass through. In this case, Border Patrol decided to move ahead despite the environmental impact – to much debate.

Also, this article wasn’t written with the intention of being “pro-fence” – rather, the perspective is that the fence comes at a very high cost and may not even do what it is intended to do, which, to a very large extent, is to keep drug smugglers out. As for the ethics of building fences and “borders”, we would need much more than one blog post to discuss this topic…

]]> By: jbrotzman http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/sand-dragon-floating-border-fence/11239/comment-page-1#comment-228487 jbrotzman Thu, 21 May 2009 12:22:10 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=11239#comment-228487 I was surprised to see this article on EG. How many have thought about the cost to the environment that all of these fences have incurred? What about migratory wildlife who cross the man made border as part of their life way? What about the fact that the fences have been breeched as soon as they have gone up in some places? What about National Parks who have lost land to the fence? What about families who have had land (that was in the family for generations) taken from them? This fence or wall is about much more than cool technology such as the Sand Dragon. I was surprised to see this article on EG. How many have thought about the cost to the environment that all of these fences have incurred? What about migratory wildlife who cross the man made border as part of their life way? What about the fact that the fences have been breeched as soon as they have gone up in some places? What about National Parks who have lost land to the fence? What about families who have had land (that was in the family for generations) taken from them? This fence or wall is about much more than cool technology such as the Sand Dragon.

]]> By: Morgan http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/sand-dragon-floating-border-fence/11239/comment-page-1#comment-228465 Morgan Thu, 21 May 2009 10:20:54 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=11239#comment-228465 I'm disappointed to see such a pro-fence post here, since I think it is a poorly thought-out monstrosity. There is a huge environmental impact from the fence, but the government was so eager to build it, they ignored environmental impact reports and laws meant to protect the land. Plus the blight a big ugly fence makes on the landscape! There are cultural issues too, with Native American lands being divided. I think it's not ethically right to build a fence, either, but I won't get into immigration and cultural imperialism issues. I realize this is a blog, and you guys aren't reporters, and you can write whatever you want from whichever viewpoint you want, but I would like to hear about both sides of controversial issues in the future. I’m disappointed to see such a pro-fence post here, since I think it is a poorly thought-out monstrosity. There is a huge environmental impact from the fence, but the government was so eager to build it, they ignored environmental impact reports and laws meant to protect the land. Plus the blight a big ugly fence makes on the landscape! There are cultural issues too, with Native American lands being divided. I think it’s not ethically right to build a fence, either, but I won’t get into immigration and cultural imperialism issues. I realize this is a blog, and you guys aren’t reporters, and you can write whatever you want from whichever viewpoint you want, but I would like to hear about both sides of controversial issues in the future.

]]> By: Micah Steel http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/sand-dragon-floating-border-fence/11239/comment-page-1#comment-227743 Micah Steel Tue, 19 May 2009 20:48:18 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=11239#comment-227743 I have never seen a fence like that one at Boarder field. Looks like a little kid could make it through there. I have never seen a fence like that one at Boarder field. Looks like a little kid could make it through there.

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