CPTnet
June 7, 2003

ARIZONA/SONORA BORDERLANDS:Lessons from the Fence

By Suzanne Collerd

[Note:Suzanne Collard (Chicago, IL) recently graduated from Vassar College
and was a participant on CPT's first delegation to the Arizona borderlands.]

I crossed the border and saw the barrier for the first time. Facing the
fence separating Agua Prieta (Mexico) from Douglas (USA), I was overwhelmed
with thoughts that now seem obvious but that came only with clarity when I
stood face-to-fence. The land and communities of Douglas and Agua Prieta
stretched all around me. The metal fence and United States customs were the
only obstructions. Here is what the fence taught me.

1) Constructing a physical barrier in order to divide naturally-connected
lands and peoples highlights gross inequities. The US-built fence expresses
the power to be an oppressive force, a point emphasized by the ability of
those on one side of this fence to travel back-and-forth at will while those
on the other side do not have that freedom.

2) My rights as a person with white skin are granted more respect on both
sides of the border because of the internalization of racist attitudes.
Reinforced by the checkpoints on Arizona highways that head North, the
militarization of the border continuously feeds the division of groups based
on the color of skin. White skin means less questioning by Border officers
when crossing borders or checkpoints, less likelihood of being stopped by
the Border Patrol, and generally being treated with more respect by
government authorities because of an assumption of citizenship. Border
policy tells us that whiteness signifies inclusion and access to this
country.

3) Most of all, these dynamics remind me that national and international
trade policies grant opportunities and economic power to citizens of my
nation. The migration of peoples caused by the loss of economic
opportunities in the aftermath of the signing of NAFTA is a primary cause of
the increased pressure on the border.

The "No More Deaths" movement recognizes the lack of local voices in
national policy and has chosen binational action as a way not only to
prevent deaths in the desert, but also stimulate change in our government.
The crowds of people at the many marches and rallies CPT attended for the
movement's kick off stand confront the fence and the policies it represents.
A call for no more deaths in the Arizona deserts is a call for the
recognition of each life as valuable.