In which European city would you find Checkpoint Charlie?

Gery Tillmanns, CORRECTION Unfortunately, the idea of a wall HASN'T died. Some people don't or won't learn from history. We should be building bridges; not walls.

Grey up with that and the Cold War... Sad Memories.. I'm afraid we're headed back into it in the next year...so sad.

For those of you thinking that we should build bridges and not wall: we already have the bridges. We have a process where people can come to this country. Many use it every year. If I like another person's home, car or country it doesn't give meany rights to it unless I go through a process to pay for it or be allowed admittance. I can't just decide that I deserve something and then take it from someone else. Life isn't fair. Our nation was built on the sacrifices of many. Other nations may need to experience their own growing pains as terrible as it may be. We have what we do because of the work and sacrifices that have been and are being made. By no means is our country without its faults, but he country doesn't have faults without a person/people behind that choice. We are a nation of laws and compassion. Laws are first as they outline acceptable behavior. This is what keeps society a thing. When there used to be small communities there was always a common law that was understood by the inhabitants of that area. No official government was needed because everyone was connected and people acted more conciously for the benefit of the whole group. Today there are far to many people for us to feel that connection to everyone and laws are needed to define a lot of what used to be common sense/common decency. Compassion is a choice made, not a right and not required. Often we think and speak of our country as a melting pot where we take the best everyone has to offer. Unfortunately that is unrealistic. We now call people bad who adopted an aspect of another culture and call it cultural appropriation. We often end up with the worst characters moving into susceptible communities where they tear away at it with gang violence, drugs and you can imagine more unpleasant. It is irresponsible to just let unvetted people walk into this country. We have a lot that is great and a lot that isn't. It is difficult enough to select those who are the "right ones". Allowing anyone to waltz in with whatever intentions and tear up someone else's American dream is dangerous to our society as a whole. It isn't always the easiest to get citizenship. I have helped a few people through the process and have seen the challenges that they faced. Yes, it would be great if people could be trusted and things were easy. We already have a lot of people here who need our help and compassion.....family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and probably someone who you will meet today for the first time. Those who come from a lawless existence have it very rough, but they often don't adjust well to having such guidelines when they just hop on over and don't know what we learn as citizens of our democracy. We have to be responsible with our gifts and citizenship of our nation is a tremendous gift. All that we ask is that on their journey to get here is that they use the bridge that we built for our safety AND THEIR'S.

Glad it’s down and over.

billyboy915, the wall in Berlin divided a country into two. The US/Mexico wall will keep two different countries divided for security and it will be possible to travel through it whereas, the Berlin Wall was made difficult, so much so, most never did pass the wall. If you are going to compare, pick another wall.

billyboy915, totally agree, we should have armed professional soldiers manning our borders, instead of the boarders of very wealthy nations half- way around the globe

Andy Fobear, what a load of bollox. As for democracy, there's no such thing. Law and order is only in place to keep the masses in check while the real crooks go about there business. Your nation has a history of being lawless from the time white Europeans set foot on the land and claiming the drug problem is an immigration problem, well, you're really scraping the barrel there.

Noticed the wall vs bridge controversy, I'm sure most was meant metaphorically and not literally. Thus rendering the controversy moat.

Andy Fobear, I'm sure the bridge vs wall idea was more metaphorical than literal. Thus the argument becomes moat.

When I was much younger, any time an authority figure began to question me I would respond, "Oh wow, am I at Checkpoint Charlie already?"

...when the Berlin Wall stood.

Only mean spirited and INSECURE people build walls. Decent, visionary people build bridges.

Andy Fobear, I dont think there is a country in the world that doesn't agree with having an immigration policy that is sensible, well vetted and managed and reflects the will of the people. What isn't agreeable is using xenophobia and fear mongering to divert people's attention from the truth of why people are really struggling economically and socially.

Been there and visited the museum.

Went on a tour from West to East one year before the wall came down. Night and day difference between the two sides.

Missed the answer

Diane Lynn Kinsman Me too.

Andy Fobear, I agree with your thinking.

Is it really that bad??