Our Wall

Charles Bowden’s purpose of writing Our Wall is to discuss the purpose of walls are to keep populations from fleeing and keep other people out and point out the issues of the wall along the United States-Mexico border. Bowden, as a journalist, interviewed many different people from both Mexico and the United States for opinions on the wall and show his opposition against the wall. He states the weaknesses of walls, which is that they only work temporarily because people will figure out a way to get over it or go under it. However, Bowden also points out the argument for the other side and states the good points of it. At last Bowden illustrates a better solution for the immigrants which is providing more jobs in Mexico since most of the Mexicans come to the United States to find jobs.

Bowden proves his point through all the interviews he did. These interviews are real and specific which appeal to ethos. It is hard for people to believe in a stranger’s idea especially knowing the author is not involved in the situation related to the border wall. However, by using real-life examples from different people on both sides of the border wall, readers can trust the author and believe his ideas. “Emanuel Catillo Erúnez, 23”, “Salvador Rivera, a solid man in his early 30”, “Jesús Gastelum Ramírez lives next door to the wall”, “Dan Duley, 50, operates heavy equipment and is a native of the Naco area”. Bowden introduces these people detailedly and describes their stories related to the border wall. These specific examples support the reliability of Bowden’s words and help Bowden to convince the audience that walls are not a good way to deal with the issues and they usually don’t work very well, so the walls should be taken down.

I do agree with Bowden’s point that walls are not helpful for society and they don’t work as well as people thought they would; instead, the walls may create more problems. As Rodolfo Santos Esquer talks about,  “It is horrible. It is ugly. You feel more racism now. It is a racist wall. If people get close to the wall, the Border Patrol calls the Mexican police and they go and question people”. Not everyone tries to do some illegal things when they get to the wall. Many innocent people are being treated unequally. As Bowden says, “few would have come if there wasn’t a job waiting for them”. The real solution for the problem should be providing more opportunities for Mexican in Mexico and help them to develop. They are just trying to live a better life. Many immigrants from different countries came to the United States and built up this society to a multicultural place, helped to spread different cultures and connect the world. The U.S. would be totally different if the English, French, Spanish, other Europeans did not come to the New World to explore.