Journal Entry 15

In the story "Border State Patrol" by Silko tells of her experience driving the highways in New Mexico and Arizona. She is treated very poorly by patrolmen who believe her to be an illegal alien invading America. It's very hard to say you agree or disagree with what happened to her that fateful late night on the highway shoulder. I feel a natural compulsion to say I agree with her in that border patrol is somewhat unnecessary because human power is the strongest natural force on Earth and it is impossible to keep the migration of humans out of a given area. However, I see the logic behind the American policy of immigration, which is rather restrictive upon those who wish to come across the border. To create a fully functioning government which runs upon the taxation of its citizens to create goods and services for its people, and if there are people coming into its country using its programs and goods on whats called a "free-rider" effect, which means they use the benefits of what others pay for. Silko tells a story of a time when the system failed and the patrolmen were going after the wrong people, seeing as Silko and Gus, her companion, were both American citizens and she was an author out promoting a book. The officers went too far in using the german shepard to search them and in how they treated them in automatically assuming the were criminals by not responding to Silko and Gus' attempts at asking what was the matter. What happened to them was a mistake of identity and the officers over reacted and impeded upon their rights as Americans a bit, but I'd say that as an American I prefer my government to uphold the law, but I dont want the unjust treatment and prejudice that these officers so quickly showed to her.