Following their reelection, the Westmoreland County commissioners announced an unwelcome tax increase. They could have softened the blow by saying some tax receipts would be used to erect a razor-wire fence along our borders. Thus would end sanctuary county discussion. More importantly, we wouldn’t have to fear caravans of brown-skinned migrants invading the rolling hills of Westmoreland County, lusting after our female population. No drug smuggling. No worries over released insane asylum residents and prisoners poisoning our blood, as Donald Trump has warned.
Yes, we could continue having an aging population and shrinking pool of available workers. But the shortage of workers applying for unfilled jobs would, in some minds, be a small price to pay for the security afforded by barbed boundaries. Never mind that migrants would gobble up available jobs amid an outcry that county job-seekers are being displaced. Forget that those who take residence would become taxpayers rather than beneficiaries of our broken immigration system.
While one county business owner publicly complained that “we just don’t have enough workers” and went on to note our need for diversity, saying “We lack minorities” (“Employers at job fair face hurdles to fill slots — fewer workers and low unemployment rate,” Feb. 27, TribLive), unfortunately, I suspect that our current 1.1% Hispanic population is still a tad too many for some folks.
Razor wire will lead to security, if only in our minds.
Glenn R. Plummer
Unity