By Henri D. Kahn

If the information in this article doesn't cause great concern to you, then you better wake up from your deep apathetic slumber -- NOW!
Reading this will alert you to the incredible indifference of our local political leadership (??) concerning the impact of Homeland Security's impending economic strangulation of the U.S./Mexico border.
I received a letter, signed by Dennis Nixon, CEO of International Bank of Commerce, at the beginning of November 2003 inviting me, among many other citizens, to attend a symposium in San Antonio concerning what came across as the survival of Laredo.
Mr. Nixon spoke and moderated the meeting with Gerry Schwebel, IBC officer and Border Trade Alliance spokesman, plus other IBC people for backup. I was there, Mrs. B. P. Newman, her daughter, son-in-law, and a couple more concerned Laredoans.
I can only surmise that city and county political muckamucks had "more important" things to do.
So from El Paso to Brownsville, except Laredo, the leading inland port city on the U.S./Mexico border, concerned politicos cared enough to attend this crucial symposium.
The meeting was well-attended, in my opinion, by persons that care about the dollars spent and tax revenue generated by Mexican nationals who enter our country daily.
The city mayors from San Antonio, El Paso, Brownsville, McAllen, and Eagle Pass, the county judges from Bexar and Cameron counties, as well as various and sundry political leaders from the Río Grande Valley, attended. Laredo's political leaders were nowhere to be seen or heard. Why, even Henry Bonilla's representative was present.
Henry was in Washington meeting with Mayor Betty Flores concerning the fifth bridge controversy. Fifth bridge? Fifth bridge? If Homeland Security gets its way we might even have to close down a bridge or two here!
Here it is in a nutshell: To be implemented by the end of 2004!
Citizens of the Republic of Mexico who want to enter the U.S. must pay a $100 fee and complete a form for review and approval stating their active employment or ownership of a business in Mexico. Further, the reason for entry must be for documented social, cultural, or business reasons.
How about this next requirement -- every male age 17 years and older must complete a terrorism questionnaire.
If the permit -- aka laser visa, Form DSP-150, a biometric machine-readable B1-B2 visa/border crossing card (typical government gobbledygook nomenclature) -- is declined, the U.S. keeps the $100. If the issue of the card is approved, the Mexican citizen may stay only up to 72 hours in this country within 25 miles of the international border.
How do you like them apples?
Let's find out aboot the Canadians, eh?
Any Canadian, or Canuck, as the case may be, can cross any ol' time, ya know, by showing their driver's license or some other cursory proof of Canadian citizenship and roam around the USA as they please for six months at a time. How does that grab ya, eh?
Since Laredo's leadership (??) doesn't seem to give a damn, why don't you contact the following folks via Internet to show your concern and desire to help the border region, as well as letting them know that some people in Laredo have more than just underwear between their legs!

The U.S./Mexico bordering states:
Texas Gov. Rick Perry:
www.governor.state.tx.us/contact;
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson:
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/contact.html;
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano:
http://www.governor.state.az.us/global/contact.htm;
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger:
http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/govsite/gov_contacts.jsp;
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas:
http://hutchison.senate.gov/e-mail.htm;
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas:
http://cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm;
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico:
http://bingaman.senate.gov/Contact_Me/e-mail_form.htm
Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona:
http://www.senate.gov/~kyl/contact.cfm;
Sen. Barbara Boxer, California:
http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/webform.html;
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California:
http://feinstein.senate.gov/email.html;
Department of Homeland Security:
Sec. Tom Ridge:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/contactus;
Under Secretary for Border & Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/contactus.

This is no joke, folks, it's the real McCoy!
Happy holidays and a healthy, prosperous 2004 to all.