As I mentioned in last Monday’s blog, I didn’t write Coyote Smart because I wanted to make a political statement about illegal immigration. However, I think it will be obvious in the book that first, I abhor the human smugglers because of their callous and ruthless behavior, and second because I believe that we must secure and seal the borders for a number of reasons, not the least of which is national security.
I became interested in the issue because I live near the border. Proximity often puts a different face or perspective on a problem. I have met and even befriended those whose relatives came to America many years ago, maybe not through entirely legal channels, and their offspring, several generations hence, are now a product of that passage. They are productive, legal citizens who hold advanced degrees and high paying jobs.
I have also seen the devastation left in the wake of the hundreds who come for a better life, but often do it without thought to how it adversely affects others by trashing ranchlands, killing innocent people, and bringing in drugs and heartaches. Coyote Smart is a story about both kinds of people.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on the issue. Maybe together we could solve a problem that obviously Congress can’t or doesn’t want to tackle.