History has shown since the dawn of civilization that walls work. Whether they have been to protect capital cities, national borders, or entire nations, walls are a proven commodity. Walls are already working in America now.
The ancient Western Roman Empire survived for hundreds of years thanks to its legal system and military advancements, but in particular its strong security of its borders. Unfortunately for Rome, by the third century A.D., its bureaucracy and policy began to noticeably weaken. The reliance on foreign imports, the greed and vice of Roman bureaucrats, and the self-indulgence of the population all contributed to the empire’s gradual decline.
By the fourth century, the Hunnic tribes poured into northwestern Europe, driving large swathes of Germanic peoples across Rome’s borders. The empire did little to stop them from freely inhabiting the corners of his empire. Decades later, many disgruntled Germanic peoples attacked and raided Roman towns and cities. They overwhelmed the stagnant and weak Roman forces, culminating in the sacking of Rome in 410 and the end of the Western Roman Empire. Had the Romans taken their border crisis seriously, they may have suffered a different fate.
The medieval Byzantine Empire had a strong early foundation and preserved it for over a millennium. Its capital, Constantinople, was the largest city in the world for most of the empire’s lifetime. It survived as long as it did because of its wall system. It had three thick, massive walls that stretched for miles around it and were heavily fortified. As the centuries went by, the Byzantines stagnated and gradually lost their grip on their territory until all that was left was that great city. Constantinople
The city suffered several massive sieges by large foreign armies, and nearly all of them were repelled. The Ottoman Empire used dozens of advanced heavy cannons to batter its old, primitive walls into pieces over the course of one final siege in 1453, the result of which was a mass civilian slaughter and the end of the Byzantine Empire. Even so, having walls at all preserved and protected the aging empire for a millennium.
The modern nation of Israel survives because of its support from the West, military technology that is superior in its region, and, importantly, its border walls. Israel has historically been targeted for persecution and abuse since its earliest recorded history. Today, nothing has changed. It is surrounded by hostile nations on all sides: Lebanon, Iran, etc.
Israel has maintained a strong position in the Middle East since its modern founding and has, therefore, been relatively safe. However, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas exploited a fluke in a part of Israel’s border wall to flood in and massacre over a thousand civilians on Oct. 7 of last year. Regardless of the wall’s flaws, had Israel not had any border wall, there would be no Israel.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) made a ridiculous case for tearing down the Statue of Liberty in response to popular wishes to take our border crisis seriously, declaring that anyone who does is “a damn liar.” Either Frost is also a liar, or he is unaware that France, who created and gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States, was also famous at that time for its ability to build effective advanced fortress walls.
Walls around cities, borders, and nations have a singular purpose: keep the residents inside safe. Walls have nothing to do with opposing liberty or discrimination. Without walls, danger can easily slip right in. Walls save lives. They always have. Walls work.
