Taking a Stand

About 10 UTB-TSC students took the center stage Thursday afternoon in between North and South Halls in protest of the construction of a border fence along the Texas-Mexico border.

Jorge Martinez, a senior communication major, was among the students and voiced his opposition to the fence just days after the Department of Homeland Security released a map revealing a 17-mile section of the proposed border fence that would stretch along the city, cutting through wildlife, the college campus and downtown Brownsville.

"I think it’s a waste of our money," he said. "It sends the wrong message to the rest of the world. It says that we are not united, that we are not seeking peace, that we are seeking violence."

The group marched down International Boulevard and then turned right on Elizabeth Street where they staged their protest among shoppers. They then returned to the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

"I hope they pay more attention," Martinez said regarding the issues surrounding the fence. "We are going to put the videos on YouTube, hopefully some major media outlets will (pick up the videos)."

Martinez promised that Thursday’s peaceful demonstration was one of many to come.

He was triggered to rally against the construction of the fence after he heard earlier this week about the proposed plans released by the Department of Homeland Security about fence’s specifics.

"Not only will it create problems in both cities (Brownsville and Matamoros)," Martinez said. "It will disrupt the natural ecosystem. The ocelot (is on the verge) of being extinct because it won’t be able to cross the (Rio Grand) river."

Trevor Southard, a sophomore marketing major, joined Martinez’s crowd and walked down Elizabeth Street with a black banner with black letters that read "No Border Wall," intertwined with a razor chain-link fence.

"First of all it is destroying the environment, it’s a waste of tax dollars," he said. "It’s just something that is not going to help relations with Mexico."

According to Southard, undocumented immigrants that want to come to the United States will find a way to do so, even if it means climbing the fence.

"The wall people will either climb over it, dig under it," he said. "It doesn’t matter; it’s not affecting any sort of change."

To Southard’s recollection, the U.S. was formed by various groups of immigrants, who came here for a better life.

"Now we are trying to shut all the immigrants," he said. "It makes not sense at all."

Although they were only 10 demonstrators, Southard explained that the protest will still promote awareness.

"No matter how many people-how big or small the protest is," he said. "It’s just going to affect change, it’s going to wake people up to the fact (as to) what’s going on."