Borderlands: Riding the Edge of America

"Theperipheryofaplacecantellusagreatdealaboutitsheartland.alongtheedgeofanation'sterritory,itsrealprejudices,fearsandobsessions-butalsoitsvirtues-irrepressiblybubbleupasitspeopleconfrontthe'other'whomtheyadmire,orfear,orholdincontempt,andknowlittleabout.September11,2001,changedtheUnitedStatesutterlyandnothingmoresothanthephysicalreality,theperception-andthemeaning-ofitsborders."-fromBorderlandsDerekLundyturnssixtyattheendofayearinwhichthreegoodfriendshavedied.Hefeelstheneedtodosomethingradical,andsetsoutonhismotorcycle-aKawasakiKLR650ccsingle-cylinder"thumper,"whichhedescribesas"unpretentious"andalso"butt-ugly."FascinatedbytheUnitedStates'post-9/11passionforsecurity,particularlyonitstwointernationalborders,hechoosestoinvestigate.Hetakesafirsthandlookatbothborders.TheU.S.-Mexicanborderlands,oftendisorderlyandviolent,operateaccordingtotheirownadhocsystemofrulesandconventions,andaredistinctinmanywaysfromthetwocountriestheborderdivides.Whensecuritytrumpstrade,theeconomicwell-beingofbothcountriesisthreatened,andtheupsideisdifficulttodetermine.AmericanpolicymakersthinktheissuesofdrugsandillegalsareamplereasontokeepbuildingfencestokeepMexicansout,evenwithnoevidencethatfencesworkorareanythingbutcruel.Mexicans'cheaplabourkeepsthewheelsturningintheU.S.economyyettheyareresentedfortryingtogetintothecountryillegally(orlegally).Morepeoplehavediedtryingtocrossthisborderthaninthe9/11attacks.Atalmost9,000kilometres,theU.S.borderwithCanadaisthelongestintheworld.Thenorthernborderdividestheplanet'stwobiggesttradingpartners,andthatrelationshipdemandsthefast,easyflowofgoodsandservicesinbothdirections.Sincetheeventsof9/11,however,theUnitedStateshasslowlyandsteadilychokedthefluxoftrade:"just-in-time"partsshipmentsareinjeopardy;trucksmustwaitforinspectionandclearance;peoplemustbequestioned.Theborderis"thickening."Inprosethatiscompelling,impressiveandattimesfrightening,DerekLundy'sincrediblejourneyisilluminatingenoughtochangeminds,asgreatwritingcansometimesdo.FromtheHardcoveredition.,