Border Wall Music: “Borderless Love”

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A photograph or our, Dean, in Adrienne and Butch’s front “yard” in Terlingua, Texas.

“A wall is a mirror that can only reveal one side of a story that passes for real . . . Over, under, around and through.”

Adrienne Evans is a resident of Terlingua, Texas and an outspoken opponent of the border wall.  We met her last year in Austin when she testified before the Mexican American Legislative Caucus about the border wall.  In her eloquent statement, she labelled the construction of the border wall as an act of “lawless laws.”  Evans believes that Texans are law abiding citizens, and people who should not let the federal government roll over laws standing on the books before 2006.  This statement referred to the fact that DHS is building the wall even though its construction does not follow U.S. law.  At the same time, it does.  The Secure Fence Act of 2006 gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the power to “waive” laws.  Michael Chertoff and now Janet Napolitano have the power–and exercise it–to ignore any law that they see fit if it stands in the way of “security.”  Depending upon where you are and how you count them, DHS has waived–and continues to do so–about 56 laws in the construction of the border fence.  This “lawless law” enforcement drives many borderlanders crazy.  While Evans is a soft spoken advocate against the wall, Miguel and Margaret have interviewed other residents who turn so red when discussing the border wall construction that we are afraid that their faces will explode.  Many take heart and/or blood presurre medication before discussing the issue because they become so outraged at the thought of their rights being so freely trampled.

Evans’ husband is Butch Hancock, a musician and member of the The Flatlanders. The primary members of the Flatlanders are Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Joy Ely.  The Flatlanders were hanging out at Adrienne and Butch’s home in Terlingua and composed the song, “Borderless Love” to express their sentiment toward the wall.  The Flatlanders played this song in Texas, in various parts of the United States and the world.

Note the lyrics:  ”Over, under, around and through.”  Evans heard Texan actor Tommy Lee Jones in an interview talking about the border wall. Jones said that he was not in favor of the wall and explained that people will find a way “over, under, around and through” the wall.  Evans shared Jones’ statement with the band, and the song blossomed from there.

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One Response to “Border Wall Music: “Borderless Love””

  1. S Nicol says:

    Tommy Lee Jones took his comments a step further, saying the border wall, “bears all the credibility and seriousness of flying saucers from Mars or leprechauns. Or any manner of malicious, paranoid superstition. In other words, it’s bull[bleep]. It’s a complete disaster. It’s an act of fascist madness.”

    Damn straight.