Terlingua
The opposition to the proposed border wall has been organized in startlingly quick fashion. A second standing-room-only meeting was held at the Cinnabar Theater in Terlingua Monday, one week after the first. Several groups have coalesced into one, the No Big Bend Border Wall group, which has been divided into subcommittees focused on legal matters, communications, direct action and stakeholder support.
“The group is nonpartisan and nonviolent,” stressed David Keller, an archaeologist in the region for over 25 years, who served as one of the main speakers for the evening. Keller noted that the group is attracting big donations from across the state and fast-tracking 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit as it prepares for a long fight. The group has reason to believe that they have a chance to stop construction.
“The administration’s own rhetoric proves this is not a crisis, as crossings are down,” said Billy Bartko, the owner of Far Flung Outdoor Center.
Pressure is mounting on both sides. Over 40 Texas lawmakers signed a petition to Gov. Greg Abbott to halt the border wall in the area. Local businesses have reported hearing from contractors seeking space for workers, water for concrete, and other signs of a large construction project.
“The wall is minor compared with everything that comes with it. The infrastructure to build and maintain a wall is its own force,” said John Jorgenson, an archaeologist who worked as an environmental inspector during the construction of the border wall in Bisbee, Arizona.
He described an ecological nightmare of blasting crews and hazmat spills with a dog-and-pony-show approach to environmental concern. “No one cared about reducing environmental impact,” he said. “The construction crews would rather 20 citations a day than fix any issues.”
The idea of major construction is seen by many as absurd, given the logistical reality of the remote, rugged terrain and relative lack of resources. Concerns were raised by residents about how contractors would access medical care during the inevitable accidents when the nearest trauma hospital is more than three hours away. Others pointed out that Highway 170, the only paved route along much of the proposed wall, is a two-lane road not built to withstand heavy industrial traffic.
Keller encouraged people to channel their emotions into disciplined action. Despite the repeated calls for requests and potential profit, multiple business owners are declining to cooperate with contractors, and residents are determined to make their stays unwelcome.
Business owners and residents are trying to get the word out to past and future visitors about the movement. No Big Bend Border has posters, fact sheets and scripts for calls to representatives on its site. Multiple calls to elected officials are encouraged to maintain political pressure.
Bartko, the Far Flung owner, appealed directly to Texas pride. “Where are all the ‘Come and Take It’ guys?” he asked. “This is your moment, because they are showing up, and they are trying to take it.”