It is interesting to watch CNN and other liberal sources comment on the government shut down. Their approach is that the wall isn’t necessary for national security and that most of the drugs come in through ports of entry, rather than across unguarded parts of the border. This is a losing position. It cedes to Trump & Co. the idea that there is a “crisis” on the border with Mexico which stems from the tsunami of drugs and criminals flowing across the border. This concedes that “increased security” is necessary, including a more secure fence.

There is no such “crisis” on the border. The biggest crisis as far as drugs is from opioids, which are not coming in from Mexico; they’re manufactured right here in the US. But even as far as drugs coming in: Haven’t any of these people ever heard of the “free” market? If there is a demand, then somebody will fill it. The drug crisis doesn’t stem from suppliers; it stems from demand. And demand – people looking to drug themselves – stems from the crisis in US society as a whole. Haven’t these people ever heard of Prohibition? Did that stop people from drinking?

No, we all know what this is all about: The Wall stands as a symbol of keeping dark skinned people out. That’s what this is really all about. So far, even the Sanders wing of the Democrats has refused to confront this bitter truth.

Meanwhile, the call of the president of the Association of Flight Attendants – CWA for a general strike goes ignored. It is to be expected that the rest of the AFL-CIO union leaders would ignore it. They were probably in shock when she made that call! But it seems practically the entire socialist movement is also ignoring it. As we write this, there are reports of a short-term deal to reopen the federal government. Even if that reopening is long term, and even if the Wall is not built, by conceding that there is a border “crisis”, the Democrats have helped boost the racist anti-immigrant movement. It is not too late for socialists, including DSA, to act. Build public protests against the shutdown, against the Wall, against the attacks on all workers, and against the anti-immigrant campaign that is coming to dominate capitalist politics.