On Monday, July 27, the Laredo (TX) City Council voted unanimously to paint the public street in front of the federal courthouse downtown to say “DEFUND THE WALL” in large block letters in solidarity with the open-borders group, “No Border Wall Coalition.” It is another example of how liberal local elected officials are bending over backward to appease leftist groups by using public property to actively undermining law enforcement and the U.S. Constitution.
Imagine is a Tea Party group would ask that “Taxed Enough Already” be painted in front of the Webb County or Laredo school district offices? What if a pro-life message was painted on public property in front of a public hospital? What if a pro-school voucher message in front of the public-school administration offices on public property?
Liberal Laredo City Councilman Roberto Balli, who is an attorney, claims the message is not a “political position” because the border wall is not going to be on the ballot this November, nor in any election. However, it is the position of the Democratic Party who are campaigning for all elections in November.
Councilman Balli also supports poll workers wearing “Black Lives Matter” shirts because he says, “As long as this is not something that is on the ballot, it is not a political statement.” Democrats continuously claim that “everything” is political until it is convenient for them to claim something is not.
The courthouse is a public building and should represent everyone, including people who are pro-border security and pro-border wall. To allow “No Border Wall Coalition” to express their opinion on a public street and in front of a public building is to side, endorse, and give preference to that group and message.
Although state and local politicians in Democrat-dominated south Texas have criticized President Trump and the border wall, the building continues. Ironically, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request to halt construction on the wall over environmental concerns on the same day the Laredo City Council allowed the public street to be used as a leftist message board. In the meantime, the Department of Homeland Security is working toward constructing the border wall through 69 miles of Webb and Zapata counties.
It is shameful that local governments use public property to show their political preferences for groups and their messages that undermine law and order and border security. This painted message is pure indoctrination.
Governments should use public property to provide standard services to all citizens without giving or showing preference to any one group or ideology. However, Laredo’s local government leaders are showing their true leftist/liberal, anti-law enforcement colors, and the citizens and voters should remember in November.