1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to It could happen here a podcast 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: about things that could happen, or, in today's case, are 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: about to happen. I want to talk to you today 4 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: about the Friendship Park, which exists between San Diego and Tijuana. 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 1: If you haven't spent time at the border, it's difficult 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: to understand how, despite getting bigger and uglier every year, 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: it feels at once omnipresent and non existent. Friendship Park 8 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: was always one of the places where the boarder loomed, 9 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: but it never quite managed to beat out the tremendous 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: feelings of goodwill you could experience there on a Saturday morning, 11 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: on a piece of sand next to a steel fence 12 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 1: that demarcates the end of the United States. Boarders exist 13 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: to control us, not to protect us, and it is 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: never more apparent than it was at Friendship Park, where 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: you could watch grandparents meeting grandkids and dreamers checking in 16 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,959 Speaker 1: with their parents. A Friendship Park, a half century old 17 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: institution that allowed family divided by the border to meet 18 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,639 Speaker 1: across the French. The borders certainly didn't make anyone feel safer, 19 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: but over time, people who had never set foot on 20 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: the two miles of sand and Imperial Beach that many 21 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: families walked across weekly to be together, made laws that 22 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: would make it even harder for those families to be together. 23 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: For decades, the park was the only places mixed immigration 24 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: status families could come together. People flew from across the 25 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: US to meet relatives who are trying to make the 26 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: crossing north to join their friends and loved ones. It 27 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: was an emotional place, but most of the time it 28 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: was a happy place. You could see kids having parties 29 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: on the Mexican side, and sometimes concerts would take place 30 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: with the band split between two countries, with playing one 31 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: tune on the Tijuana side. The fences covered in murals. 32 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: At moments it felt like a small victory over the 33 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: pointless cruelty that happens here on a daily basis. The 34 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: park itself was opened by pat Nix. At the time, 35 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: she said, I hope there won't be a fence here 36 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: too long. Since then, the US government has built a 37 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: secure fence in the nineteen nineties under Bill Clinton. Then 38 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: are supposedly more secure fence following nine eleven. Then it 39 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: built the secondary wall. In two thousand nine, gate was 40 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: installed to allow people to enter at certain times on 41 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: weekends and meet their families separated by just one barrier. 42 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 1: Now they are plans to replace that secondary wall. They're 43 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: building a thirty football under the pretense that the current 44 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: structures and sound this new wall made it a Trump design, 45 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: but built under Biden's instruction, will not have a gate, 46 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: and the last place in the country that families could 47 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: touch and hell will be gone forever. Customs and Border 48 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: Protection blocked access to Friendship Park in February. Have you reigned? 49 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: That year Fourth State officials to temporarily closed border Field 50 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: State Park, the larger park in which Friendship Path is nestled. 51 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: Since then, but a patrol has not opened the gate 52 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: that lets people unite briefly with their families. They claim 53 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: and influx of migrants has prevented them from having the 54 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: staffing required to open the park. But on weekends agents 55 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: are posted up right by where the park gate is 56 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: anyway in case people try and make the crossing without 57 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: permission in order to see the families that many of 58 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: them have been separated from for over two years. Throughout 59 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: those two years, I've crossed to Tijuana and to report 60 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: on the growing number of people come from around the 61 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: world from Haiti from Central and South America and Ethiopia 62 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: and recently Ukraine, to name but a few countries. Despite 63 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: the heartbreaking stories of danger, fear and loss, and separation 64 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: from the people they love, they haven't been able to 65 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: file asylum claims due to Trump administration's spurious use public 66 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: health laws to severely and illegally limit asylum. I don't 67 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: have time here to explain the entirety of the Grant 68 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,839 Speaker 1: Protection Protocol and Title forty two, and I don't really 69 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: want to either, because the justification behind them isn't what's important. 70 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: The cruelty they manifest is what's important. Joe Biden, who 71 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: came to office promising a kind of approach, has defended 72 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: some of these policies in court with his Department of Justice, 73 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: and a particular cruelty of Title forty two, which allowed 74 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: authorities to expel migrants who arrived at uth Land borders, 75 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: has persisted despite Biden's recent change of heart because several 76 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,840 Speaker 1: states managed to sue successfully to keep it in place. 77 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: In the midst of all this, more and more people 78 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: have been separated by the border. Now, the Biden administration 79 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: is looking to permanently close the wanted island of hope 80 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: that remained on a beach at the end of America. Obviously, 81 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: a park with a massive fence doesn't solve a broken 82 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: system or make the cruelty any less cruel. But it 83 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: was a place for healing and kindness and love and families. 84 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: And now that place, too is under threat. I cut 85 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: up with Robert Vard friends of Friendship Park, talk about 86 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: the park, the threats to it, and what you can 87 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: do to help. Robert, would you like to start off 88 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: just by introducing yourself and explaining where you fit in 89 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: this uh, in the Friendship Park world and in the 90 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 1: world of the border More Germany. Absolutely, my name is 91 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: Robert webar In, a part of the friends or Friendship 92 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: for leadership group. And you know the reason I'm I'm 93 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: so involved with Friendship Park and my friendship part is 94 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: so important to me, uh is because I was actually 95 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: one of those uh family members uh that at one 96 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: point in my life I was deported and the only 97 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: way that I was able to see some of my 98 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: family UM was through the border wall there at Friendship Park, 99 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,799 Speaker 1: in particular my son who is active duty military and 100 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: because of the terry status, UM, you know, I was 101 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: not able to come across the border, or it was 102 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: very difficult for him to secure authorization from his command 103 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: uh to be able to cross the border. And therefore 104 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: the only type of visits UM that I could have 105 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: with my son and my my granddaughters was through that 106 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: border wall. So firsthand I understood very well, uh the 107 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: importance of allowing on the weekends, UH, at least for 108 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: you know, a few hours on the weekend, that opportunity 109 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: for families to uh to be able to uh to 110 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: meet there at Friendship Park. Yeah. So perhaps we should 111 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 1: explain for people who aren't here in San Diego what 112 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: the what Friendship Park is, right, or perhaps what it 113 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: was in say before it was shot absolutely uh back 114 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: prior to COVID. Ship Park is a by national park 115 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 1: separated by a border will actually by two border walls 116 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: on the southwestern tip of the United States bordering Mexico. 117 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:22,119 Speaker 1: It's a border between Imperial Beach and Tijuana Beach. And 118 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: the Friendship Park is actually a strip of land inside 119 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: Borderfield State Park. UH. And that strip of land is 120 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: in between um two border walls border fences if you 121 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: if you say so, UM, and that part is considered 122 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: to us Friendship Park, which is the area where UH 123 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: person's families UH mixed status families from both sides of 124 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: the border with meat. But it wasn't only a place 125 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: for families to meet. There's also a place for UH 126 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: people of good nature of the United States and Mexico 127 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: to be able to meet and UH and also extend 128 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: their friendship between the two countries and the two communities. UH. 129 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: You know, back fifty almost fifty one years ago, this 130 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: is the area that then First Lady pat Nixon UM 131 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: actually inaugurated as International Friendship Park and actually went as 132 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 1: far as cutting a barbed wire or having the Secret 133 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: Service cut the barbed wire there at the park so 134 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: she could reach across UH to the Mexico site and 135 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: hug the people of Mexico. UH. Because of the the 136 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: you know, the sentiment, the feeling of of that friendship 137 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: between the two countries, and you know her very famous words, 138 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: UH that she wished that there would no longer be 139 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: a fancier to separate these two great countries. And of 140 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: course we know that fifty one years later, almost fifty 141 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: one years later, UH, that has taken an opposite course 142 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: of direction, where we now have two border walls. Plans 143 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: are to direct to even higher, uglier eight walls to 144 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: divide our two great countries. Yeah. So perhaps again, I 145 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: think people have a very uh the way that people 146 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: see the border when they don't live on the border 147 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: is very different to the way we see the border 148 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: when we live on the border, right, And I think 149 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: part of that is in this understanding of walls and 150 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: fences and barriers and the various things which we have 151 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: already along the border. Right. So, um, maybe you could 152 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: give us a little sort of potted history of the 153 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: different Uh. I think you're right there secure fences, right 154 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: that were built through the Friendship Park and across the 155 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: sort of San Diego Tijuana area. Right. Well. Uh, you 156 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: know again, for the longest time, the only fence that 157 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: used to separate the two countries was that that strand 158 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:18,479 Speaker 1: of barbed wire. Uh. However, after Operation that Gatekeeper nine eleven, UM, 159 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: it was decided to UH to build the sturdier fence, 160 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: and then UH in two thousand and eleven, the secondary 161 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: fence UH was erected. And at that time, the threat 162 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: of the part being closed again because of the advocacy 163 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 1: of friends or Friendship part UM, it was negoti negotiated 164 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: with with order patrols UH that the the park would 165 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 1: continue to remain open with a limited access of at 166 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: that time persons um at a time on Saturdays and 167 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: on they from ten o'clock in the morning to two 168 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: o'clock in the afternoon. UH. That second wall was erected 169 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: when the federal government um uh claimed eminent domain from 170 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: the state of California and acquired that piece of land, UH, 171 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: which is UH now considered the enforcement area and to 172 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: us is the area that we're better known as friendship 173 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: part right, and so um, what's the there's a threat 174 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: to the park now? Right, there's a there's a new threat. 175 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: And I think people, uh again it might not have 176 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: realized that we're continuing to build boarder war border barrier, 177 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: border dike. It's sometimes called h depending on which part 178 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: of the country you're in. But can you explain how, 179 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: despite Joe Biden having signed this executive order saying what 180 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: he claims saying not one more my of all, how 181 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: are we still having this threat of building a bigger, 182 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: uglier wall, right? And you know, I think that's uh, 183 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: that's precisely the question, UH, that French or friendship part 184 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: pacity that why is it that Uh. If President Biden 185 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,959 Speaker 1: has stated that he would not build one more intro 186 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: Trump's border wall, all of a sudden now has decided 187 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: UH to finish the construction of Trump's border wall. It's 188 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: a question that that that we all asked, UH and 189 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: a's part of the the petition that we have reached 190 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: out to UH Border Patrol as to the inclusion of 191 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 1: the public and in those plans on continuing the replacement 192 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: of the that will with thirty foot balled U uh 193 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 1: set Yeah, at that thirty footballer fencing. That's what people 194 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: will be familiar with as the Trump wool, right, that 195 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: is correct, something that you know, the furnishing that exists 196 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: right now. Uh. You know, it's it's there, and I 197 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: guess even though we we may not like what it 198 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: is and what it represents, um, you know, but it 199 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: is there. But now to go even further and further 200 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: desecrate our part with two thirty foot bothered style UH 201 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: defenses just completely UH obstructs the the aesthetics of the park, 202 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: desegreates our part. Yeah and so yeah, with this sort 203 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: of further threat to the park cluming you touched on 204 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: it earlier, but I'd like to go back to like 205 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: what the park means, especially to families who are separated 206 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: by the border and concrust to see each other. Oh absolutely, 207 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: uh you know, on on uh when the part was 208 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: open on on a weekly on a weekend basis. Uh. 209 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: You know, we would have families uh you know, for example, 210 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,199 Speaker 1: grandmothers that had never met their their grandchildren, you know, 211 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: meet their grandchildren for the first time right across that 212 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: border wall. You know, mothers that hadn't seen their their 213 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: kids in twenty thirty years. Uh. You know, the joy 214 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: of you know, of being able to at least see 215 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: them across that border wall and just you know, a 216 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: couple inches away from them. And even though you know, 217 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: nothing could pass through through that barrier. Um, the only 218 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: thing that was able to pass through the um the 219 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: orifice there on the wall or the fenci, was the 220 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: tip of your finger. Which is why uh we kind 221 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: of uh uh created what we call the peaky kids, 222 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: because that's the only thing that would reach across, and 223 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: that's the only way we would be able to hug 224 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: and kiss our loved ones on the other side of 225 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: the border. UM. Very significant and you know something that 226 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: uh that we hope more people would understand is that 227 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: you know, by having the part open and families allowed 228 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: to be able to visit across that fence, it would 229 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: allow people, even though it's not the best scenario, but 230 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: at least it would give people. It would give families 231 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: the opportunity to remain being a family, to have a 232 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: little bit of contract with their loved And something very important. 233 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: We keep hearing about reasons for you know, the border 234 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: walls and more uh check uh cheg and and security 235 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 1: and so forth, because incursions, Well to this is one 236 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: of the reasons why uh, you know, we have more 237 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: incurs because people get desperate from losing contact with their 238 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: loved ones that they're willing to risk their own life 239 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: to be able to reach their loved ones. That's why 240 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: you have increase in people trying to swim across the 241 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: border wall. That's why you have people reaching out to 242 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: fur their points in the desert, trying to reach their 243 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: loved ones. That's why you have people climbing uh some 244 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: of these thirty foot walls and folly and uh uh 245 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: you know, bravely injuring themselves because you get to the 246 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: point that your family is everything in your life and 247 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: you're willing to risk your life to reach that family 248 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: when uh border Uh, when Friendship part was open. Uh, 249 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: we had a lot of conversations with a lot of 250 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: people that came to the part to visit their families 251 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: and speaking to them, Uh, they would tell you that, 252 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, being able to see their their families, their 253 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: loved ones, and sharing those moments together with very comforting 254 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: and bettery energizing and motivated to continue to fight, to 255 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: search for a legal opportunity to be being able to 256 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: reunite what their love was. Yeah, And I think we 257 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: should point out that, like, since since the park has 258 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: been closed, it's not just the park being closed which 259 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 1: has created like a hostile environment for people seeking asylum 260 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: or seeking to reunite with their families in the United States, 261 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 1: where we've had Migrant Protection Protocol, which is better known 262 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,439 Speaker 1: as Remain in Mexico and we've had titled forty two, 263 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: sometimes called catch and release, both of which do the 264 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: same things that you say, which is increased the amount 265 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: of people who cross in high risk areas and increase 266 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: the danger to migrants chiefly. And so there's this there's 267 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 1: this perception I think that things change in January one, 268 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 1: but they didn't. I think for most people, certainly people 269 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: I've met trying to come to the United States to 270 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: be safe, they still can't. And as you say, they 271 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: they still can't see their families. And perhaps we should 272 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: also mention that, like sometimes we talk about um Friendship 273 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 1: Park being b national, but it's more than that, right, Like, 274 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: it's not just people from Mexico who come to meet 275 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: their families Friendship Park. It's it's there's people from all 276 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: around the world who are unable to come to the 277 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: United States but are in Tijuana, right right, absolutely, And 278 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: you know it's not just you know, families that gather there. Uh, 279 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: it's friendships. It's an opportunity, um for people from any 280 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: part of the world to be able to make a connection, 281 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 1: make a friend right across that border, while without actually 282 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: I to across the border. Uh if for whatever reason 283 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:08,199 Speaker 1: they may be, they cannot uh come across to to 284 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:12,919 Speaker 1: the Mexico or to the Mexico site. Uh, you know, 285 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: the part is all about friendship. That's what why uh, 286 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:22,120 Speaker 1: to first Lady pat Dixon, were so important the decks 287 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,639 Speaker 1: and nation of the part in consideration of the great 288 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: friendship that existed and has always existed and and you 289 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: know what, no matter what happens, uh, that is going 290 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: to continue because, uh, in particular San Diego and Defuana, 291 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: we really want to be unity. Um. There's a tremendous 292 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: population in San Diego that have relatives in Defuana and 293 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: vice versa. And it's not only you know, the family, 294 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: but commerce. Uh. You know, we're one community and one 295 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: way or another of uh people are are gonna stay connected. 296 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: Uh always figure out different ways to be able to 297 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: to remain connected and have that friendship. UM. And I 298 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: think part of uh the reason for that is because uh, 299 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: you know a lot of people see that that border 300 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: fence and they see a barrier, but we see that 301 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 1: much more than that barrier is the barrier in our 302 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: heart and with you know, the people of our community, 303 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: that barrier doesn't exist. The only barrier to us is 304 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,919 Speaker 1: that that fence, the barrier in our hearts does not 305 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: exist because we have respect for each other and we 306 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: consider ourselves friends at one community on both sides of 307 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: that quarter. Will Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think it's uh yeah, 308 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: the border exists a lot more sort of on the ground, 309 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: and it does it in the community here. And I 310 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: think so many thousands of people a cross every day. 311 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: It's really odd to have it presented as this hard, 312 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: impenetrable thing. And then it's also just an annoyance and 313 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: the reason that we set in our cars for hours 314 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: trying to cross north. I wonder if we can talk 315 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 1: a little bit about because there's a Friendship Park, and 316 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: then there's the the southern side, right part lamy Stad. 317 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: What's the official sort of set up in Mexico with 318 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:39,920 Speaker 1: regards to the park. It's a little different from the US, right, 319 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, well, you know, the big difference on the 320 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:49,199 Speaker 1: Mexico side is like our pastor jump fannas on the 321 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: Mexico side with one big party, you know, one one 322 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 1: big uh friendly happy atmosphere, just like when you were 323 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: expect to find in any part where families gather on 324 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: on the weekend and now you know during summer vacation 325 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: even during the week uh you know, bustling uh beach 326 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: city with a magnificent friendly part, family oriented uh family 327 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: friendly part where where people go to enjoy a a 328 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: beautiful part um. Unfortunately, UH our our friends on the 329 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: U s side, I cannot enjoy the part as uh 330 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: as much as uh our friends on the Mexico side 331 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: because of these limitations on the part. Yeah, it's it's 332 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: a shame. Like you said, it's very contrasting like the 333 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 1: U S side. It's kind of difficult to get to 334 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: and it's only open and set now is it's what 335 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: it's not open at all post and we should explain that. Right. 336 00:22:55,840 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: So it was closed in UH for COVID, and then 337 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: if I understand right following that it remained close because 338 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: board the patrol were understaffed. They claim, right, that is 339 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: what we have been told that Friends of Friendship part 340 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: originally that it was close because of COVID UH, and 341 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: the understanding was that UH, when the COVID situation UH 342 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: was over, then that their plan was to reopen Friendship Part. However, 343 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 1: now we're being told that because of a lack of 344 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: UH personnel, that they're not able to staff it accordingly 345 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: to be able to open it. UH. You know you 346 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: touched a little bit earlier on the MPP program. UH. 347 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: You know, if there has been increasing incursions into the US, 348 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: A lot of it has to do with the asylum 349 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: process UH that has been halted for so many years. 350 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: For the last couple of years, that forces people in 351 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: desperation UH to take their life at risk and try 352 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: to gain entry into the US. You know, UH, it's 353 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,199 Speaker 1: not that difficult to understand. If if you're living in 354 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: a country where crime and violence is widespread and you 355 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: have a choice whether you leave your country and travel 356 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 1: three or four thousand miles to reach some kind of safety, UH, 357 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: to protect the life of your of your loved ones, 358 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: of your family. UH, you know you're you're going to 359 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: You're gonna if you risk that, you're gonna you're gonna 360 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: risk you know, your life trying to get across it 361 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: and protect your family. And if the only way you 362 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: can do it is by jumping over that fence or 363 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:56,640 Speaker 1: swimming around that ocean, UH, you know, that's what we've 364 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: seen happening. And a lot of that has what to 365 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: do with uh the asylum process. UH that is been 366 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:10,119 Speaker 1: shut down and continues to be shut down. UM, people 367 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: are gonna continue to try to to to save their 368 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,120 Speaker 1: life and their life and their their family. That's why 369 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 1: we're hoping that, UM the asylum process can be reinstated 370 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 1: as an international law requires calls for it. UH, and 371 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: UH that would would definitely show a decrease And now 372 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: in incursions. Um. Again, you know a lot of these concursions, 373 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: uh are people trying to reach safety for themselves in 374 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: their in their loved ones. Yeah. And it's been a 375 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 1: very difficult situation in Tijuana for a lot of people, 376 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: a lot of people who have arrived since MPP started. 377 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 1: Like for a while people were camping at the at 378 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: the at the border crossing, right, but in town like 379 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 1: at head West that cleared. Yeah, it's it's also sort 380 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:07,680 Speaker 1: of forcing the all these shelters and nonprofits in Tijuana 381 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: to saddle the burden, which that they do a very 382 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: good job with largely. But this you know, where this massive, 383 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,120 Speaker 1: richest country on the on Earth, and we just could 384 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: have should have shutting the door in a minute and 385 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: saying I think you're not welcome, right that that that 386 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: is absolutely correct. So I know that you you've been 387 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: doing some events at the Friendship Park, right, You've got 388 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 1: a concert coming up? Could you tell us about that? Yes, absolutely, 389 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,959 Speaker 1: we have a concert coming up about four our fifty 390 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: first anniversary and the headliner for the concert is Uh, 391 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:57,360 Speaker 1: a gentleman known as the the father of Mexican rock 392 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 1: and roll. UH, which begun here is here. I'm saying 393 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: here would be begun in Tijuana, Mexico Havevier Battis and uh, 394 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: you know what what is really neat is that Javier 395 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 1: Battis was actually the the mentor of Carlos Antana. And 396 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: you know we all love the music of Carlos Santana, 397 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: incredible performers. Uh. Well he had his start with Javier Baptiz. 398 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 1: Uh at one point here in Tijuana, Mexico. I keep 399 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 1: saying here, I'm in San Diego, uh in Tijuana, Mexico. 400 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: And you know, Javier Is is an icon of rock 401 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: and roll music, uh and of Tijuana. And you know what, uh, 402 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: what I think is really special about this concert uh 403 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:56,719 Speaker 1: is speaking to Javier. Um. You know his ideals are 404 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: very much along the ideals of what friendship part is 405 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: all about. And you know, friendship puts a smile on 406 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 1: people's face, and that was something that that have your 407 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: told point personally, Um, I love to play my music 408 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: because my music puts a smile on people's face. And 409 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: I like to make people happy. That's great and and 410 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 1: you know that's the whole idea behind friendship part to 411 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: make people happy, to have people enjoy a beautiful part, 412 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 1: enjoy their families enjoy the friendship across the border that 413 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: we have. Yeah, exactly, And I think it's very sad. 414 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: The whole set of cannad is very sad, right, like 415 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 1: the idea that, um, we don't have it. We have 416 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: enough money to build a giant steel barrier, but not 417 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: enough money to open this place up for you know, 418 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 1: a few hours a week for people to see their 419 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: families and enjoy themselves, enjoy that time together. It just 420 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: seems almost that pointlessly cruel, I guess, and which I 421 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 1: don't know. Sometimes a lot of the immigran system seems 422 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: pointlessly cruel to me. Yes, yes, absolutely. Uh, when you 423 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: separate a mother from a child, that is cruel. When 424 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: you won't allow a mother and a child to even 425 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: be able to gather for a couple hours a week 426 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: separate from a barrier, that's very cruel. When you don't 427 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: allow people of good nature, of good will to visit 428 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: even though it is across a barrier, that is not good. Yeah, 429 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: I think it's important that people across the country, like obviously, 430 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: like it can be really difficult to care about everything, right, 431 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: Like it's it's a pretty difficult time. And with Supreme 432 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: Court decisions and then seemingly sort of NonStop mass shootings. 433 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: It's a difficult time for everyone, I think, But like, um, 434 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: I think it's important that people realize that the border 435 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: is where a lot of these us he's get tried 436 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: for the first time. Right, these these things which like 437 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: if we look at the way that like privacy of 438 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: people living on the board has been eroded for a 439 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: very long time, and that's happening to other people. Happened, right, 440 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: It was a Border patrol drone that was flying over 441 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: Minneapolis during the protests. And so if people want to 442 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: push back and to show solidarity and support, how can 443 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: they support the park and how maybe can they support 444 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: the people who are stuck in and Tijuana and want 445 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 1: to cross but are allowed to cross because of of 446 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: mp P or Title forty two or restrictive asylum sort 447 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: of legislation. Well, you know we're asking people to do it. Well, uh, 448 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: you know you're in the southern California area. Um, you know, 449 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: Raynard Shine, Uh, we go ahead and June having events 450 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: that friendship part on the U S side, like our 451 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: Bike Rights, our Native Flora workshops, our Border Church on 452 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: on Sundays at one thirty in the afternoon. UM, we 453 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 1: invite people to come and join us. UH, come and 454 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: join us on a pike ride, come and join us 455 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: on border church and show your your support for the 456 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 1: need uh to continue uh the work that has been 457 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 1: done for so many years that Friendship Park in some 458 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: part of our by national families and our by national 459 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: community also very important. Contact your your congressman, contact your 460 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: your senator, and if you're in California, of course your 461 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: your California senators. UH. Assembly persons. UM, we need to 462 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: urge them to uh uh to advocate for us before 463 00:31:54,640 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 1: Homeland Security, UM, before the Secretary of Homeland Security. They 464 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: may understand the importance of the Friendship Park offers not 465 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: only to the families, but to to our communities. You 466 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: can secure a border a lot better to friendship then 467 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: through uh you know, border walls that at a given 468 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 1: moment can be breached, uh as we have seen they 469 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: have occurred. Um. The strongest security that anybody can ever 470 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 1: have is a good, strong relationship on both sides of 471 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: the border. Yeah. I think that's that's that's very well 472 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 1: well said. And so if people want to come to 473 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: Friendship Park, can you just explain how they would get 474 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: to one of these events and where they have to 475 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 1: go absolutely uh with I would recommend is follow us on. 476 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 1: We have a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram accounts Friendship part and 477 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: also our website Friendship part dot org where we have 478 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: information on all the different events on our border church. 479 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 1: And this way you can join us uh on on 480 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 1: the U. S side or do you want to come 481 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 1: to the Mexico side. Uh is wide open. You can. 482 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: You can go directly right to the monument area where 483 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: you can enjoy this uh, this great beautiful monument to 484 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 1: commemorate out uh the demarcation of the of the of 485 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 1: the two countries. You know you can. You can enjoy 486 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: it either either way. But we we do like uh 487 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: and we stress people that come out and join us 488 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 1: on the U. S side UH so that uh uh 489 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 1: you know, we're not forgotten, so that there's a beautiful 490 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 1: piece of land um a borderfield state park known as 491 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 1: Friendship Part uh is not forgotten. And not only that, 492 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: you know, uh enjoy the beauty of of of the 493 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: part beautiful part their borderfield state part UH adjacent to 494 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:09,960 Speaker 1: Friendship part Um, something that very a few people are 495 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 1: being taken advantage of. Lately, we've had quite a few 496 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: more visitors out there, horseback riding, bicyclinge uh, A few 497 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:23,720 Speaker 1: families out uh you know, taking in the ocean. Uh. 498 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 1: But this is a beautiful pub beach that that we 499 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 1: have there on the U S side and welcome, you know, 500 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:35,400 Speaker 1: our our community, We're San Diego to community to come 501 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 1: and enjoy it as well. And you know, as you 502 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:43,839 Speaker 1: come and enjoy it, you support our efforts to demonstrate 503 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: the need to keep our part open. Yeah. Yeah, I 504 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 1: think that's a very uh yeah, it's not hard for 505 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 1: people to help, and I hope they will. How long 506 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: do we have? Do you think? How long do we 507 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: have before they break ground on this new wall? Right? 508 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: You're not sure how long we have. We were told 509 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: that it was a matter of weeks. Uh does that 510 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,400 Speaker 1: mean two weeks, three weeks? It's hard to say, but 511 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,760 Speaker 1: we know that it could happen at any at any time. 512 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 1: Uh maybe we've observed several uh crews out there doing 513 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: uh uh surveys and such of the area, so we 514 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 1: know that it's uh any moment they should be breaking ground, 515 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: and we hope that before that ground breaks that they 516 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:38,040 Speaker 1: will consider our request and uh, you know, uh cow 517 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: public uh uh for public support, for public input as 518 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 1: to what the park should look like. Uh, you know, 519 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 1: give that consideration. Uh too, you know, if you're gonna 520 00:35:56,840 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 1: you're going to replace wallas to make sure that uh 521 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:04,120 Speaker 1: you know, the that gates are a lotted uh so 522 00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:10,000 Speaker 1: that these visits can continue, because we understand there's no 523 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 1: provision at this point for any kind of uh of 524 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: gate for uh you know, for person access for people 525 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: access uh into the area. Uh. That of course tells 526 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:27,480 Speaker 1: you that there's no intention of continuing at one point 527 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:32,000 Speaker 1: to open the park for the visits. Uh. And of 528 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 1: course that's extremely concerning, Yeah, especially for people separated by 529 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 1: the border. Okay, Um, so just to finish up, can 530 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:41,520 Speaker 1: you give us those uh social media's and web addresses 531 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: again where people can find you and help sure? Absolutely, Uh. 532 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 1: We're website is www. Friendship part dot org. Um. The Facebook, 533 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:57,280 Speaker 1: you can find us under friendship part. You can also 534 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 1: find information under Order Church. Great. All right, thank you 535 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 1: so much for your time. I really appreciate you taking 536 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 1: the time to talk and it's a busy time for you. 537 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: You're very welcome. Thank you for the opportunity to be 538 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: here with you today. Thank you. It could happen Here 539 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: as a production of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts 540 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:22,240 Speaker 1: from cool Zone Media, visit our website cool zone media 541 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 1: dot com, or check us out on the I Heart 542 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 543 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:29,920 Speaker 1: You can find sources for It could happen here, updated 544 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:33,399 Speaker 1: monthly at cool zone Media dot com slash sources. Thanks 545 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:34,000 Speaker 1: for listening.