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Letter: I served a Berlin mission in 1965 when a wall divided the city. Another shameful, cruel wall is not the answer

(David Maung | The Associated Press) In this June 8, 2006, file photo, members of the National Guard work on construction of a border wall at the U.S.-Mexico border next to San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. Photo was taken from a few steps into the United States. The arrival of U.S. National Guard troops in Arizona has scared off illegal Mexican migrants along the border as a whole, significantly reducing crossings, according to U.S. and Mexican officials. From 2006 to 2008, the Guard fixed vehicles, maintained roads, repaired fences and performed ground surveillance.

In 1965 I served a Berlin Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon arriving I noticed the wall that separated East Berlin from West Berlin. The wall itself was approximately 14 feet high and four feet thick. On top of the wall embedded in the concrete were shards of broken glass and coils of barbed wired.

On the east side of the wall was an area known as the “death strip.” It was approximately 100 feet wide and was cleared of all buildings or obstacles that a person could hide behind or in. This gave the guards a clear shot at those who were attempting to defect. Also, there were deep trenches to deter anyone attempting to cross in a vehicle.

Some 5,000 people defected to the west but 140-200 people were killed. The legacy of the Berlin wall is one of shame and cruelty. Is this the legacy the United States wants to leave with the “big, beautiful wall”? Are we also going to build a “death strip” to keep out those who are attempting to come to America? I don’t have an answer to the immigration problem; however the “big, beautiful wall” is not the answer.

Jerry Taylor, Provo

By Jerry Taylor | The Public Forum