DRAW "LINE IN SAND' TO BETTER PROTECT MONUMENTS

Re: "Drawing a line in the sand; Organization offers water, aid to
desert-crossing illegal immigrants from Mexico," Aug. 4 Lifestyle story.

I fully sympathize with humanitarians offering life-saving water for
illegal aliens. I've put out water caches for legal backpackers and I fully
understand the risks of a desert crossing. Clearly, no one should die in
the desert.

Yet by lax and sporadic border enforcement, we are allowing national parks,
monuments and forests along our borders to be decimated by illegal aliens,
drug traffickers and even incursions by the Mexican police and military.
Our parks and forests are now the gateway of choice for illegal aliens
entering our country - witness the recent shooting of a ranger in Oregon
Pipe National Monument.

We are allowing Mexico to export its overpopulation problem and we are the
recipient. If we are to have any hope of preserving our border parks and
forests for future generations, we would be well-advised to arrest coyotes
(smugglers) and to fully seal our borders in these sensitive areas.

FRED ELBEL

Lakewood