Hillbilly wisdom: a line drawn by treaties between two nations becomes an international border but it does not stop interactions among the people living side by side. Everyone accepts that a person living in Canada and a person living in the United states may in reality only be few feet apart. The border, an imaginary line, does not stop everyday interactions. You may not associate with the neighbor next door but at the same time the people a mile over might be your best friends. This personal aspect of the real world is affected by the imposition of rules from far away. A dictate from Washington is based upon different priorities than neighbors working together.

Windsor, Ontario and Detroit Michigan are connected by the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. To get from Windsor, Ontario to Detroit Michigan you have to go north. The communities are tied socially and economically and have been for years. This year saw the completion of the Gordie Howe Bridge adding another layer of cooperation between the citizens of Canada and United States. And now, we have an ongoing trade war with escalating tariffs and counter tariffs which undermines the regional stability.

Race, gender, age, etc have been eliminated as reasons for discriminatory practices. An unseen line or a boundary should not justify treating your neighbor and ally differently. Adults should learn to live with their neighbors. Mutual respect and cooperation offer a better chance for mutual prosperity than imposing restrictions upon people living side by side.