Clarion project asked our readers: Do walls make good neighbors?

Germany now has a wall higher than the notorious Berlin Wall that once divided the East and West parts of the city. This new 12-foot-high wall, built in a suburb of Munich, was constructed to protect local residents from a nearby migrant camp.

It can be argued that a wall between countries secures borders. Does a wall built between residents do the same or increase animosity and tension?

Here are some of our reader’s answers:

Walls are a good thing. They define the barrier to which one can be welcomed inside for peace and tranquility among people of like mind and ideology while prohibiting those of opposite values to enter and disrupt the social order of those within the walls.

–R

Yes, walls between neighbors can be a good thing. They afford privacy to each party and allow freedom from prying eyes. Firm boundaries between people, families and nations are good for those who are not up to "no good."

–T

Good neighbors come from easily recognizable boundaries such as walls. Easy to recognize boundaries tell someone not to infringe without some lash back. It's easy to love thy neighbor if they understand where you stand.

–BT

Walls are not built to increase tension; they are built because the two parties concerned are already not good neighbors.

–HH

I don't know that we need a wall as much as we need enforcement of our immigration laws already in place. Empower the border control again. If a wall would help that then I am for it.

–A

A country without borders is not a country. Every nation has the right to control who comes in and who leaves. Without properly-monitored borders, the United States becomes a haven for not only those who deserve shelter, but also those unlawfully seeking to escape justice.

–EC

Absolutely and definitely. No. No. No.

–NP

I think that clear demarcation plus enforcement of it makes relationship between neighbors clear and predictable. Absence of it leads to animosity and silences resistance. Also, every person must have a firm wall erected in his brain between good and evil.

–VP

Seeing Germany was so indiscriminately welcoming to refugees, many of whom turned out to be Islamists, something had to be done to reduce the incredibly horrific rate of rape, especially of course of non-Muslims.

–MR

Normally, I would say that a wall would increase tensions between people, but that is based on the peoples of both side still having some common values, such as when neighborhoods were barricaded in Northern Ireland in the 60s and 70s. But in this case, it will probably increase a sense of security for the native residents there, especially likely for their female population. So in this case, I would actually probably favor such a thing. It goes against the grain normally, but this situation isn’t probably normal to them.

–TM

Wow, 70 years ago, walls were placed around Polish neighborhoods to segregate an internal religious population. The risks associated with unguided migration have lead to a new ghetto. The secondary effects of this wall is a rise in German nationalism.

–DF

My 7 years in Germany tells me a wall can be either a friend or foe.

–HL