Since I moved to Tucson, Arizona from New Jersey in 2000, not one day has passed that I haven’t read in the newspaper, seen on TV or heard on the radio about some really, really bad event taking place on the border with Mexico.  Drugs are the root cause of many of the problems – not to mention, of course, the unending stream of illegal aliens.  Of the estimated four million who cross annually, Senator John McCain has stated that half come through Arizona’s 350-mile border with Mexico.

On 9/11, 2001, the United States’ concerns with border security should have catapulted from: “It would be nice to know who is coming into this country,” to: “We need to definitively stop all potential terrorists from crossing our borders.”

In so doing, we would, of course, restrict, or perhaps even stop illegal entrance into the United States. There are those who argue that this action would harm our economy.  Well, just imagine how much damage to our economy a dozen – or a hundred dozen – terrorists could do, if they were free to roam around the country unimpeded.

Hold that thought.

New subject: From my own observation, most occidental eyes cannot distinguish between the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans or Filipinos. Presumably, therefore, the average U.S. citizen would be unlikely differentiate between an Arab and a Mexican; especially if both spoke fluent Spanish. 

Connecting the dots yet?  Here’s the last piece of the puzzle:

I watched a television interview in which author Tom Clancy was discussing his novel, The Teeth of the Tiger.  Clancy’s plot involves a fictional, top-secret subset of the CIA that is licensed to kill.  Two agents go off to Europe and assassinate some really bad guys who deserve to die. Follow me closely here - When the interviewer asked Clancy if he was sending a message to Washington, his response was: “No, if I wanted to send a message to Washington, I’d send a telegram.”

If Tom Clancy sends a telegram to Washington, I reasoned, it will get read. But if Charlie Redner sends a telegram (or an e-mail, a handwritten letter or a smoke signal) to Washington, chances are probable to certain that no one will read it.  So, I concluded – I’ll write a novel with a message, and send it to Washington.  Hence, God and Country took form.

The novel relates what might happen when a group of Arab terrorists learn Spanish, travel through Mexico, and attempt to enter the U.S. in order to “shock ’n awe” Americans. (Click on the synopsis page for a more complete description.) 

The novel’s message may never get through to the people intended, but it won’t be because I didn’t try.

Regards,

Charles Redner

"Festival"   10" x 10" oil on canvas

TUCSON

Note:  All art in this website by my wife Judith Redner,
please visit www.jdiart.com for more of her work.

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Copyright ©2007 Charles J. Redner
Manuscript excerpts provided for review purposes only and may not be reproduced without  written permission from the author.