‘Tis the Christmas season, and people who aren’t embarrassed by America’s Christian (but not discriminatory) culture are putting up decorations. It turns out that House members are among those who also celebrate the holidays by bringing Christmas décor to their offices. Rep. Eli Crane, a Republican from Arizona, put up a little tableau that combined Christmas with honoring the Border Patrol. In doing so, he completely triggered a staffer and a fellow representative. You won’t be surprised to learn that they are both Democrats.

Rep. Crane put a representation of a snow-draped brick wall on either side of his office door. On the door itself is a sign saying, “Border Patrol Elves Only,” along with a sign on the wall saying, “Welcome to Arizona.” The little stand-alone direction sign bears labels for Arizona, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona.

However, for Jason Tufele Carl Johnson, who works for Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), being forced to witness the lighthearted display about America’s border and border patrol was a deeply damaging experience:

*amicable

— Jason Tufele Carl Johnson (@jasontcjohnson) November 30, 2023

As you can imagine, both conservatives and leftists piled on, with the former applauding the Christmas display and the latter expressing horror. One of the more bizarre responses came from Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat from New York, who called the display “disgusting and dehumanizing rhetoric.”

This is how Republicans choose to use their time and resources in the halls of Congress.

This is disgusting and dehumanizing rhetoric, and as a fellow member of Congress, I can think of so many better uses of our time than hanging up crude signs. https://t.co/4nPaEY8xY4

— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) November 30, 2023

I know that I’m being dense, but did you see any “disgusting and dehumanizing rhetoric” there? In a nice light, the display can be understood to be an homage to the Border Patrol, the members of which would like to do their job as defined under American law but who are blocked thanks to orders from their boss, Joe Biden.

Is Meng saying that it’s disgusting and dehumanizing to liken the Border Patrol to elves? I’m guessing not. What’s really going on here is that Meng is saying that having a border, any border, is “disgusting and dehumanizing.” Meng dreams of a world without borders.

I can tell you what that world looks like: It looks like the centuries after the Roman Empire had completely collapsed, and Europe entered what is known as the Dark Ages. That was an era when all the civilizational advances of Rome—aqueducts, standing armies to keep the peace across vast swaths of land, straight roads, international trade zones, personal cleanliness, toilets, etc.—vanished, not to return for over a thousand years. And yes, the Romans were incredibly cruel by the standards of today, but the invaders who poured through their borders were no less cruel; they were just dirtier and infinitely more primitive.

Without a border, there is no nation. And without America, the blessings of the post-WWII era—and there are many—are gone. And that, seemingly, is what Grace Meng, Raul Grijalva, and Jason Tufele Carl Johnson desperately want.

Image: X screen grab.