Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
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Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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Are Mexican citizens’ deaths any less deserving of sadness and outrage?
Are Mexican citizens’ deaths any less deserving of sadness and outrage?
By Patrick Osio
"It took the killing of two US citizens employed by the Consulate in Ciudad Juarez to elicit President Obama’s comment
"….deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders…”
According to the Los Angeles Times, there have been 10,031 killings in Mexico since 2007 related to the war against organized drug cartels, which at
no time has brought signs of sadness or outrage from the White House, be it from Obama or his predecessor. Are Mexican citizens’ deaths any less
deserving of sadness and outrage?
But with the expression from Obama for the killings there is no mentioned of sadness or outrage at US citizens’ usage of drugs that according to an
Editorial on the Seattle Times, “These gruesome tallies are the byproduct of a lethal industry that satisfies U.S. appetites for marijuana, heroin and
methamphetamine. As the wealthy consumers of illicit goods, drug-abusing Americans are complicit in these deaths.” U.S. drug users provide Mexican
drug cartels with $31 billion annually to carry out their bloody war. Why is there no outrage at this?
Drug related deaths in the US pale in comparison to the drug related killings taking place in Mexico. In just one year, 17,000 deaths due to illicit
drug use are recorded in the U.S. as compared with an annual average of 3,300 killings in Mexico.
Have we in the U.S. surrendered to drug usage as inevitable and thus quasi acceptable? Are the deaths of 17,000 fellow Americans just another
statistic to which we’ve become accustomed? Other than the immediate members of the family of those whose life is so needlessly struck down, is there
no sadness for their passing? Is there no outrage at drug usage and local distribution as the cause?
Is condemning Mexico and its people for ‘not stopping’ the passage of drugs to our cities and towns through their territory a substitute for our
nation’s indifference to our own people’s usage of the smuggled drugs? Are the Mexican people the lawless society due to their efforts to eradicate
drug traffickers and their resulting retaliation? If so, then what is our society that allows and, through our silence, encourages illicit drug usage?
Are we not, as the Seattle Times editorial argues “… complicit in these deaths…”
What is the role of our nation’s press and other news media in all of this? Why do regional and national news media report so heavily about the
killings in Mexico giving the appearance that the nation is one “killing field” when such is not the case? And, why do they not report that the U.S.
as a whole is losing far more lives to the “drug war” than is Mexico?
Why do editorials advise, admonish, and preach to Mexico, but not one news outlet has championed and ongoing crusade to “stop drug usage” and “report
distributors” in the U.S.? Why does the U.S. media and popular network commentators degrade Mexico as a corrupt nation, but either lightly mention or
altogether ignore U.S. corruption?
How much coverage was given to the Congressional Testimony by Kevin L. Perkins, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation Division of the FBI, on
March 11, 2010 on the state of corruption? How many people throughout the nation were informed that Perkins testified that in the last two years alone
there have been 1,600 convictions of federal, state and local officials, and that there are 3,200 public corruption cases pending and that more
remains to be done and that the Southwest border is a particular focus of corruption-fighting efforts? According to the Perkins testimony, the result
is over 400 public corruption cases originating from that region so far with 84 convictions.
Were the people informed that in July 2008, the FBI and DEA with Canadian law enforcement arrested a network of cocaine, marijuana and illegal
immigrants’ smugglers over the Quebec-New York border? And, that the FBI conducted nearly 300 public corruption investigations along the Canadian
border?
Is it in our nation’s best interest to place Mexico as having the sole responsibility for the war on drugs? And how does it help our nation by
destroying Mexico’s economy through the creation of fear to visit, loathing dealing with, and ignoring our country’s responsibility?
Are we kept in the dark intentionally or does thinking less of Mexico makes us warm and fuzzy believing it makes us better?
Sadness? Outrage? You bet, but we are misplacing where it should be directed."
Patrick Osio is Editor of HispanicVista.com and co-founder of TransBorder Communications
(www.transbordercommunications.com).
Contact at POsio@aol.com
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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of course it matters. the media is silent on the grilling of the atty general.
they have right where they want us....
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
Why do regional and national news media report so heavily about the killings in Mexico giving the appearance that the nation is one “killing field”
when such is not the case?
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Perhaps the heads rolling around like so many bowling balls and the mass graves have something to do with the "slanted" reporting. You just don't get
this stuff NOB.
| Quote: |
And, why do they not report that the U.S. as a whole is losing far more lives to the “drug war” than is Mexico?
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Perhaps because the US has three times the population as does Mexico which makes a stand-alone death tally irrelavent to a comparison.
Isn't this mowron, Osio, a little bit late to be jumping on the "Mexico is Safe" bandwagon? When did he write this butt-kiss piece?
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1628
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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Of course it is always easier to throw rocks at others. I am pleased to see increased inspections of southbound traffic in an attempt to stem drug
profits and weapons getting back to Mx. Unfortunately every discussion about really controlling our borders - keeping drugs out and profits from
returning is shouted down and proclaimed to be racist oriented. Personally I believe real control of our borders (all of them) - N,S,E,W is key to
the survival of Mexico. There is far too much money in drugs for the Mx government to compete with any hope of success. Control of our borders is
only one small aspect. Drug testing should be required for any form of government assistance with rehabilatation assistance provided for those who
fail. Increasing the cost of doing business and diminishing their customers is the only way the US and Mexico, who have equal stake in the matter,
can gain the upper hand.
In Memory of E-57
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19923
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
Are Mexican citizens’ deaths any less deserving of sadness and outrage?
By Patrick Osio
"It took the killing of two US citizens employed by the Consulate in Ciudad Juarez to elicit President Obama’s comment
"….deeply saddened and outraged by the news of the brutal murders…”
According to the Los Angeles Times, there have been 10,031 killings in Mexico since 2007 related to the war against organized drug cartels, which at
no time has brought signs of sadness or outrage from the White House, be it from Obama or his predecessor. Are Mexican citizens’ deaths any less
deserving of sadness and outrage?
But with the expression from Obama for the killings there is no mentioned of sadness or outrage at US citizens’ usage of drugs that according to an
Editorial on the Seattle Times, “These gruesome tallies are the byproduct of a lethal industry that satisfies U.S. appetites for marijuana, heroin and
methamphetamine. As the wealthy consumers of illicit goods, drug-abusing Americans are complicit in these deaths.” U.S. drug users provide Mexican
drug cartels with $31 billion annually to carry out their bloody war. Why is there no outrage at this?
Drug related deaths in the US pale in comparison to the drug related killings taking place in Mexico. In just one year, 17,000 deaths due to illicit
drug use are recorded in the U.S. as compared with an annual average of 3,300 killings in Mexico.
Have we in the U.S. surrendered to drug usage as inevitable and thus quasi acceptable? Are the deaths of 17,000 fellow Americans just another
statistic to which we’ve become accustomed? Other than the immediate members of the family of those whose life is so needlessly struck down, is there
no sadness for their passing? Is there no outrage at drug usage and local distribution as the cause?
Is condemning Mexico and its people for ‘not stopping’ the passage of drugs to our cities and towns through their territory a substitute for our
nation’s indifference to our own people’s usage of the smuggled drugs? Are the Mexican people the lawless society due to their efforts to eradicate
drug traffickers and their resulting retaliation? If so, then what is our society that allows and, through our silence, encourages illicit drug usage?
Are we not, as the Seattle Times editorial argues “… complicit in these deaths…”
What is the role of our nation’s press and other news media in all of this? Why do regional and national news media report so heavily about the
killings in Mexico giving the appearance that the nation is one “killing field” when such is not the case? And, why do they not report that the U.S.
as a whole is losing far more lives to the “drug war” than is Mexico?
Why do editorials advise, admonish, and preach to Mexico, but not one news outlet has championed and ongoing crusade to “stop drug usage” and “report
distributors” in the U.S.? Why does the U.S. media and popular network commentators degrade Mexico as a corrupt nation, but either lightly mention or
altogether ignore U.S. corruption?
How much coverage was given to the Congressional Testimony by Kevin L. Perkins, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation Division of the FBI, on
March 11, 2010 on the state of corruption? How many people throughout the nation were informed that Perkins testified that in the last two years alone
there have been 1,600 convictions of federal, state and local officials, and that there are 3,200 public corruption cases pending and that more
remains to be done and that the Southwest border is a particular focus of corruption-fighting efforts? According to the Perkins testimony, the result
is over 400 public corruption cases originating from that region so far with 84 convictions.
Were the people informed that in July 2008, the FBI and DEA with Canadian law enforcement arrested a network of cocaine, marijuana and illegal
immigrants’ smugglers over the Quebec-New York border? And, that the FBI conducted nearly 300 public corruption investigations along the Canadian
border?
Is it in our nation’s best interest to place Mexico as having the sole responsibility for the war on drugs? And how does it help our nation by
destroying Mexico’s economy through the creation of fear to visit, loathing dealing with, and ignoring our country’s responsibility?
Are we kept in the dark intentionally or does thinking less of Mexico makes us warm and fuzzy believing it makes us better?
Sadness? Outrage? You bet, but we are misplacing where it should be directed."
Patrick Osio is Editor of HispanicVista.com and co-founder of TransBorder Communications
(www.transbordercommunications.com).
Contact at POsio@aol.com |
quit complaining about smuggling, and legalize drugs.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alan
I am pleased to see increased inspections of southbound traffic in an attempt to stem drug profits and weapons getting back to Mx.
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Is that what they're doing? If it is...they're doing a pee-poor job of it.
I honestly believe the heavy military and police presence is all smoke 'n mirrors to make the world think their efforts are sincere, but that would
require a sincere government....wouldn't it. Where would one of those be found?
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: |
Have we in the U.S. surrendered to drug usage as inevitable and thus quasi acceptable? Are the deaths of 17,000 fellow Americans just another
statistic to which we’ve become accustomed? Other than the immediate members of the family of those whose life is so needlessly struck down, is there
no sadness for their passing? Is there no outrage at drug usage and local distribution as the cause?
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Zero sadness or outage. Drug use is a choice. Those who succumb are that many less to compete for valuable limited resources.
Mexico does us a favor by culling the herd. Good riddance.
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
Member Is Offline
Mood: groovy
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Difference between north and south?
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by Alan
I am pleased to see increased inspections of southbound traffic in an attempt to stem drug profits and weapons getting back to Mx.
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Is that what they're doing? If it is...they're doing a pee-poor job of it.
I honestly believe the heavy military and police presence is all smoke 'n mirrors to make the world think their efforts are sincere, but that would
require a sincere government....wouldn't it. Where would one of those be found? |
I don't normally chime in on your posts Dennis since you're in the north and I'm in the south. The policia federal have had a HUGE presence in the
south, stopping freight and passenger vehicles entering and exiting La Paz. There are daily checkpoints. It sure doesn't feel like smoke and mirrors
to me and I'm sure not to the truckers who are constantly pullled over for inspections.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by danaeb
I don't normally chime in on your posts Dennis since you're in the north and I'm in the south. The policia federal have had a HUGE presence in the
south, stopping freight and passenger vehicles entering and exiting La Paz. There are daily checkpoints. It sure doesn't feel like smoke and mirrors
to me and I'm sure not to the truckers who are constantly pullled over for inspections. |
Believe what you must. I happen to believe it's all one big orchestrated drama, played from a script held in the highest places. The law enforcement
show goes on here, and the drugs, money and firearms show is played out there.
Did you ever wonder, given the size, power and wealth, not to mention the rapid rate of growth the cartels are experiencing.....where the people are
who run this giant business? It's like General Motors without an office building.
It makes me wonder.....a lot.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
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Is this a dumb topic or what?
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805gregg
Super Nomad
Posts: 1344
Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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The sadness is that they don't chose to change their goverment, look at the middle east, it can be done, and I think it's time.
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