Public Pulse |
May 22nd, 2008 |
Our Halo Is Glowing!
(Re: Boycott Northern Baja, Mexico!)
Your paper is a national treasure. People are thirsting for balanced AND patriotic publications. That's what you are. I patronize businesses that display and/or advertise in THE PAPER. America needs more like you.
/s/Jeff Mundt
Oceanside, CA
It’s Glows Even More!
Editor:
Great article ! Maybe a boycott will help Mexico get it's act together.
/s/Rob Peterson
San Marcos, Ca.
Our Halo Gets Tarnished!
U.S. drug users: Main cause for Mexico’s bloodbath
It’s time to take the gloves off and lay the responsibility for the bloodbath taking place on a daily basis in Mexico where it belongs – U.S. drug users. Mexican style Mafiosos are killing each other along with Mexican police officers, judges, prosecutors, journalists, and innocent bystanders be they adults or children to gain transportation corridors from which to smuggle illicit drugs into the waiting hands of U.S. drug users.
And how does U.S. media report such events? Hardly any report ever mentions the end user in the U.S. as though that’s not the major part of the story unfolding before their very noses, when in fact they are the very reason for the carnage.
"It would stop being a business if the United States didn't want drugs," Benjamin Arellano Felix, one of the most ruthless and merciless drug capos responsible for hundreds of killings, told the Washington Post in a prison interview after Mexican authorities apprehended him.
Corruption in Mexico is no different than it was during the prohibition era in Chicago, New York, New Jersey and most major cities where the Mafia fought for territorial rights to sell liquor smuggled from Canada.
During the U.S. prohibition era there were many non corrupt officers throughout the US who valiantly fought to defend law and order; many fell along with numerous innocent victims who were caught in the battles. This is now happening in Mexico.
U.S. news media touches on the administration of President Calderon’s declaration of war against organized crime in Mexico. This war is as real as our war against terrorism, and as all wars, it causes casualties. But instead of celebrating the bravery and ultimate sacrifice by the many that fall in the line of duty to keep drugs away from American families, news reporting marks Mexico as “lawless.” What injustice, what lack of fair reporting.
The recreational use of drugs, marijuana in particular, along with the more dangerous addictive stimulant drugs, including cocaine, which became the darling of the “successful” helped fuel the problem. The high cost of cocaine created the link between U.S. users and Latin American producers; who originally used Mexico as a transportation corridor when it became more difficult to use Florida’s coast as entry points. This gave way to the Mexican capos and the beginning of the reign of terror in Mexico – all to satisfy U.S. recreational drug usage, eventually leading to addiction.
With “my drug use doesn’t harm anyone but me” users excuse their repugnant behavior. But drug usage creates carnage, real people are being killed, families destroyed, children left orphans, mothers left without children, wives widowed in both Mexico and the U.S.
Pointing the finger at Mexico as the source of our problems has become all too handy an excuse by our government, the news media and by far too many of our citizens to avoid facing problems of our own making.
/s/Patrick Osio
Patrick Osio is Editor of HispanicVista.com and writes The Connection for the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine. Contact at: Posiojr@aol.com
And Tarnished Some More!
In response to your Mexico hit piece. By the way it's estimated that one million Americans have moved south to Mexico to retire.
When you see a mass exodus moving back to the U.S. let me know.
/s/Gordon Kane
Sabre Springs/San Diego, Ca.
And Still More!
Dear Mr. Davis,
Have you looked at the crime statistics of some of the major cities in our beloved United States. I think we need to advise against traveling in New Orleans, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, and we probably should throw in Omaha, Nebraska, for good measure, (you never know when some nutcase might decide to murder some innocent people for no good reason).
If you Google "Crime Statistics New Orleans" and dig down a level or two, you will find that in New Orleans in 2003, 274 people were murdered; there were 213 rapes; 1,533 armed robberies; 2,033 assaults, and 536 simple robberies, for a grand total of 4,589 Violent Crimes.
I can't in all good conscience recommend that anyone go to such a violent place. Please write up a boycott for New Orleans, Louisiana, for a future article. I think you could have a series going here. Pick a different metropolitan area any where in the entire world, and you will find crime and criminals. I think we may have just hit upon your life's work. Boycott everywhere!
Mr. Davis, I have lived in Rosarito Beach since August of 2005. I love the people, I love the culture, I love the weather, I love Baja, and I have no intention of leaving.
Sincerely,
Steven Steele
Rosarito Beach B.C. MX
Wait! There’s More!
Lyle Davis: Buenos dia! I read your story about your wanting tourists to boycott the northern Baja California peninsula due to the crime in the area dated May 8th. I agree with a lot of what you are saying about an increase in crime but, what is the underlying reason for this crime and how can it be stopped?
Drug cartels: They are supplying the demand for drugs coming from the United States, you stop the demand for drugs in the US and the cartels will not have a demand for their product.
Creation of jobs: Give good jobs to the people and instead of mis-treatment, the people will serve the tourist and get paid for it. Stop the tourism, the jobs go away and crime increases.
Kidnappings: This is a hard one because if you investigate the individual kidnappings, in some cases, they are people that have wronged someone who is now getting back at them. Maybe people need to put others feelings before greed.
Disclosure in real estate transactions: It happens all too often when foreigners visit getting that “deal that is too good to be true” and they start forking out the money without really understanding what they are getting themselves into. It is important that prospective buyers put their money into escrow and go through the process of title search, lien search, appraisal, site plans etc before giving their money to a seller.
I have been living and working in Northern Baja for over 21 years, visiting and surfing since the late 1960’s and have never had any problems. I have raised my family here, my children are being schooled here and when talking to their friends, there are many that can cross the border but are afraid to because of the crime in the US. (much like how you are telling people not to visit Baja). Kids here do not understand how you can go into a shopping mall and be subject to being shot down or scarier yet, go to school and be killed by a fellow student or drive down the street and be involved in a road rage incident or just stand on the street corner and be involved in a drive by shooting. Crimes that are not drug related, tourist related or even revenge related but, crimes “just for the heck of it.”
Yes, Baja has become a more dangerous place but at least you know who the bad guys are and it is becoming less dangerous due to the high presence of law enforcement and military who seem to be getting the upper hand. Also, not giving a time line for the legitimate points you bring up in your article is deceiving and creates a sense that the crimes that happened over 6 months ago are still happening which in most cases are not. When you consider there are over 80,000 people that cross the border on a daily basis in Tijuana and with the regions population being over 2,000,000, you really need to present all the facts to put things into perspective. Your article is well researched and it is good to get the wake up call but there needs to be a counterpoint to the debate. I would appreciate a response. Saludos!
Atentamente,
/s/David Holt
USA and Baja, Mex:
On Another Subject . . .
After revelling over the half billion dollar Sprinter, this Agency, which instigated and operates the Sprinter, along with the Coaster rail lines and Breeze bus network, is considering fare increases and eliminating at least a dozen bus routes. Somehow NCTD is sustained with a free pass to spend, control and jockey public transportation around to further it's own enlargement. The public's lack of concern for misguided priorities with no demand for accountability is incredible.
/s/Henry M. Sanford
San Marcos, CA
No More Poppies . . .
Perhaps if US invested in helping folks in Afghanistan grow a crop that is more profitable than Poppies - we could stop the drug trafficking and create financial stability in this country and then people would begin to have hope again and the Taliban's message of hate would not be so attractive.....
/s/Mary Ann Dijak
San Marcos, Ca.
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