Narco-Blogger Beats Mexico Drug War News Blackout 518
An anonymous reader writes "An anonymous, twentysomething blogger is giving Mexicans what they can't get elsewhere — an inside view of their country's raging drug war. Operating from behind a thick curtain of computer security, Blog del Narco in less than six months has become Mexico's go-to Internet site at a time when mainstream media are feeling pressure and threats to stay away from the story. Many postings, including warnings and a beheading, appear to come directly from drug traffickers. Others depict crime scenes accessible only to military or police."
Re:It's refreshing (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:1, Interesting)
1. Drugs are easy to create. No special equipment is needed to make drugs. It's like "cooking" recipe ;)
2. Guns are difficult to manufacture. Even an AK-47 requires stamping press to produce. Weapons used in the Mexican drug war require specialized factories to produce the weapons *and* the ammunition. But controlling access to guns would not eliminate the problem of guns being used by drug cartels. Well, at least stuff they couldn't get from elsewhere (3rd world black market, you can apparently get anything there
Taking guns away would not fix the problem. Drugs are the cause, violence to control their trade and hence profits is the result. Gun violence is the result, not the cause. (And I'm pro-gun control, but even I can see that guns are not the cause of violence!)
If the goal is to get rid of the drug cartels in Mexico, make drugs FREE in special drug dispensaries or sanitariums in the US. They would still be illegal outside such centers (I don't want to come across addicts on crack on the highway, thank you very much). Addicts could then get high there, but would only be allowed to leave once "sober". This would result in,
1. drastic reduction of crimes committed by addicts to try to get their fix
2. drug cartels would not have a reason to exist anymore
But that would be too common sense, I guess?
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:2, Interesting)
I bought my first Glock 17 for $600 right before the clip ban during Clinton's reign. Just bought a second one, same model for $450 a few months ago. (The orginal is fine even after 10,000+ rounds through it. I just wanted a another.) Yep those high prices are killing me.
Guns are stupid easy to make take a look out there at all the 3party parts suppliers and you'll soon realize even if they closed down every single major gun manufacturer it would hardly slow the supply of parts and fully assembled weaspons.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:2, Interesting)
AK-47s are made from stamped parts and deliberately designed around loose tolerances. A moderately skilled gun enthusiast machinist could probably turn out a respectable version given good plans.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:5, Interesting)
1: Most guns in Mexico come from central america or from the mexican givernment/military. See those pictures of the drug lords with H&K G3 rifles or MP5 submachine guns? Yeah, those couldn't have come from America. We can't get those here. (Well, we can, but they're 30k or more)
2. Very few americans own M-16's. As in less than a thousand most likely. Why? Because the process of purchasing a fully automatic firearm is such a pain that most people don't go through with it. Do you want the ATF to have a sheet of paper where you signed a waiver allowing them to walk into your home at any point, on ant day, without notice to search your home? Neither do most of us, and that's EXACTLY what you have to do to own a fully automatic firearm in this country.
Those of us who do own full auto firearms fall into three categories:
A: Law abiding citizens who like firearms and enjoy shooting. We pay our taxes, don't dream of murdering people, and largely consider our autos to be investments much like classic cars or sports memorabillia.
B: Criminals and thugs who don't go through the proper, legal channels to purchase their weapons (I use the word weapon here intentionally, as it is these people who consider their firearms to be weapons, and intend on using them.) Outlawing firearms will not affect these people in the least as it is already illegal for them to own these firearms. When guns DO move across the border (not often as Mexico throws anyone entering their country with even a single round of ammo into jail for 20+ years) it is these outlaws and criminals who do the moving and selling.
C: Fringe elements made up of crazy mountain men and people who consider their friends to be a militia of some sort and are still out in the woods each weekend preparing for the Soviet Union to invade their small town. Really? Are you worried about these people taking over your country? They aren't a threat to anything except their local dentist's children getting the money for college... Sure, they're vocal and love making a spectacle, but they're on every watch list in the country and are largely law abiding citizens like group A. Those who fall into group B don't usually last more than a year or two before the ATF is at their door taking their toys to the furnace and hauling them off to federal prison for drug or firearms charges.
Being scared of an armed citizenry is about as sane as being scared of dogs. Sure, there are bad apples out there, but just because one in ten dogs have bitten someone doesn't mean that your neighbors lab is about to rip into your leg as you walk by...
I carry a pistol every day. You know how many people I've ever shot? none.
The other day I was at the grocery store and a woman saw my pistol. When she noticed that the hammer was back (the proper way to carry a 1911 is with a round in the chamber, the hammer back, and the safety on) she asked me "Isn't that dangerous."
My answer to her: "Yes, that's the point of owning a pistol. They're dangerous when you need them to be."
She smiled, got the point, and went about her day.
Re:fuckin a (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:4, Interesting)
If it were legalised and taxed there would be.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:4, Interesting)
Look, it's very simple. I'm a Mexican living in Mexico, I also know more cities of the us than most us citizens. Drugs are consumed in Mexico (at a tenth of the price, btw), by some people and that ain't never going to go away neither here nor there in the us.
We cannot, because your government will not let us, decriminalize consumption in Mexico. And it wouldn't do as much good as it could because if they aren't legal up there then most of the Dough that comes here, that buys guns and officials and blood, will still be puouring in.
We need an international effort to legalize personal production of all personally produceable drugs. Not public consumption, not a blanket for junkies, but just a way for people to use their freedom in NOT helping the cartels.
As a side note, we could also start subsidizing legal drug prime matter, such as opium poppy and coca plant so that pfizer and all those Bauer fuckers would buy from the guys that now make the prime matter for illegal drugs. If you've ever seen a porter business analysis you will see that this two pronged strategy hits at both sides of the drug cartel business.
Re:History Repeating (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:4, Interesting)
Most of them are being shipped south across the border. They need something to haul back after they sell all the drugs up here, after all.
You would make a great truck broker (booking loads for the return trip), but the weapons that the cartels are using are not readily available in the US. They are far easier to acquire from the Mexican army deserters and the southern border. [davekopel.com]
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:3, Interesting)
It isn't dangerous. Especially not if he is carrying a series 80 1911. If you like, see if you can find someone with one that will let you wear it for a few days. You don't have to chamber it or anything. Just cock it, flip on the safety, and wear it. Go jogging if you like. Do yardwork. Home improvement. Whatever you like. You will find, at the end of the day, that the hammer is still locked back.
You could, even, leave the safety off. The sear is pretty aggressive. It won't let go if you don't pull the trigger. The safety is there to be extra sure, not as the only means of safety.
Modern firearms that fire without a trigger pull are poorly built, poorly maintained, or they've been garage gunsmithed.
Between this and Wikileaks... (Score:3, Interesting)
Between this and Wikileaks, what's Big Brother supposed to do? It was supposed to be his game. Looks like he fumbled the ball, and the average Joe ran with it. At least, that's how it looks for now...
Re:It's refreshing (Score:1, Interesting)
...one of the tourist towns, ie Cancun....
The zetas are here too, and Acapulco. Here they just found 12 cadavers thrown into a cenote a couple of months ago. God knows how many more haven't been found yet. In Acapulco, it's even worse. Some of the warfare is a little too close to the beach for comfort.
Besides legalization, I would like to see a massive tourist boycott until the authorities clean up their act.
On this subject I don't want to put even my nick on these posts. But I am asking for help.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:3, Interesting)
"The top-heavy distibution of wealth in the U.S. requires more of a real executive's drug, cocaine, which is not grown here"
Some if it IS grown here, for pharmaceutical production. Live plant stock is provided by Enaco S.A.
I just provided them with a couple of hydroponic production sheds - coca is still quite legal and widespread in Peru, and the entire Andes mountain region has a huge market of coca teas, granola bars, cookies, etc.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:3, Interesting)
What ended the black market in liquor was the corner liquor store that sells to anyone, without question. If you have an ID that says you are 18, they can sell to you. And there is always a way to get someone else to buy for you if you aren't 18.
The only way we get out of the black market in drugs is for there to be a corner drug store without any restrictions. And end drug tests for employment. Open and legal drug consumption for all.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:4, Interesting)
We cannot, because your government will not let us, decriminalize consumption in Mexico.
I think you guys just did [nytimes.com] about a year ago.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:3, Interesting)
So I actually agree with the general point of your post. I was raised hunting and shooting and I agree that prohibition is a losing strategy (although I vehemently disagree that it's necessary to routinely carry a loaded weapon around for your personal safety, but that's an argument for another day). But I'll play devil's advocate because there are a couple things I disagree with.
The only purpose of a firearm is to kill/maim. They are weapons. Always. It's what they are designed for. There is absolutely no other practical use for them.
Usually the targets aren't human, and usually gun owners don't use them to commit crimes, but that's what they are. Suggesting that there are certain cases where an operational firearm is *not* a weapon is insincere. As a gun owner, you should always be aware of the fact that your gun is a machine designed to kill.
I'm not so much worried about them taking over the country, but to say that militia movements aren't a threat is definitely not true. A good example being the Oklahoma City bombing [wikipedia.org] in 1995. Also, many militia movements in rural areas are closely associated with white supremacist groups. I grew up in rural Eastern Oregon/Idaho and those groups are not all talk. They are very serious, and they do carry out violent attacks against minorities when they think they can get away with it. I think it's justified that the feds monitor these groups.
Re:It's refreshing (Score:4, Interesting)
I've decided to self-censor myself because I'm tired of being marked "troll".
Wow, moderation actually works. Cool!
Oh and I agree that legalizing marijuana/cocaine growing in the US would basically end the war. Mexican and South American druglords could no longer fund their wars without that money.
You would think so, but the root of the problem is deeper than that. Latin America has always been torn apart by various factions wanting power, even before the drug wars started. Corruption is encouraged, but not caused by drugs. Latin American countries will continue to have these issues even after drugs are legalized.
Consider that Canada is just as much a supplier of drugs to the US as Mexico is, and yet Canada isn't torn apart by war. The major issues won't be fixed in Mexico by legalizing drugs, although it might hide them deeper under the surface.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:3, Interesting)
My only problem with the Cig tax is all the complaints that its way too high, but then theres all the evidence that shows that it isn't even high enough to cover the health problems created by it.
Granted, I'm from Canada, and its more of a problem here since the taxes on cigs more directly pay the health care bills of the folks sucking them back, but still, our cig tax is higher, and still not high enough. They have gotten it a lot closer to enough in recent years though. I think the last time I saw them do a study on it, the total was sitting around 70% of the estimated health care costs(purely related to cigs) were taken care of by the cig taxes.
It has gotten so bad that they're close to letting doctors here in a lot of provinces refuse to treat you if you smoke, purely on the basis that you smoke. Its actually a fair policy. You're doing something thats very very bad for you, willfully, that is going to increase work load to treat you in any way. Certain anesthetics will outright kill you because of reactions to cig chemicals, the ones that will work without killing you have a much higher chance of killing you. Your BP and other stats are going to be messed up and harder to use as indicators of anything... theres just so many problems related to it.
I'm not saying ban it, I'm just saying make the taxes on certain products reflective of their real costs.
Re:We aren't crazy (Score:3, Interesting)
That's such bullshit. Most Americans have always seen guns as just another cool, dangerous tool, like a power saw or dynamite. Teenagers and foreigners are the only people who buy into the bullshit about guns from the American media. It's a fantasy, like porn, and adult Americans know this.
Many, maybe even most, of the people in my area own guns, and almost all of them treat them with the utmost respect and care. None of them are trying to recreate The Matrix with their deer rifles.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:4, Interesting)
They're not coming from the US, that's for sure.
Small time shit? Maybe. The cartels? Not a fucking chance. They have M16s (which aren't the domestic firearm that you see typical American citizens buying; M16s are fully automatic, and would run you or I several thousand dollars and some big-time licenses from the ATF). They have AK47s. They have fucking grenade launchers.
This crime, down in Mexico? It's not a few gangs running around scrounging up supplies. It's large paramilitary organizations. They have no interest in Pappy's scattergun. They want military arms.
I think the border should be closed. By mexico (Score:3, Interesting)
If Mexico simply closed the border, with force. Stopped ALL americans from entering, the problem would be solved.
Because it is the US that is the problem, not Mexico. The US taste for drugs causes problems around the globe. Isolate the US and the drug trade ceases. The US are clearly to incompetent and to poor to patrol their own borders, so someone else should do it for them. Maybe the UN should blokkade the US :P
And the US could hardly protest, after all, they are against drugs aren't they? So UN ships blokkading their harbours would be a powerful move in the war on drugs.
Unless of course the war on drugs is merely a ruse for a different agenda... but that couldn't be, could it?
Basically the problem is that small countries cannot fight the endless stream of money that the American drug users generate. Similar problem to Iraq/Iran being able to wield large armies in a poor region from western oil money.
You can't stop the flow of drugs, so stop the flow of money.
Re:American Guns!! Yay NRA!! (Score:3, Interesting)
100 years ago there was no way to internationally distribute drugs on a large scale.
I really hope you're not American, because if you are you should go back to school, take a history lesson, and see why a lot of states were colonised in the first place. Start with Virginia...
Re:It's appeasement. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:It's refreshing (Score:1, Interesting)
4) Violent and property crime rates in other border states have also dropped significantly over the last decade.
(numbers from 1998 to 2008 which is most recently available data)
California: Violent crime down 28%, Property crime down 19%
New Mexico: Violent crime down 32%, Property crime down 32%
Texas: Violent crime down 10%, Property crime down 12%
If anything, this would seem to prove that increasing numbers of illegal aliens causes a drastic reduction in crime.
If the republicans really were "tough on crime" they would be supporting illegal immigration.
Re:We aren't crazy (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:fuckin a (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:It's refreshing (Score:3, Interesting)
Most crime among illegal immigrants goes unreported. When they make contact with law enforcement, that opens them up to deportation.