A Salute To The Citizens Of Mexico

[Franchot]

I often slam Mexico for allowing so many of its citizens to live in such poor living conditions that they must illegally cross into the United States to enjoy a decent life. Glad to see so many Mexican citizens rising up and challenging their corrupt government.

Over 150,000 March In Mexico Against Crime

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - More than 150,000 Mexicans dressed in white marched on Saturday to protest a wave of kidnappings and gruesome murders, putting pressure on President Felipe Calderon to meet his promises to crack down on crime.

Demonstrators filled the capital's historic Zocalo Square, holding candles and pictures of kidnap victims and bearing signs that read, "Enough Is Enough."

People marched in cities throughout the country, including along the U.S.-Mexico border where increasingly brazen drug gangs are battling each other for control of smuggling routes. More than 2,300 people have been killed in drug murders this year.

Long used to violent crime, Mexicans were nevertheless outraged by the kidnapping and murder of Fernando Marti, 14, whose body was found in a car trunk in Mexico City on August 1, even though his businessman father had paid a ransom.

"We are prisoners in our own homes," said Maricarmen Alcocer, 40, a housewife.

Mexico is one of the worst countries in the world for abductions, along with conflict zones like Iraq and Colombia.

Protester Manuel Ramirez, 50, who has not seen his daughter Monica since she was kidnapped in 2004, complained that criminals were becoming bolder.

"They are more bloodthirsty, they make their victims disappear, they mutilate them, they cut their ears off just as in the case of my daughter. We do not know where she is," Ramirez said.

Kidnappings jumped almost 40 percent between 2004 and 2007, according to official statistics. Police say there were 751 kidnappings in Mexico last year, but independent crime research institute ICESI says the real number could be above 7,000.

Calderon, Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard and state governors held an emergency crime summit last week and vowed to stamp out abductions and violent crime.

CORRUPT POLICE

Most crimes in Mexico go unsolved, with corrupt police and justice officials often complicating investigations. Several policemen were arrested for Marti's kidnapping.

Drug violence has also exploded in the past three years as Mexico's most-wanted man, escaped convict Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, takes on the Gulf cartel and other gangs for control of the drug trade.

Eleven headless bodies were dumped in a small town in the Yucatan peninsula on Thursday and another decapitated corpse was found nearby. Police suspect the Gulf cartel, and Mexican media say the victims were likely alive when their heads were cut off.

Calderon sent 25,000 troops and federal police against the drug cartels after he took office in December 2006, but killings have increased.

While much of the drug violence is between rival smugglers and does not affect ordinary Mexicans, kidnappings and robberies at gunpoint are common threats.

Protesters were angry at both Calderon and Ebrard, a possible leftist presidential candidate in 2012.

"The message is: Get to work or we'll hold you accountable. We're angry," said Eduardo Gallo, an accountant whose 25-year-old daughter was kidnapped in 2000 and murdered.

Hundreds of thousands of people held a similar anti-crime march in Mexico City in 2004.

[Ky-Fi]

And along these lines, I would argue that there's definitely some racism underlying the liberal immigration, "open borders" mentality: "those brown-skinned people simply aren't capable of creating a decent country like ours, so we need to protect them and let them come and live in the US."

Instead, I think that movements like the one above are much more beneficial to the people of Mexico---Mexicans are certainly capable of creating a civil society where rule of law predominates, and that's the underlying belief that should shape US policy, IMO.

[Jason]

And along these lines, I would argue that there's definitely some racism underlying the liberal immigration, "open borders" mentality: "those brown-skinned people simply aren't capable of creating a decent country like ours, so we need to protect them and let them come and live in the US."


We need a grasping-at-straws smiley.

[Ky-Fi]

We need a grasping-at-straws smiley.

Actually, I would argue that much of the left-wing orthodoxy regarding "other" cultures is simply the 21st century update of the colonial mentality of the "white man's burden" and the "noble savage".

[Mordred]

We need a grasping-at-straws smiley.:lol: :up:

[Ky-Fi]

:lol: :up:

Yes, as the debating skills of numerous members of this forum are predicated upon smileys, I can definitely see how more of them would be useful.

[DVD Polizei]

And along these lines, I would argue that there's definitely some racism underlying the liberal immigration, "open borders" mentality: "those brown-skinned people simply aren't capable of creating a decent country like ours, so we need to protect them and let them come and live in the US."

Instead, I think that movements like the one above are much more beneficial to the people of Mexico---Mexicans are certainly capable of creating a civil society where rule of law predominates, and that's the underlying belief that should shape US policy, IMO.

I have to wonder why the US hasn't helped along this type of thinking in Mexico, who is our next-door neighbor, rather than some place thousands of miles away, called Iraq.

[Ky-Fi]

I have to wonder why the US hasn't helped along this type of thinking in Mexico, who is our next-door neighbor, rather than some place thousands of miles away, called Iraq.

I think that's a very valid point (well, maybe not to the extent of invasion :) )

But yeah, if the average Mexican had enough economic and social opportunity and security within Mexico, the immigration issue would be largely moot. Then, instead of building giant walls with armed patrols trying to stop waves of destitute people from crosssing, our border with Mexico could instead resemble the US-Canadian border situation.

[Vandelay_Inds]

:lol: :up:

:down:-ohbfrank-

[Ron G]

Actually, I would argue that much of the left-wing orthodoxy regarding "other" cultures is simply the 21st century update of the colonial mentality of the "white man's burden" and the "noble savage".

I have had students of color make this very claim.

[VinVega]

The underlying cause of Mexico's crime problem is the US's thirst for illegal drugs. Luckily, we have "the war on drugs," so this shouldn't be a problem much longer. :up:

[Dr Mabuse]

:lol: