A Grave Situation on the Border

When I first saw the Following Story, I thought that it might be too tragic for me to employ my normal brand of Terse and [admittedly] Sarcastic [and semi-humorous to humorous] Writing. It is a Story about a horrible Tragedy, that is being repeated far too often in the Northern States of Mexico -- and it is now spreading throughout Central America. The Drug Wars in Northern Mexico are, in my less than Humble, Arrogant, and Blustery Opinion, underrepresented among the Stories covered by United States and other Western Media. This recent Story, demonstrates the Brutality and Sad Reality that People in Border Regions have complained about for some time.

Story about Mass Graves in Durango Mexico on CNN.com International

Juarez Mexico, a single City in Northern Mexico, recorded its 3,000th Drug Gang related Death for 2010 in December of that year. Doing a little Elementary School Math, that works out to an Average of 250 Deaths per Month. If any American City recorded that many Deaths in a Month, our Government would declare Martial Law. Since it has happened in Mexico, it barely triggers any alarms among our Political Leaders.

Story of the 3,000th Drug Cartel Related Death in Juarez Mexico on CNN.com International

Someone reading these words might now say, "Hey Dufus, didn't you just post two Stories posted by a United States based Media Outlet?" True enough [Why did you call me a "Dufus"? That's rude!] These two stories that I have posted here, while offering brief views into the Violence, Corruption, and seeming Hopelessness associated with the Actions of these Mexican Drug Cartels, do not BEGIN to really Educate Americans about the Depth, and Urgency, of this Situation. Take a look at this Story from the Guardian UK:

Banks Laundering Mexican Drug Cartel Money

This last Story begins to add a little Depth to the understanding the Situation. Banks are involved in Laundering Drug Money. Are any little Light Bulbs appearing over anyone's Head about now? [I hope so!] If the Banks are involved, who else might be involved? When large Sums of Money are moved around, at least in United States Banks, Bells and Whistles are supposed to go off, and the associated Transactions are supposed to be scrutinized for Illicit Activities. Something failed though. The Money flowed for a long time before ANYTHING was inspected. Was that just a fluke? Take a look again at Story above and note that $378.4 Billion that was going unchecked by Wachovia Bank from Mexican Currency Exchange Facilities. Places where Drug Money could easily be Laundered. A simple oversight?

Is the Money the real issue here? [Don't be dense! You know the answer to this one!] NO! The REAL ISSUE HERE IS . . . where was the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Eyes of our Legislators and President? Apparently, they were not focused on the activities of the Drug Cartels. For all of the Gassy and Long-On-Promises type Speeches made by President Obama, and others in our Government, little if anything has been done to stem the Activities of the Drug Cartels. While we sent Planes, Missiles, Rhetoric, and Bombs to Libya at the first sign of "Peril" to Libyan Citizens, tens of thousands of Mexicans Citizens, and [You didn't know this!] numerous Citizens of the United States are being killed by the Cartels.

New York Times Report on Mexican Drug Cartel Related Deaths

Video Report on Arizona Police being Threatened by Drug Cartels

Mexican Drug Cartel Boss Arrested in Yakima Washington

We are only getting bits and pieces of Information about the Scope of the Issue on the United States side of the Border. If Drug Cartel Bosses are living in and among us in the United States, how have they escaped the Notice of our Federal Law Enforcement Agencies? [Hmm . . . This IS Baffling, no?] Take a look at the Estimates of the Amounts of Income Derived from the Drug Cartels's Activities:

Story in Homeland Security Today about the Drug Cartels

The number of Estimated Deaths in Mexico is around 35,000 since the Mexican Government [foolishly] began a Crackdown on the Drug Cartels a few years ago, under President Felipe Calderon. The "Official" amount of Income from Cartel Drug and Related Activities is estimated to somewhere between $35 Billion [Yes, Billion with a 'B"! Surprise!] and $45 Billion. The Cartels are also thought to engage in Ransom Kidnapping, Murder for Hire, and a number of other Gruesome Services. No one can honestly say just how much actual Money is involved, because the Accountants for the Drug Cartels are not talking.

Now, you might ask yourself, "So what is this Dufus getting at with all this Informational Shit?" [Again with the "Dufus"? You ARE rude!] Well, think about this: It is believed that one of the Factors that has made Mexico so vulnerable to the influence of the Drug Cartels is the Crushing Poverty that exists there. In spite of the Shining Promises made prior to the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA], little has changed in the Mexican Economy. While there is a claim that over a Million Mexicans are employed in the Export Assembly Plants, also known as "Maquiladoras," the actual amount of Income that they provide to the Workers, and Mexico as a whole, is in question. The "Maquiladora" Operators are accused of underpaying, failing to pay Workers at all, and of closing up many of the Plants and moving to places like Bangladesh, where Labor is even cheaper and no one pays attention to working conditions, or the Environmental Damage done by the Plants.

The result is this, Mexico is no better off now that before NAFTA. This has left the Door wide open for Groups like the Drug Cartels to move in, and provide income to People desperate for Money. [Eating is kind of nice] If the choice is between Eating, living Indoors, doing something illegal, and not Eating, not Living Indoors, and doing nothing at all for income, guess which choice wins? Lots of People are employed in the Business of Producing and Transporting Drugs [Primarily WEED, SMOKE, SPLIFF, GANJA, MARIJUANA, in this Case] to various Destinations throughout the United States, and all of North America. 

Now, think even harder [If you can!] about the implications for a United States Workforce scrambling for Jobs [other than the 50,000 "Good Jobs" McDonalds recently made a big deal over] and desperate for Income. Is it possible that Mexican Drug Cartels could gain a real Foothold inside the United States? Take a look at an Interactive Map produced by National Public Radio in 2009 [Yes THAT NPR!]:

NPR Interactive Drug Cartel Map

Well, apparently the Cartels are already here! [Did we even throw a Welcoming Party?] The $45 Billion Question is: How long will it be before we start seeing the level of Violence here that is taking place in Mexico now? How do we know for certain that we are not already seeing that Violence being realized on our Lands right now? Is it possible that the Cartels are, as they do in Mexico, intimidating Media to ignore and under report their Activities? Are Federal and Local Law Enforcement Agencies being corrupted by Drug Cartel Money? And most importantly, what happens if the Economy gets much worse? Will more "Everyday Americans" [Like YOU, you Traitor!] start getting involved in the Drug Trade?

We do not have the answers to these questions yet, but these are clearly things to think about. Perhaps it is time to cut the Crap about the whole Illegal Immigration nonsense [leave the Poor Slobs alone that are coming here to Pick Vegetables and Fruits, work in Horrible Sweatshops and other Exploitive Jobs], and focus more directly on the Activities of the most Dangerous People crossing the Border, Drug Cartels? Only Time will tell.