I’m not one to tell people what they can and cannot do. Heck if they want to consume drugs go right ahead, go all out for all I care. I’m not against the consumption, people have the god given right to think and to make a choice. I’m against the industry of drugs, the industry that has been created due to the lack of legalization. An industry that is destroying families and entire countries with corruption and death like Mexico and Columbia, this industry is violent, corrupt, and ruthlessly savage.
As some of you know, I grew up in Tijuana, BC and as a child I would play out on the street as late as 11pm during the summer months. It was a quite city back then. Native Tijuanenses are nice hospitable, noble, hardworking Mexicans just as you would have found in other small cities and towns throughout Mexico in the 70’s and even till this day. Yet in the late 80’s there started to be a change not only in Tijuana but in the whole country. DRUGS started to be a big business and a few business people with connections started to see how easy and lucrative this industry was. By the early 90’s Tijuana was not as safe as it was but as long as you did not go looking for trouble you where fine, trouble stayed away. The first time there was a public act of violence the whole city was in shock. In the past people had gotten gun down in front of their homes, on an empty road, or taken to an isolated area and got shot down execution style. Although this time a drug runner pulled out his gun and shot a guy while inside a crowed trendy club in Pueblo Amigo a highly trafficked shopping mall and a place that I frequented just about every weekend during the summer months with my sister Julieta and all my college friends. This was an isolated incident but it scared people enough that the place closed down because people stopped going. Saturday night was suppose to be a day that you hung out with your friends, drink a few wine coolers, and flirted a little with the cute boys, it was defiantly not suppose to be a day where you had to worry but who is carrying a gun. By the late 90’s there where shootings between drug lords and their rival gangs fighting for the control of the market. See Tijuana is the largest port of entry in the world he whom controls Tijuana controls a very large part of the U.S. sales.
In 2000, my family as so many other fortunate families had to relocate to San Diego, CA due to the unsafe and dangerous environment that was on the rise. I say fortunate because so many others are unable to immigrate or relocate and take their families out of harm’s way. They are force to live among the increasing violence and corruption. For my family and I, the scariest part and the breaking point of our move was that we lived right next a drug lord, whose home was a corner house, the same color, the same street number, and he had three daughters…way to close for comfort especially when revenge killers just kidnap, rap, mutilate, and they do not ask for ids. Oops we hit the wrong faee from mily. So my parents packed up their bags, put their home up for rent and over the boarder they went. A rent sign went up, because we still have hope that that wonderful city that saw my siblings and I grow up into hard working productive members to socity will once again be free one day. Free from the violance, free from the murders, free as it once was noble and welcoming to all that wanted to call it home.
Now in 2009, people don’t even flinch when they hear gun fire or hear that there was a 3 hour shootout between police and drug gangs. It’s the inevitable truth of the daily thread of life in Tijuana. There are beheadings on a daily bases and the saddest thing is that its only going to get worse before it gets any better. Unless drugs such as marijuana (the major drug being sold and grown from Mexico) becomes legalized. With legalization comes better control, it would be an industry protected by anti monopoly laws. The same thing that happened with the left on the band of alcohol would happen with drugs.
Currently there are towns in Mexico where farmers are forced by the drug cartels to grow marijuana. Farmers are not able to grow corn and beans to feed their families anymore. They are being exploited by the drug cartels and getting paid very little or nothing at all. For others their lands are being taken away and the lucky ones are killed while the others are being put into modern day slavery. All this because it’s an illegal substance and because someone wants to light up. Simple supply and demand, and there will always be a demand.
The band on mariguana and other drugs is a big busness for both the drug cartels saling it and the governments preventing the sale. It’s a win/win for all the people on the top. Presidents look good, politicians make money, cartels make money, and the people are let with the aftermath and an inhumane quality of life.
If you want to stop the spread of rabies you don’t kill the bitten, you kill the dog.
Don’t turn your back on the problem…speak up!!!!
[...] about Mexico Violence as of August 15, 2009 Saturday, August 15, 2009 Say No to the Drug Industry…not Drugs. – celiaflores.net 08/15/2009 I’m not one to tell people what they can and cannot do. [...]
Debaters debate the two wars as if Nixon’s civil war on Woodstock Nation didn’t yet run amok. One needn’t travel to China to find indigenous cultures lacking human rights or to Cuba for political prisoners. America leads the world in percentile behind bars, thanks to ongoing persecution of hippies, radicals, and non-whites under banner of the war on drugs. If we’re all about spreading liberty abroad, then why mix the message at home? Peace on the home front would enhance credibility.
The drug czar’s Rx for prison fodder costs dearly, as lives are flushed down expensive tubes. My shaman’s second opinion is that psychoactive plants are God’s gift. In God’s eyes, it’s all good (Gen.1:12). The administration claims it wants to reduce demand for cartel product, but extraditing Canadian seed vendor Marc Emery increases demand. Mr. Emery enables American farmers to steal cartel customers with superior domestic product.
The constitutionality of the CSA (Controlled Substances Act of 1970) derives from an interstate commerce clause. This clause is invoked to finance organized crime, endanger homeland security, and throw good money after bad. Official policy is to eradicate, not tax, the number-one cash crop in the land. America rejected prohibition, but it’s back. Apparently, SWAT teams don’t need no stinking amendment.
Nixon promised the Schafer Commission would support the criminalization of his enemies, but it didn’t. No matter, the witch-hunt was on. No amendments can assure due process under an anti-science law without due process itself. Psychology hailed the breakthrough potential of LSD, until the CSA halted all research. Marijuana has no medical use, period.
The RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993) allows Native American Church members to eat peyote, which functions like LSD. Americans shouldn’t need a specific church membership to obtain their birthright freedom of religion. Denial of entheogen sacrament to any American, for mediation of communion with his or her maker, precludes the free exercise of religious liberty.
Freedom of speech presupposes freedom of thought. The Constitution doesn’t enumerate any governmental power to embargo diverse states of mind. How and when did government usurp this power to coerce conformity? The Mayflower sailed to escape coerced conformity. Legislators who would limit cognitive liberty lack jurisdiction.
Common-law must hold that adults own their bodies. The Founding Fathers decreed the right to the pursuit of happiness is inalienable. Socrates said to know your self. Lawmakers should not presume to thwart the intelligent design that molecular keys unlock spiritual doors. Persons who appreciate their own free choice of path in life should tolerate seekers’ self-exploration.
Simple majorities in each house could put repeal of the CSA on the president’s desk. The books have ample law on them without the CSA. The usual caveats remain in effect. You are liable for damages when you screw up. Strong medicine requires prescription. Employees can be fired for poor job performance. No harm, no foul; and no excuse, either. Replace the war on drugs with a frugal, constitutional, science-based drugs policy.
Hi Bill, thanks for your input.