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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Mexico becoming like Somalia?

[If all you want to do right now is enjoy the inauguration and feel good about a change finally coming, quit reading right now, and come back another day. My mood has not been celebratory as I read so many articles of problems that seem way too big for fixing. We will definitely need a lot of luck in the next four years as well as skill.]

Among the questions that might limit a person's capability of making a dream come true, it is impossible to ignore what has been happening in Mexico and in many other places around the world. While the media's interest has been centered on terrorism from Muslim sources, what about what is going on closer to home?

This week I read an article about how Mexico has the potential to break apart and become another Somalia with pirates and a government unwilling or incapable of controlling anything. Unfortunately I didn't bookmark it at the time, but it was easy to find a lot of articles warning of the same thing: Mexican violence growing, "Join us or die", and Intelligence study predicts more Mexican violence.

Americans, who do not live in border states and who don't read about the kidnappings for ransoms and killings, the police forces that often the citizens would be afraid to call for fear of which side they were on, often see the Mexican situation purely in terms of a source to get their illegal drugs or inexpensive laborers.

Oh you think most Americans disapprove of illegals coming up here for jobs? If those jobs weren't here, they wouldn't come. How many have all too happily paid construction or landscaping contractors who they clearly know are hiring illegals but the price is too good to miss and after all they are one degree removed from a crime, right?

The violence problem isn't in the laborers, who are often good people. It's who brings them and the drugs across the line. It is what has been created in the doing of it.

If you live in Arizona, you know what it's like and how the border has changed. My first time down there was 1965 and as young adults, we could play out in the desert, walk up arroyos and only have to worry about rattlesnakes. There weren't coyotes (the human kind), who started out just bringing across illegals but were soon bringing up drugs (or was it the other way around?).

Back then I could go anywhere in Nogales with an easy walk across the border and it was fun to shop. It seemed like it would have been a good place to live, not a lot of money but a good feeling from the people who sold their crafts with pride. Ask if it's good today with kidnappings, gun battles between rival drug gangs, and those who have moved into the border because of the opportunities.

I have seen the change on both sides of the border. I remember one of our trips into Arizona's back country, dirt and gravel roads down along the border, and having a militia jeep in camouflage speed up to check us out, followed by half an hour later, closer to the border, a fast driving Border agent. I know what is in the back country and how risky it can be to see the wrong thing.

Another time, we were driving one of those back roads and saw ahead two vehicles blocking the road. We slowed. Was it neighbors visiting or something that would mean we needed to have our own gun ready? The vehicles broke apart for us to pass. We always traveled with a gun down there-- in the open as the concealed permit up here is not good in Arizona but open carry is permitted in the back country. It likely wouldn't have been enough protection given the kind of people one might come across and who you don't want to come across.

As far back as 2000, I saw how Nogales had changed (in case anyone wants to blame this only on Bush). The feel of the street had an undercurrent that made me very uncomfortable and from what I have read, it's only gotten worse. I wouldn't go there anymore and wouldn't need the current US government warning to know it; or if you do, to go alert. How could that have happened to such a joyful little town?

From what I am reading (and it is especially scary to me with a home in Arizona but should be to all Americans as what starts one place grows), Mexico is a nation much in danger of having a totally ineffective government, where violence is more and more uncontrolled-- and sometimes is the 'government.' What if Mexico does become another Somalia? That border fence that was never finished, barely started, it won't contain what grows there.

Dreams have to be practical and they grow best in fertile soil. What kind of soil are we as a nation preparing for ourselves? I don't say we can blame our own government for what is going wrong in Mexico, but we better not kid ourselves about what it is. It is another huge problem that Obama is inheriting and that often isn't even discussed. We need to be thinking of some answers if we don't want those kidnappings to spread up here. In case you thought it was just the wealthy, it is not. When a culture runs amok, the most ruthless take what they want.

Joint Forces report warns Mexico and Pakistan could destabilize. One is on our border and the other with nukes. Is this what the Bush administration meant by the spread of democracy?

Rice gave Bush a going away gift of five flags representing countries he had liberated as the Senate and House praised themselves on their own good work: [A Plaque on all their Houses by Dana Milbank]. They might fool themselves and think by saying something it will be true, but the American people better be a little more realistic-- a lot more.

I know how many people would rather not even read something like this, but it's there and not knowing won't make it go away. Being prepared, coming up with real ideas to make a difference, that could make it go away. It better because if we remain blind, what is coming ahead will be worse than what has been behind.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rain the situation in Mexico is very unstable and is getting worse. Drug cartels, vicius gangs and corrupt police and corrupt government officials only spell trouble for Mexico and by extension the United States !!

Kay Dennison said...

As I work with the Mexicans who live and work in our area, I know a lot about what is happening there.

I do a lot of research for my boss and what I've learned is horrifying. If I were Mexican, I would be heading north, too.

The Central American countries like Guatemala and Honduras are suffering the same problems. It's really, really sad.

Ingineer66 said...

This is really scary. To have a nation on our border on the brink of a civil war and with a huge criminal element involved will be bad for the US. In the 1800's when this went on it did not really affect most Americans, but now with the modern world it could be a big blow to us.

Greybeard said...

Mexico?
Yes rain, I agree with everything you said. Good for you for speaking the truth on the issue.

Now let's talk about the world in general-
Much of the world is becoming as unstable as is Mexico. Do we ignore the problem as we have in Mexico, and "Hope for Change"?

Yes, we're in big trouble. But let's not stick our heads in the sand.

Anonymous said...

Although I felt that this ceremony was ill-thought out and honestly laughable, perhaps there is a purpose to it. For it reminds me that this administration has come to an end, and that's the positive in it.

An Irish stand up comedian that I am a fan of said on tv today, that "the end of the Bush era is a disaster for my profession, what can we joke about with Obama? We all love him, and we are fec*in glad he's arrived".

And I second that, without the expletive.

Greybeard said...

Umm, errrr, ahhhh, hold on a minute ainelivia!
I can't hear myself think!

There'll be plenty of comedy forthcoming. Question is, will comics have the fortitude and honesty to use it?

Rain Trueax said...

This is another article on this topic, something Americans should be thinking about but likely are not: from a Border Rat

Saúl said...

Yes, Mexico do has a lot of problems: crime, corruption, poverty, incredible irresponsible politicians, but it is far from going through the same path like Somalia or even Pakistan did. It is too easy for Mexicans and Americans to blame each other for some of the problems we have in our countries, but what we should notice is that, after all, we are on the same boat and at least we should be thinking on cooperation, on understanding our common problems.

Rain Trueax said...

Thanks for the post, Saul. We do share a common concern that our countries can grow stronger and it will make all our lives better. It's a worrisome time and I hope you are right about Mexico. It is a country that many Americans feel very connected to.

Anonymous said...

Just returned from Lake Chapala, Mexico from Novemeber 2011 to 2012. It is worse than the press reports. 34 Mexicans missing since April 16th from Lake Chapala. Most web Board are censored coming from Lake Chapala. US Press covers northern Mexico well or worst atrocities.

Rin don't walk from Lake Chapala