Comments on: Mexico: The War Next Door

60 Minutes: Homeland Security Secretary Says Every American Has A Stake In Mexico's War Against Murderous Gangs

[Freedom_First]

powiedzcos says, "WE the US need to fight and prosecute all the drug smugglers or start legalizing drugs."

The people who founded the U.S. were smugglers, gun owners, and tax resistors. The Founders did not recognize the authority of any government to interfere with honest trade, peaceful behavior, or the right to bear arms. Ultimately, they refused to be stopped and searched for guns and contraband. These facts are the origin of the Second and Fourth Amendments, the heart and soul of this Republic.

Thus, drug fighters, illegalizers, and gun controlers are traitors. In addition to being traitors, they are violent criminals because they kill, assault, rob, and arrest peaceful human beings. They are also terrorists because they target civilians.

Thus, the only correct policy is to restore freedom (legalize). [e-mail]

[powiedzcos]

We were just about to travel to Mexico but after watching this show we had to cancel the trip?. Just don?t want to take the chances.

So, if there are many more people like me this is going to seriously affect the Mexican economy. No tourists, no US money coming in.

I hope that Mexico will clean its country from corruption and kill most of the scum that smuggle and deals with drugs. But also, WE the US need to fight and prosecute all the drug smugglers or start legalizing drugs.

[twah]

I own a vacation rental property in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. I am not minimizing the number of people killed in drug wars in Mexico. However, you don't have to go to Mexico to find this type of violence. This is a sampling of news stories in Grand Rapids, Michigan related to drug trafficking:

The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - October 3, 2008
Terrance Seymour ROCKFORD -- Anger over marijuana prices preceded a shooting that left a father of two bleeding to death in front of his infant child, his fiancee and his mother-in-law. Fawn Gross ... »
!
Grand Rapids chief district judge's son faces drug charges
www.topix.com - August 18, 2008


Drug dealer convicted in teen's death loses appeal
WWMT NEWSCHANNEL 3 - August 13, 2008
A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of a drug dealer whose heroin was .

Grand Rapids Township arrest ends large indoor marijuana-growing operation, police say
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - July 2, 2008
where: Attach this Story to a Place!

Teen shot during alleged drug deal, police say
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - June 10, 2008


Union: Grand Rapids school reports are misclassified to hide problems
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - April 19, 2008
Grand Rapids Public Schools leaders are hiding the number of weapons, drugs and other incidents in the city schools by describing them as less-threatening offenses on district safety reports, teach... »
5 deaths have drug, prostitution ties, but police doubt Wyoming case is related to others


Cookie the dog, poisoned by cocaine, is euthanized The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - March 26, 2008

Kent County drug raids net 6 suspects, $74,832
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - March 13, 2008
...

Man busted for trying to steal drugs
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - February 21, 2008


Police: Cocaine killed man stricken in cruiser
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com - January 2, 2008

Five accused of bringing 2,200 pounds of pot here
blog.mlive.com - November 28, 2007

Drug dealer sentenced to 35 years
blog.mlive.com - September 18, 2007


Dolan: Weapons are a drug in neighborhoods
www.mlive.com - August 15, 2007

Alleged dealer nabbed
www.mlive.com - June 23, 2007
Grand Rapids man busted with $250,000 worth of coke
www.woodtv.com - June 7, 2007


Brothers await sentences in murder of dealer
www.mlive.com - May 14, 2007

where: Attach this Story to a Place!
what: drugs · murders · sentencings · trials
Drug traces found in Grand Rapids drinking water
www.woodtv.com - April 23, 2007
...

When I go to Puerto Vallarta I feel safer there than I do in Grand Rapids. There is not one neighborhood I would be afraid to walk late at night in Puerto Vallarta. I cannot say the same from Grand Rapids. Please balance your coverage with the "drug war" on this side of the border. Mexico depends upon tourism for many of the jobs. Yes, the border states can be a dangerous place. However the tourist areas are probably safer than most American cities.

[arthurggggg]

Those missiles, hand grenades, belt fed machineguns, are stolen from the American Military. DHS cannot protect itself, much less You or your FAMILY.

[misscowgirl]

& it doesn't seem to me that they are trying to protect us, our families or our country....

[armandoRT]

I just want to tell to the 60 minutes guys that this isn't a war! This is only a show-war because that the PGR(it si like theFBI in mexico) only try to investigate the 2% of all the murders related with cartels .WITHOUT MENTION HOW CORRUPTS THEY ARE .AND YOU KNOW THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT GENARO GARCIA LUNA (this guy worked as leader of the goverment spy agency for the former president FOX ) AND NOW HE'S THE PFP (it's like prevent federal police ) SO THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THIS GUY IS WORKING FOR THE SINALOA CARTEL ...IN 2006 WHEN THE GOVERMENT SECETARY JUAN CAMILO MURINO THE MOST CLOSER PERSON TO PRESIDENT CALDERON ,IN THAT TIME THIS GUY WAS MAKING LIKE INTERVIEWS WITH IMPORTANTS PROSPECTS TO LEAD THE ENTIRE ARMY AGAIST THE DRUG CARTELS SO ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES GAVE TO MURINO A COMPLETE IMVESTIGATION WITH TESTIMONIES AND PICTURES OF THIS GUY GENARO GARCIA LUNA WORKING FOR THE SINALOA CARTEL NO MATTER ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WAS MADE PUBLIC THE PRESIDENT CALDERON DEFEND HIM STRONG ENOUGH TO SUSPECT THAT HE ALSO IS PART OF THE MAFIA AN OTHER THING THIS WAR -SHOW START IN 2006 WHEN PRESIDENT CALDERON WAS LOOKING FOR AT LEAST LOOK LIKE A PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE STOLE THE 2006 PRESIDENTIAL ELCTION..........if you're interested in real information about my beautiful but at the same time corrupt country go to reporte indigo brain media (this is a virtual magazine where you can find the real Mexico where we have politicians that their main goal is became rich instead of give education .

[kzeman]

I am offended by the general implication that the Mexican drug cartels are buying hand grenades and machine guns across the border at' the local Wal-Mart.. These people are transiting hundreds of tons of illicit material from Asia and South America. Don't you think they can afford to purchase and smuggle in real military weaponry instead of the copy-cat military STYLED weapons being sold in the US?

[Freedom_First]

librablue-2009 says, "As for making these drugs legal in order to stop these wars, does anyone really think that drug addicts will be satisfied with the allotment they will be allowed by the government if they are made legal? They will always want and need more so the problem will continue in one form or another."

librablue-2009 -- I will make a deal with you. For every "addict" that you can name that fits your description, I will name a dozen substance abuse expert idiots who are worse.

By the way, the purpose of the term "addict" is to demonize the hated other or untermenchen (inferior beings) in order to justify the barbarisms that are being committed against them in the name of the law. The creation of a scapegoat serves the purpose of power while giving a false sense of superiority to the masses with small brains.

In other words, contrary to what you have been led to believe, you do not belong to a "drug free" master race and your problems are not caused by those who are not as pure as yourself. The several hundred million humans who have been declared criminals by U.S laws are no more inferior to you than beer drinkers were inferior to the alcohol-free fascist thugs who supported the evil war against alcohol consumers, producers, and dealers. [e-mail]

[mexicoresident]

I am very disappointed in 60 Minute's lack of depth of knowledge on this topic and their condemning an entire country on the problems in a small portion of the country. They have done nothing to present any other point of view besides a near hysterical "the sky is falling" image that they must feel will up their ratings rather than present an objective view of a problem., and it's being addressed aggressively by a legitimate government of a USA ally. They ignore the cause and effect relationships creating the problem and the responsibility for the USA to engage in helping achieve the solution by addressing the causes on their side of the border. It's very unfortunate such a, heretofore, legitimate and highly regarded, news show has resorted to "yellow press of old" reporting.

[anne87120]

60 Minutes missed a golden opportunity to educate listeners and expand the public debate on the solution to drug related violence. The former presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico who co-chair the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, met on February 11, 2009, issuing a clear call for a dramatic shift in global drug policy to save their countries' governments from becoming victims of the drug war. US Drug Policycontributes to this extreme violence and threat to public safety. By decriminalizing use of drugs and providing adequate drug treatment, the US could make a huge impact on the associated violence and corruption threatening many Latin American countries. See this link for more information: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/022609report.cfm

[azuaro]

Dear CBS News,

It was mentioned:

"In Mexico there's a lot of corruption. A lot. Large shipments of drugs can't come into the Mexican ports or airports without the authorities knowing about it. It's obvious and logical. The government has to be involved in everything that is corrupt," Beltran charged.

Really?

This statement is insulting to our intelligence....

Are you telling us that these same shipments that get into Mexico's ports with the consent of Mexican authorities (corruption) then GET INTO THE US (ports) but authorities in the US are NOT CORRUPT?

Mexico does not produce COCAINE and the drug is brought to the US by air and ground which are the very same methods used for bringing it to Mexico from Colombia, Bolivia and other South American countries....

Then, what about all of the AR-15, AK-47 and M-16 rifles in the hands of México's druglords? US made grenades? US made Rocket launchers, etc?

Are these guns BEING EXPORTED from the US to México with the US consent? Or is there gun trafficking and corruption in our US authorities?

I sincerely think that we (people in the US) should acknowledge responsibility for our acts and corruption in our government in the US if we ever want the rest of the world to believe in the US...

Best Regards,

AZUARO

[Huizilopochtli]

The true heroes are the Mexican Military who put their lives on the line everyday,
the people who own small shops and refuse to pay the "Quotas" to the Zetas even as they are being threatened,
I spent 2 weeks in Monterrey and i was not kidnapped, i never saw beheaded soldiers, and i never once heard a gun shot...
but i did see a beautiful country and a multitude of Soldiers making sure their society felt safe.

[emaysma]

Dear 60 Minutes,
Your piece ?Mexico: The War Next Door? that aired on Sunday the 1st of March was a myopic, shameful piece of fear mongering. While most Mexicans and Americans are very worried about what is going on at the border, it is negligent and irresponsible to paint an entire country with the same broad and bloody brush. A brutal war is going on between drug gangs and between drug gangs and the Mexican police/military, but to call Mexico a place ?where kidnappings, torture, and even brutal beheadings have become common? is absolutely irresponsible and factually incorrect. Furthermore, resorting to showing such gruesome, graphic scenes as you did and retelling the gut wrenching kidnapping stories, which do not affect 99.98% of the Mexican population, and 99.999% of Americans visiting or residing in Mexico, demonstrates to what level your show will stoop for ratings. Such stomach turning images intend only to shock and frighten, they give us a distorted, gruesome view of reality, without telling the whole story and or what can be done about it. Sadly, this unconscionable tabloid journalism wreaks just as much damage on Mexico?s people and economy as the drug wars do.
A more two sided, balanced and in depth report might argue that while the death toll is high in Mexico, the social cost of the war on drugs on the American People, who die of overdoses, loose jobs, divorce, abuse children, require medical and psychological treatment, is just as high. For example, consider perhaps that in 2005 22,400 Americans lost their live to unintentional and intentional drug overdose deaths. In terms violent deaths, in 1998 the U.S. saw 14,088 people die of Drug-related homicides. The point is, that the drug problem is leaving a body count on both sides of the border, but in Mexico at least it?s the bad guys are wiping them selves out. It is simply misleading for CBS to portray an entire country as brutally violent based on the problems concentrated in a small region, just as it would be misleading for Mexican news to repeatedly play scenes of violent gang wars in L.A., with full gore and bloody detail, night after night, telling the Mexican public that this is the norm from coast to coast in America.
The fact is, that in Mexico or the U.S., statistically you are much more likely to die from smoking, in a car accident on the way to the grocery store, or from salmonella, than you are being involved in the clashes with drug gangs. As for state department reports calling Mexico a potential failed state, the American public has learned to be weary of military intelligence that has a self-serving agenda, in this case scaring American retirees and their money away from Florida?s competition to the south. Mexico is going thru a very difficult time right now, but Mexico and its people should be commended for in its bravery and efforts in taking the drug war head on, not have it turned it into a graphic novel for the sake of high T.V. ratings. More than ever, we should be united with Mexico in fighting this war together, in re-thinking drug policies to find more effective, enforceable laws, not smearing Mexico in the news day after day and frightening people away from a country whose overall picture is not bloody and dark, but beautiful and bright, but most importantly, closely intertwined with our own.

[heh2k]

90% of guns are from US? Anderson, did you actually do any followup on that claim? Did you ask that man why the Mexican government refuses to provide serial numbers or any other evidence? How do you think a ban on certain cosmetic features makes guns less deadly, or less available? What about the weapons our government supplies to Mexico? Doubtlessly some of those end up with criminals (some of the police and military there are criminals). Also, I hope you're aware GRENADES are not available in US gun shops or gun shows. Where do those come from? A real reports would've asked.

[librablue-2009]

This is Anderson at his best! I rate this report right up there with "Homicide in Hollenbeck" and his many excellent reports on Africa. He should do more in-depth reporting and leave the teleprompter stuff to hacks like Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann.

Janet Napolitano and Medina-Mora are both incompetent. Even though Napolitano admitted that the "stakes are high" she refused to agree that the ban on assault weapons should be reinstated and she was either unaware or lying about this problem already spilling over into the United States when Anderson confronted her with the info. My only criticisim is that he didn't challenge her more, but he did a great job with Medina-Mora.

Medina-Mora is just a stooge for the Mexican government trying to pass the blame off to the United States. Why doesn't he clean up his own department first and make sure his borders are well monitored before he passes judgment on anyone else.

Everyone knows that neither the United States nor Mexico really wants this drug war to end because the money it adds to the respective economies is enormous. That is why you continue to see open borders. Also, I am sure Medina-Mora would not want to discourage illegals from his country from going into the United States.

As for making these drugs legal in order to stop these wars, does anyone really think that drug addicts will be satisfied with the allotment they will be allowed by the government if they are made legal? They will always want and need more so the problem will continue in one form or another.

[Freedom_First]

Mr. speakinup says, Freedom_First - You are high on something.

Mr. speakinup. I have a suggestion. Instead of trying to insult me from a safe distance like a coward, why don't you quote something that I said that you disagree with?

"If you had lost a loved one to a drug cartel, you'd then be talking a different story."

No, I would not. The violent drug cartels are products of your drug war. The violent, brutal, and criminal intervention by the government into the free market has produced an equally violent and crime-ridden underground market. The people who are responsible for all this violence and death are the drug fighters and illegalizers. It is their war. They started it and they prosecute it.

Who was responsible for all the deaths that resulted from the the war against alcohol consumers, producers, and businessmen (alcohol Prohibition)? Drug fighters, illegalizers, and everyone else who supported that insane war against the American people and their freedom.

Drug fighters and illegalizers are criminals because they kill, assault, rob, and arrest peaceful human beings. They are also terrorists because they target civilians. [e-mail]

[honestabe8]

speakinup: have you lost a person to the drug cartel?

[speakinup]

Freedom_First - You are high on something.

If you had lost a loved one to a drug cartel, you'd then be talking a different story.

[Freedom_First]

Mr. thomasgkelley says, "Mexico's drug violence is the result of our Nation's unquenchable thirst for cocaine, marijuana, meth and now even prescription drugs."

No. Drug violence is a result of the drug war which is, in fact, a war against human beings and their freedoms. It is people, not drugs, who are being murdered, assaulted, robbed, and arrested. More than a hundred million honest, decent people have been declared criminals by U.S. drug laws. This holy war against human beings who have been labeled evil substance abusers, is now the biggest witch hunt in history. Ordinary people are killing, assaulting, robbing, and arresting other ordinary people in the name of the law. [e-mail]

[HERC130]

If you really want to know about the 'so called, " Drug War"..... then take the time to read the following article from 1991. 'I Ran Drugs for Uncle Sam', by Neal Matthews, of the San Diego Reader, now found on the Neal Matthews website. It will blow your mind..... this is the article that the Bush 1 addministration did not want anyone to see.

Take a look at the military map... its all there..., names, the drug routings into the USA, the guns for drugs, and the pilots and aircraft ID's. The media would not touch this article or information at the time. (1990) Tthey said it would create bad feelings between Mexico and The United States..., and could effect negatively the passage of the NAFT deal. If your interest you can't affort to miss this lost tid bit of documented information about the FRAUD in the Drug Wars.

http://nealmatthews.com/Documents/Tosh.pdf

[hetup-2009]

Legalize the recreational drugs, far cheaper than buying a boat and a boat is dangerous. It would improve our relations all over the world. With the exception of the religious nuts like Israel we fight wars over drugs and oil, let's give up the war on drugs. We can still kill wholesale with a war on oil and keep all the rich people happy robbing and killing for their blood money. I'll take a few rails and a doober.