I got an email from a colleague back in the US who asked me if it weren’t dangerous to drive in Mexico outside the city?
First of all, I hate driving in any city and find that most dangerous of all. Secondly, I live in a village called Ajijic. Every day when I go out my door, I have to avoid cars, motorcycles, buses, horses and a few chickens. But traffic is rarely dangerous unless you’re not paying attention.
My friend responded to me, “Huh?”
My friend obviously wasn’t referring to danger from traffic but to the violence from “DTO’s,” which is how the U.S. Consulate refers to “drug trafficking organizations.” Lately, there have been a few incidents even out here in Paradise, on Lake Chapala.
- A police official gunned down
- A hand grenade lobbed into a police chief’s house
- 9 arrests of DTO members
I guess there are problems everywhere that there are drug users, drug vendors, and people with guns (most of which are manufactured and bought in the US along with ammunition legally sold).
It’s estimated by official sources that 60,000 to 70,000 American guns have crossed into Mexico.
My response to him: Is it dangerous to go to a supermarket in Arizona?
Each country has their bad guys, their weapons and plenty of ammunition.
Which country has the higher murder rates? Don’t know. Maybe someone could look it up?
Which country has the most freedom of choice for health care? Well, in the US you only have freedom of choice when you have money. So the answer to that would be Mexico.
Which country has the most dangerous living conditions? Don’t know. I guess it depends on where you live and the kinds of people you live with or among.
I don’t do drugs or drink alcohol so I don’t have much contact with the people who do. For sure, those who partake are living more dangerously, from many points of view.
What’s my point? Not much, except that the people who are worried about Mexico and the quality of life here perhaps don’t have a complete picture. Yes, there are problems, and occasionally they come close to home.
But problems and violence are everywhere. It’s up to us, the people, to speak out in ways that are constructive and directed toward solving the problems. Why do Americans insist that automatic assault weapons should be available to everyone?
It’s really easy to point fingers and to divide into camps of “us” vs “them.” A better approach would be to look at what each State could do to help the problem of escalating violence due to unstable personalities, political divisiveness, religious extremists, prejudice, and easy access to automatic assault weapons and ammunition.
We’ll never get rid of hatred or violence. We can get rid of the excessive dangerous weapons.
Now, this has nothing to do with writing on the web, or how to get found, get known and get clients with content marketing. Except that once in a while I like to share personal opinion I feel strongly about.
Like anyone, my writing reflects where I live, what I believe in and what truly matters to me. People who disagree with me are free to express that here, and I’ll listen.
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