Comments on: Spring Breakers Without Borders http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 13:40:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: TheeSensation http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894217 TheeSensation Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894217 well that was unexpected. well that was unexpected.

]]> By: IamInnocent http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894220 IamInnocent Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894220 So, how much we fuck the world up, us the US, Canada and most of the Western world is news to you? Certainly not, come on... So, how much we fuck the world up, us the US, Canada and most of the Western world is news to you? Certainly not, come on…

]]> By: mgfarrelly http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894224 mgfarrelly Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894224 That was spectacular. Money from the US goes into Mexico to support the cartels. Cartels corrupt the government, who send money back to the US to buy military tech and arms. That money then goes to the people using drugs, who buy drugs, which support the cartels.... That was spectacular.

Money from the US goes into Mexico to support the cartels. Cartels corrupt the government, who send money back to the US to buy military tech and arms. That money then goes to the people using drugs, who buy drugs, which support the cartels….

]]> By: TheeSensation http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894225 TheeSensation Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894225 nah, I was just saying the video took an unexpected turn for me. I thought it was going to be a bunch of sad clips from various news stories, then all of a sudden there were these ridiculous spring breakers. I'm as aware of the fact that, along with a great deal of others, the US is doing and aiding others in doing some pretty un-cool things nah, I was just saying the video took an unexpected turn for me. I thought it was going to be a bunch of sad clips from various news stories, then all of a sudden there were these ridiculous spring breakers. I’m as aware of the fact that, along with a great deal of others, the US is doing and aiding others in doing some pretty un-cool things

]]> By: Mormon Nailer http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894226 Mormon Nailer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894226 It seems odd on the one had to use the statistic of 28K people killed since Calderon came to power statistic to show the enormous scale of the slaughter, while 2 seconds later to complain about sensationalism. It seems odd on the one had to use the statistic of 28K people killed since Calderon came to power statistic to show the enormous scale of the slaughter, while 2 seconds later to complain about sensationalism.

]]> By: Mormon Nailer http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894229 Mormon Nailer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894229 Sorry, let me try that again in English: It seems odd on the one hand to use the statistic of 28K people killed since Calderon came to power to show the enormous scale of the slaughter, while 2 seconds later to complain about sensationalism. Sorry, let me try that again in English:

It seems odd on the one hand to use the statistic of 28K people killed since Calderon came to power to show the enormous scale of the slaughter, while 2 seconds later to complain about sensationalism.

]]> By: Scarecrow Repair http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894259 Scarecrow Repair Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894259 Not that same nonsense statistic again! They have NOT traced 90% of guns to the US. MOST of the guns they recover are their own army guns, which may or may not come from the US, OR they are guns from elsewhere with NO serial numbers. The last time I looked this up, only 75% of the TRACEABLE guns came from the US, and those were semiauto, not machineguns. Plain common sense supports this. No American gun dealer would sell rifles illegally at below cost when he could sell them for a profit legally, and no criminal is dumb enough to pay more for a semiauto than for a full machinegun when both are illegal. The sheer stupidity of this factoid and its believers amazes me. People want to demonize guns so badly they believe such nonsense no matter how stupid it is. Not that same nonsense statistic again! They have NOT traced 90% of guns to the US. MOST of the guns they recover are their own army guns, which may or may not come from the US, OR they are guns from elsewhere with NO serial numbers. The last time I looked this up, only 75% of the TRACEABLE guns came from the US, and those were semiauto, not machineguns.

Plain common sense supports this. No American gun dealer would sell rifles illegally at below cost when he could sell them for a profit legally, and no criminal is dumb enough to pay more for a semiauto than for a full machinegun when both are illegal.

The sheer stupidity of this factoid and its believers amazes me. People want to demonize guns so badly they believe such nonsense no matter how stupid it is.

]]> By: redesigned http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894270 redesigned Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894270 We all know about how US foreign policy affects the world, but I've never heard anyone group Canada with the US in that respect. How does Canada screw up the world? Hockey? Politeness? Maple Syrup? We all know about how US foreign policy affects the world, but I’ve never heard anyone group Canada with the US in that respect.

How does Canada screw up the world? Hockey? Politeness? Maple Syrup?

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894296 Brainspore Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894296 Let's put it this way: Canada has plenty of cocaine users but very few coca plantations. Let’s put it this way: Canada has plenty of cocaine users but very few coca plantations.

]]> By: Philipshade http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894319 Philipshade Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894319 The skinny on guns from the US via Fact Check dot org http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/counting-mexicos-guns/ The skinny on guns from the US via Fact Check dot org
http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/counting-mexicos-guns/

]]> By: DirkSJ http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894837 DirkSJ Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894837 The Mexican govt has let the problem go on so long and get so big that I doubt there is any viable solution short of this. This omelet shall require broken eggs. Hopefully this Mexican president gets reelected and carries on with this program. The % reduction of drugs coming across our border statistic is extremely misleading. Every year the amount moving over gets larger and larger. That it's at 0% is a MAJOR reduction; that means it's stopped getting bigger. Progress is being made. Keep up the good work. The Mexican govt has let the problem go on so long and get so big that I doubt there is any viable solution short of this. This omelet shall require broken eggs.

Hopefully this Mexican president gets reelected and carries on with this program.

The % reduction of drugs coming across our border statistic is extremely misleading. Every year the amount moving over gets larger and larger. That it’s at 0% is a MAJOR reduction; that means it’s stopped getting bigger. Progress is being made. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Scarecrow Repair http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894331 Scarecrow Repair Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894331 Well, that's interesting. I didn't know Faux News had thrown their own mud into the water. At any rate, (1) it's not 90%, and (2) since they can get full auto AK-47s cheaper than US semi-autos, and they also get a lot of army full auto weapons (and no, I have no links, it's been too long), it doesn't make sense that US dealers would lose money to sell guns illegally that they could sell legally for a profit. Well, that’s interesting. I didn’t know Faux News had thrown their own mud into the water. At any rate, (1) it’s not 90%, and (2) since they can get full auto AK-47s cheaper than US semi-autos, and they also get a lot of army full auto weapons (and no, I have no links, it’s been too long), it doesn’t make sense that US dealers would lose money to sell guns illegally that they could sell legally for a profit.

]]> By: redesigned http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894349 redesigned Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894349 just because canada has cocaine users and doesn't grow coca hardly seems a reason to group them with the US in "screwing up the world" as IamInnocent did. that same logic would apply to most counties in the world. certainly most countries in Europe and the middle east. i was expecting some sort of tangible action or foreign policy, not just that they have people and some of them happen to use a drug, but not really more then other countries. looking it up the US dwarfs all other countries in cocaine usage, i had no idea. nor did i know that spain had the highest usage in europe. i learned me sumpin. http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/2008/7/2/4/636c2c733967f6a1bc83e63d5cda3021.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine just because canada has cocaine users and doesn’t grow coca hardly seems a reason to group them with the US in “screwing up the world” as IamInnocent did.

that same logic would apply to most counties in the world. certainly most countries in Europe and the middle east. i was expecting some sort of tangible action or foreign policy, not just that they have people and some of them happen to use a drug, but not really more then other countries.

looking it up the US dwarfs all other countries in cocaine usage, i had no idea. nor did i know that spain had the highest usage in europe. i learned me sumpin.

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/2008/7/2/4/636c2c733967f6a1bc83e63d5cda3021.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894353 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894353 I don't think that showing the great deal of deaths due to the drug war is sensationalism. It is something of great concern here in Mexico, and certainly a sad topic. Alejandra I don’t think that showing the great deal of deaths due to the drug war is sensationalism. It is something of great concern here in Mexico, and certainly a sad topic.
Alejandra

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894356 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894356 Well, here's a link to a report made with information of some US governmental bureaus that says that "from 2006 to 2009, 40 percent of the U.S.-originated guns that ended up in Mexico were sold by dealers in Texas. Another third of the American guns were from Arizona, California and New Mexico". So... either you are right, or your own government is not exagerating the truth (which I'd find hard to believe, because guns for the US government are important for several reasons). Ale Well, here’s a link to a report made with information of some US governmental bureaus that says that “from 2006 to 2009, 40 percent of the U.S.-originated guns that ended up in Mexico were sold by dealers in Texas. Another third of the American guns were from Arizona, California and New Mexico”. So… either you are right, or your own government is not exagerating the truth (which I’d find hard to believe, because guns for the US government are important for several reasons).
Ale

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894357 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894357 Sorry, i forgot to put the link: http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/report-90-percent-of-mexican-drug-war-guns-originate-in-u-s/19624304 Ale Sorry, i forgot to put the link: http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/report-90-percent-of-mexican-drug-war-guns-originate-in-u-s/19624304

Ale

]]> By: Jason Rizos http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894361 Jason Rizos Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894361 A bit awkward of a satire because you can't tell what's exaggerated and what isn't until the end, and then only somewhat. Also, I wanted to hear other reasons for supporting the drug war, rather than personal family profit. Such as "it is immoral" or "minorities use pot." You know, the REAL reasons we have a drug war. A bit awkward of a satire because you can’t tell what’s exaggerated and what isn’t until the end, and then only somewhat.

Also, I wanted to hear other reasons for supporting the drug war, rather than personal family profit. Such as “it is immoral” or “minorities use pot.”

You know, the REAL reasons we have a drug war.

]]> By: McQueen http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894878 McQueen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894878 I am so thankful that Gringoyo brought this secret American conspiracy to light with excellent acting, informative infographics and reliable statistics. As you're all well aware, Americans, Males, Whites, Christians, Capitalists, and all permutations thereof are responsible for all the worlds problems. What you DONT know is that the weapons Americans are providing are truly a passive form of control over the Mexican economy used by the Mole People who secretly inhabit the White House and control the presidency. I am so thankful that Gringoyo brought this secret American conspiracy to light with excellent acting, informative infographics and reliable statistics. As you’re all well aware, Americans, Males, Whites, Christians, Capitalists, and all permutations thereof are responsible for all the worlds problems. What you DONT know is that the weapons Americans are providing are truly a passive form of control over the Mexican economy used by the Mole People who secretly inhabit the White House and control the presidency.

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894382 Brainspore Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894382 Certainly Canada is a smaller part of this destructive drug war than the United States, but as long as any country provides a market for illegal drugs imported from abroad they can't claim to be completely innocent either. Canada's rate of cocaine use per capita may not be quite as high as the U.S. or Spain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_prevalence_of_cocaine_use">but it still beats out most other countries</a> and almost 100% of that coke is smuggled in from Central America, often through Mexico. Certainly Canada is a smaller part of this destructive drug war than the United States, but as long as any country provides a market for illegal drugs imported from abroad they can’t claim to be completely innocent either.

Canada’s rate of cocaine use per capita may not be quite as high as the U.S. or Spain but it still beats out most other countries and almost 100% of that coke is smuggled in from Central America, often through Mexico.

]]> By: redesigned http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894402 redesigned Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894402 great link, better then mine, very informative. of course consuming cocaine supports the production of the drug, I can agree with that. I'd argue that is an entirely different thing then actively participating and creating policies that created the "the war on drugs", which is a violent impossible task. having cocaine users in their country certainly isn't enough to lump them with the US in a blanket statement that they and the US are "screwing up the world". great link, better then mine, very informative.

of course consuming cocaine supports the production of the drug, I can agree with that.

I’d argue that is an entirely different thing then actively participating and creating policies that created the “the war on drugs”, which is a violent impossible task.

having cocaine users in their country certainly isn’t enough to lump them with the US in a blanket statement that they and the US are “screwing up the world”.

]]> By: Mormon Nailer http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894406 Mormon Nailer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894406 Anon, I completely agree, my point is that the author of the video is trying to have it both ways, on the one hand pointing to the horrific death toll yet at the same time complaining about sensationalism. I follow the reporting of the drug war very closely and by and large the reporting from the US is restrained, there are exceptions, I think the WSJ ran a couple of slightly hysterical articles lately and some bloggers (Malkin in particular) can be OTT. However in general I think the carnage is under reported. (The most reliable reportage at the moment is coming from Al Jazeera) I have a problem reconciling the commmon beliefs that Blog del Narco is a brave attempt to report the truth of the drug war while at the same time the same coverage from the other side of the border is sensationalism. Anon, I completely agree, my point is that the author of the video is trying to have it both ways, on the one hand pointing to the horrific death toll yet at the same time complaining about sensationalism.

I follow the reporting of the drug war very closely and by and large the reporting from the US is restrained, there are exceptions, I think the WSJ ran a couple of slightly hysterical articles lately and some bloggers (Malkin in particular) can be OTT. However in general I think the carnage is under reported.

(The most reliable reportage at the moment is coming from Al Jazeera)

I have a problem reconciling the commmon beliefs that Blog del Narco is a brave attempt to report the truth of the drug war while at the same time the same coverage from the other side of the border is sensationalism.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894672 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894672 I am Gringoyo, the author of this video, and although I usually don't chime in on discussions of my work, I will here because there is an important point that I want to clarify for Mormon about what I think does and doesn't count as "sensationalism." It's simple: transmitting images of drug related violence ad nauseum without doing much investigative work on the root causes of that violence and with the primary aim of increasing readership/viewership is sensationalism. Sorry, but 95% of media coverage of the Drug War does this (though indeed, the flavor of that poor coverage is quite different on both sides of the border.) Using those same images and statistics is not sensational if it is part of an authentic attempt to explain what is causing the violence to occur. I will leave it to the judgment of others whether or not my film achieves the latter, but let me tell you this: the use of the Mexican military to engage the trafficking organizations is THE primary cause of the violence both directly (military engagement of the traffickers) and indirectly (increasing profitability of the business and competition for turf resulting in more deaths.) What is SELDOM reported by ANYBODY is that nearly every Mexican citizen living outside the capital this year, man, woman, or child, will be subject to an unconstitutional search of their person, vehicle, or residence. It is not a question of IF your constitutional rights in Mexico will be violated, it is only a matter of WHEN, and whether or not that violation will result in your baseless arrest or murder. To use violent imagery and horrid statistics to tell that largely untold story is not sensationalism. I am Gringoyo, the author of this video, and although I usually don’t chime in on discussions of my work, I will here because there is an important point that I want to clarify for Mormon about what I think does and doesn’t count as “sensationalism.” It’s simple: transmitting images of drug related violence ad nauseum without doing much investigative work on the root causes of that violence and with the primary aim of increasing readership/viewership is sensationalism. Sorry, but 95% of media coverage of the Drug War does this (though indeed, the flavor of that poor coverage is quite different on both sides of the border.) Using those same images and statistics is not sensational if it is part of an authentic attempt to explain what is causing the violence to occur. I will leave it to the judgment of others whether or not my film achieves the latter, but let me tell you this: the use of the Mexican military to engage the trafficking organizations is THE primary cause of the violence both directly (military engagement of the traffickers) and indirectly (increasing profitability of the business and competition for turf resulting in more deaths.) What is SELDOM reported by ANYBODY is that nearly every Mexican citizen living outside the capital this year, man, woman, or child, will be subject to an unconstitutional search of their person, vehicle, or residence. It is not a question of IF your constitutional rights in Mexico will be violated, it is only a matter of WHEN, and whether or not that violation will result in your baseless arrest or murder. To use violent imagery and horrid statistics to tell that largely untold story is not sensationalism.

]]> By: Jack http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-895186 Jack Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-895186 I agree with anyone who tries to show how off-kilter the “War on Drugs” is but this video simply sucks. It’s too long, takes too long to get to the point and some of the ket “facts” are easily disproven as explained above. I’ve really never stopped a video 1/2-3/4 of the way through saying “This is horrible..” ever. This is one of them. I agree with anyone who tries to show how off-kilter the “War on Drugs” is but this video simply sucks. It’s too long, takes too long to get to the point and some of the ket “facts” are easily disproven as explained above.

I’ve really never stopped a video 1/2-3/4 of the way through saying “This is horrible..” ever. This is one of them.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894939 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894939 The woman speaking about her how the Mexican military came to her street in tanks is either incredibly mistaken or making this up. The Mexican army does not have any tanks in service. Even if she was mistaken that kind of mistake makes me doubt her entire story. Sorry. The woman speaking about her how the Mexican military came to her street in tanks is either incredibly mistaken or making this up. The Mexican army does not have any tanks in service. Even if she was mistaken that kind of mistake makes me doubt her entire story. Sorry.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894695 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894695 The economic and strategic help the US is providing, trough the Plan Merida, is just a control tool over the economic colony that is Mexico. It is the same scheme used in Colombia in the 80's and 90's, and we all know how well that turned out. It's the same thing the english empire did with opium trafficking in their asian colonies in the 19th century. That's why I find ludicrous the notion of a US troop intervention in Mexico. What for? The pentagon controls the war anyway. The economic and strategic help the US is providing, trough the Plan Merida, is just a control tool over the economic colony that is Mexico. It is the same scheme used in Colombia in the 80′s and 90′s, and we all know how well that turned out. It’s the same thing the english empire did with opium trafficking in their asian colonies in the 19th century.

That’s why I find ludicrous the notion of a US troop intervention in Mexico. What for? The pentagon controls the war anyway.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-895467 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-895467 "Only 75%" Wow... you're right, such a big difference. “Only 75%”

Wow… you’re right, such a big difference.

]]> By: prepareducate http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894705 prepareducate Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894705 People are mostly unaware of the war occurring on our southern border. First off, it is a war. I have a very close friend who works for XE (formerly Blackwater international) subbed out to the DEA who sends me a steady stream of shocking videos etc. When Hillary says "provide support" that means, among other things, supplying arms to various factions at various times. as in Afghanistan and Iraq we often arm some very nasty folks becasue we like them that day. the second most common source is international distributers. Why would a cartel boss pay $800 for an AR from an american gun shop when they can order them for $200 each by the crate? AK's straight from russia are well under $100 and an RPG 7 only costs abot $30. The figure of %90 coming from american civilian sources is ridiculous on the face of it. That said most of the Arms in this conflict were already there (Mexican army). As to the US death toll dropping, get a clue. During a recent conflict on our side of the border 22 were killed (CNN failed to cover it). On the mexican side there was a drawn out battle 2 months ago with over 200 caualties in one day. The news is sugarcoating this issue, it is a war with death tolls comparable to our current wars in Afghanistan, Yemen etc. People are mostly unaware of the war occurring on our southern border. First off, it is a war. I have a very close friend who works for XE (formerly Blackwater international) subbed out to the DEA who sends me a steady stream of shocking videos etc. When Hillary says “provide support” that means, among other things, supplying arms to various factions at various times. as in Afghanistan and Iraq we often arm some very nasty folks becasue we like them that day. the second most common source is international distributers. Why would a cartel boss pay $800 for an AR from an american gun shop when they can order them for $200 each by the crate? AK’s straight from russia are well under $100 and an RPG 7 only costs abot $30. The figure of %90 coming from american civilian sources is ridiculous on the face of it. That said most of the Arms in this conflict were already there (Mexican army). As to the US death toll dropping, get a clue. During a recent conflict on our side of the border 22 were killed (CNN failed to cover it). On the mexican side there was a drawn out battle 2 months ago with over 200 caualties in one day. The news is sugarcoating this issue, it is a war with death tolls comparable to our current wars in Afghanistan, Yemen etc.

]]> By: Mormon Nailer http://boingboing.net/2010/09/23/spring-breakers-with.html#comment-894716 Mormon Nailer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-894716 I don't agree with the first part. Sometimes the job of a reporter is just that - to report. Analysis is vital, but I don't agree that straightforward reporting is somehow sensationalised unless it is wedded to an in depth analysis of the causes. I think a large part of the problem is that much of the day to day horror of the drug war is under-reported. Kidnappings, individual murders now fall under the threshold of what is reported and unless there is an exceptionally large body count or it is a public figure the crime goes unreported outside local news. I agree with you when you say the militarisation of the drug war is what is driving much of the violence, perhaps I'm wrong in this, but I think that it is common knowledge to most people with even a passing familiarity with the situation, and it is certainly not a fact that is unclear from any of the reporting/analysis I have seen. I think your last point is important. Definitely the impunity with which the military are allowed to act is something that should be more widely known. I don’t agree with the first part. Sometimes the job of a reporter is just that – to report. Analysis is vital, but I don’t agree that straightforward reporting is somehow sensationalised unless it is wedded to an in depth analysis of the causes.

I think a large part of the problem is that much of the day to day horror of the drug war is under-reported. Kidnappings, individual murders now fall under the threshold of what is reported and unless there is an exceptionally large body count or it is a public figure the crime goes unreported outside local news.

I agree with you when you say the militarisation of the drug war is what is driving much of the violence, perhaps I’m wrong in this, but I think that it is common knowledge to most people with even a passing familiarity with the situation, and it is certainly not a fact that is unclear from any of the reporting/analysis I have seen.

I think your last point is important. Definitely the impunity with which the military are allowed to act is something that should be more widely known.

]]>