AP story: "risks grow for those whose lives straddle the border" (El Paso: crime)

[alov0303]

AP article picked up by yahoo covering the dangers of the drug war. It doesn't really have new info (the material has been a topic before) but I think it does a great deal in highlighting the national perception of our city - even if we feel safe.

Risks grow for those whose lives straddle border - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101110/ap_on_re_us/us_drug_war_mexico_americans_killed - broken link)

[malamute]

This sums it up:

"I was born here. I'm an American. But really I'm Mexican," Tarango said.

These people aren't getting 50 bullets headed toward them because of their American birth certificates.

I think these articles are a bit sensationalist in making it seem that American citizens who have nothing to do with cartel activities are somehow at risk here on the border. The cartels aren't going after innocent Americans.

Also they left out how many American citizens are doing the killings. The recent massacre of partygoers involved an American who was then found beheaded a couple days later. Yes a US citizen was found beheaded in Juarez but he was also one of the hitmen involved in killing the party goers which was targetted for their carjacking activities. The hitman accused of killing US citizen Enriquez because according to him she was selling visas to the wrong cartel was also from El Paso.

I think El Diario does a better job analyzing the role of "Americans" in the cartel war going on over there.

Tenía aquí antecedentes penales, paseño ligado a masacre en Juárez | El_Paso | Diario.com.mx

Caso revive involucramiento de ‘americanos’ en criminalidad transfronteriza | El_Paso | Diario.com.mx

Americans aren't at risk just for being Americans - if the cartels wanted to get Americans, they could easily pick us off on our way to work on I-10 or the border freeway. And they can very easily cross the border and get us if that's what it was about. Articles like this just make everyone fear El Paso for no real reason.

[JazzOne]

Originally Posted by malamute

This sums it up:

"I was born here. I'm an American. But really I'm Mexican," Tarango said.

These people aren't getting 50 bullets headed toward them because of their American birth certificates.

I think these articles are a bit sensationalist in making it seem that American citizens who have nothing to do with cartel activities are somehow at risk here on the border. The cartels aren't going after innocent Americans.

Also they left out how many American citizens are doing the killings. The recent massacre of partygoers involved an American who was then found beheaded a couple days later. Yes a US citizen was found beheaded in Juarez but he was also one of the hitmen involved in killing the party goers which was targetted for their carjacking activities. The hitman accused of killing US citizen Enriquez because according to him she was selling visas to the wrong cartel was also from El Paso.

I think El Diario does a better job analyzing the role of "Americans" in the cartel war going on over there.

Tenía aquí antecedentes penales, paseño ligado a masacre en Juárez | El_Paso | Diario.com.mx

Caso revive involucramiento de ‘americanos’ en criminalidad transfronteriza | El_Paso | Diario.com.mx

Americans aren't at risk just for being Americans - if the cartels wanted to get Americans, they could easily pick us off on our way to work on I-10 or the border freeway. And they can very easily cross the border and get us if that's what it was about. Articles like this just make everyone fear El Paso for no real reason.

For no real reason? Come on. I agree that some accounts are sensationalized, but you're sticking your head in the sand if you think there is no real reason to be worried about the massive amounts of violence across the border. That violence has spilled over to America in other border cities (e.g., Laredo). Just because it hasn't happened yet in El Paso doesn't mean it won't. I don't think the cartels are targeting Americans per se, but the fact that they don't give a damn who gets hit by stray bullets would scare the crap out of me.

Let's not canonize the cartels just because they tend to keep the fighting amongst themselves. They should be stopped, and the complacency is shocking.

[lipbalm]

It's not just the cartels people, yeezz, wake up. Mexico is a country without a justice system so any "geek of the street" with a gun and needing money will turn to crime without any real risk of getting caught.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by JazzOne

For no real reason? Come on. I agree that some accounts are sensationalized, but you're sticking your head in the sand if you think there is no real reason to be worried about the massive amounts of violence across the border. That violence has spilled over to America in other border cities (e.g., Laredo). Just because it hasn't happened yet in El Paso doesn't mean it won't. I don't think the cartels are targeting Americans per se, but the fact that they don't give a damn who gets hit by stray bullets would scare the crap out of me.

Let's not canonize the cartels just because they tend to keep the fighting amongst themselves. They should be stopped, and the complacency is shocking.

I said there's no reason to fear being in El Paso -- unless you might have been involved in some of the vehicle theft, were involved in extortion or bad drug deals or other some of the other activities of the competing cartels but even then they seem to wait until you go over to Juarez to take you out -- even if the hitmen themselves live here in El Paso. Also it's a bad idea to go over to Juarez with people or to visit people who are involved in vehicle theft, extortion or bad drug deals or other some of the other activities of the competing cartels.

It's a war going on over there for sure. Each side intends to win and they don't care what it takes but shooting at everyday Americans - which they could easily do from their own side of the border isn't what they do.

Right now I think El Paso has mainly the one cartel and it's associated gangs living here but as the other side moves in higher and higher numbers then the trouble will begin. Just like in Juarez, it took a while for this to build up.

[DjFrenzy]

There's no problem, El Paso has a functioning Police Department unlike Juarez which is just as bad as the cartel's itself.

[malamute]

We also protect the ones who rat out their gang - and that may lead to problems down the line. It's not as though no one can figure out where they've gone and the consequences for ratting out your fellow criminals are severe.

‘Genera impunidad y corrupción que EU proteja soplones’ | El_Paso | Diario.com.mx

These people could have committed horrendous crimes and they are spared prison and justice and given asylum with all the benefits if they simply rat out their fellow criminals. Much like the House of Death case where murderers were allowed to cross back and forth as they please and were given protection in the US.