I have more balls than all of you combined...

[Godslayer Jillian]

By simply living where I live.


Check it out:



As the death count in Juárez mounts, residents on both sides of the border now are wondering how seriously they should take an e-mail warning predicting that this weekend will be the "bloodiest and deadliest" in the city's history.



The e-mail, which spread on both sides of the border, caused Juárez police officials on Thursday to issue a call for residents to stay calm, and El Pasoans to cancel social plans across the border.



"We ask the community to maintain calm and exercise security measures for themselves and their family, but we ask that they do not panic," public safety secretary Roberto Orduña Cruz said in a statement.



Orduña said that the "threat" was being taken seriously but that residents should go about their regular business.



El Paso police are continuing to monitor the violence in Juárez, but don't think it will spread into El Paso, a department spokesman said.



Several versions of the e-mail were in circulation Thursday, including one with an English translation that warned residents to stay in their homes, stay out of nightclubs and avoid major streets if traveling during the day.



"There will
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be shootings and executions throughout the city in what is being called 'La Limpia' (the cleansing) in response to threats by the 'Juárez drug cartel' or 'La Linea,' " the e-mail stated in Spanish.



La Linea is reputed to be a "line" of corrupt police officers protecting drug traffickers. More than a dozen police officers have been among the more than 300 homicides in Juárez this year, killings that have included brazen daytime shootings on busy boulevards.



One e-mail appeared to be at least a week old, as it referred to the "possible naming of a retired military officer" as public safety chief.



In fact, Orduña took office Monday.



West Side resident Elizabeth Wierson was forwarded the e-mail by her son. She and other parents of Loretto Academy graduates had been scheduled to take their daughters to a graduation dance in Juárez tonight, but they changed their plans because of security concerns even after spending hundreds of dollars, she said.



A separate event will take place in El Paso.



"You can't really put a price on safety," Wierson said. "We decided not to go.

"

The e-mails spread like a standard urban legend. Each recipient was asked to forward it to family and friends for their safety. Juárez news media also did reports on it.



"There is definitely a psychosis in Juárez," said Tony Payan, a Mexico expert at the University of Texas at El Paso.



"People are going about their business," Payan said Thursday after returning from Juárez. "There are construction workers building. People shopping. People eating at restaurants. But everybody at the same time they are talking about his e-mail and this rumor that were will be several killings in Juárez.

"

Payan theorized that the e-mail could have several origins, such as:
# Drug lords wanting to avoid "collateral" casualties.


# Police or the military hoping to empty streets for operations.


# A civic, church or concerned parents group using fears about violence as a way to urge people to stay home and avoid vices.


# A hoax by someone having fun at the expense of residents.

[Splintered]

You're right on the U.S./Mexico border, right?

Damn. Have you seen any of this yourself, or have you just heard about it?

[Godslayer Jillian]

It's impossible not to see it. You see the names of the newspapers and you already see we're getting used to the killings. Instead of "Three police officers shot to death on duty" now it's "Five new ones"
And you go driving and you're bound to find a semi-tank or a helicopter. A friend of mine was stopped at gunpoint before entering a party. The drug cartels are instating (bad) anarchy, while the army is gradually moving towards a police state.

[Splintered]

Well, you're welcome to stay at my place.

I had no idea Juarez was getting that bad. I mean, I knew they had problems with drug cartels, but Jesus Christ. Do you think the military moving in is going to solve the problem?

[Paigeybobert]

I'm still moving to Juarez.

[Godslayer Jillian]

The military moving in has just stopped the petty drug dealers, because that's all they can really do. These people that sold drugs in small amounts to make a living - which pretty much is nothing more than slightly less ethical capitalism - now have moved into theft to make a living. Robbery has become more common in Juarez.
As for the big drug lords, now they're fighting against the army. But the army won't stop them. Even the governor of Chihuahua, supposedly and very probably, is just another subordinate of the drug cartel.

[HumanePain]

OK, here is a radical idea I am throwing out into cyberspace just for fun:

What if the United States was invited by Mexico to move in and clean out the drug lords, no holds barred? Are Mexican citizens desperate enough for safety that they would give up policing themselves?

[ThreeEyesOni]

Well.... fuck.

Seriously, how do things get to that point? How does it happen that some random guy doesn't blow half of these people away with a shotgun because they killed his whole family or something? There are few things that a judicial application of bullets can't solve, and I think this one needs a lot of bullets pointed in the right direction.

[CptSternn]

Ye live in Juárez? There are so many songs about that place its like an iconic place to be.

That being said the songs are usually about murder and people running from the American authorities and hiding out there.

But still a cool sounding place.

As far as the violence, thats yet another example of America exporting its problems to a country that is not setup to handle them.

You think Mexico really is anti-drug? Drugs are Mexico's main cash crop. The government there knows it. They on some levels support it and help fund the whole system.

It's only when America steps in an tries to 'crack down' when violence like this erupts.

I say legalise it. However Mexico can't do that because it would violate NAFTA and a few other agreements which would cost the government large chunks of American cash.

So the Mexcian government lets drug lords do their work, and at the same time hires common men to fight said drug lords. Much like in America. The government sets up a common man vs. common man scenario, supports both sides, and lets the common man fight it out while the upper ruling class sits back and makes insane profits off of the conflict.

This way they not only make a tonne of cash they also can say they are against something they support and have a proverbial fig leaf to cover themselves.

[Megansmom]

Actually America should legalize drugs. You legalize drugs here you take away their biggest customer base, no demand no suppliers needed and a ton of new tax money for our politicians to fight over how to waste. And a new area for our sue happy lawyers.
then again we are talking about a country where they have banned o smoking and trans fats,
The Mexican government has asked America for help to train and supply there military to fight the drug lords and guess what we are . Not only that but we are footing the bill to the tune of 80 billion wasted dollars. We will send the weaponry and train thier military in good faith but I believe the Mexican government and military will do what they did the last time: turn around and use it against us because the cartels are paying too well And yes you do have bigger balls than I do That or a bigger gun

[Mir]

Originally Posted by HumanePain

What if the United States was invited by Mexico to move in and clean out the drug lords, no holds barred? Are Mexican citizens desperate enough for safety that they would give up policing themselves?

I don't think that would be a popular idea with ANYONE. How the fuck are they going to do anything about the drug cartels in Mexico, when they show such ineptitude combating drugs in the US? I wouldn't be surprised if half of the DEA was actually corrupt and actively involved in drug smuggling/distribution.

[I Am Great.]

Oh yeah? Well I totally stubbed my toe just now and didn't even cry!

[Ishan]

Originally Posted by HumanePain

OK, here is a radical idea I am throwing out into cyberspace just for fun:

What if the United States was invited by Mexico to move in and clean out the drug lords, no holds barred? Are Mexican citizens desperate enough for safety that they would give up policing themselves?

Ya knooow ... That's an idea that probably should not be circulated, lest some lesser intelligence think it's good idea to let a foreign police force have juristiction on its turf. But, requesting some "tactical input" would not be a bad idea.

Of course, if one happens to be in command of foreign police agency, it may seem like a good idea.

Along I-10, where you can see the clear difference between US and Mexican economies, the contrast is almost bemusing to the first-time witness. I know ... I have been through El Paso more than a few times, and it's just amazing.

In a set of border cities, police should collaborate. Whether that is really happening, only the agencies, themselves, know for certain - as well as the drug lords. And only they know the nature of the collaboration. Hmmmm?

The Pass would make a great mob town ... probably is.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

You're right, Jillian. You do have more balls than I do. The whole of Canada only had 605 murders in 2006...
That being said, I like this theory about the e-mail:

# A civic, church or concerned parents group using fears about violence as a way to urge people to stay home and avoid vices.

It seems like a totally witless way to go about getting people to avoid vices...

I hope for the sake of everyone that it's a joke... cruel as such a joke is...

[Godslayer Jillian]

Well, it wasn't a joke, but it wasn't that bad. Only eight shootings that saturday, but the city's quite deserted besides after work rush hours.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by Megansmom

Actually America should legalize drugs. You legalize drugs here you take away their biggest customer base, no demand no suppliers needed and a ton of new tax money for our politicians to fight over how to waste. And a new area for our sue happy lawyers.
then again we are talking about a country where they have banned o smoking and trans fats,

For once, I fully agree with you. However, we have discussed this a few times in a few threads. It will never happen because of one big reason - money.

Right now, over 40% of Americans are employed by a company or organisation whose primary function is directly interlinked with law enforcement. To legalise drugs would empty many prisons, and in the process cost America over a third of the jobs there. There have been a few big studies on this - I have links in another thread actually.

The bottom line is that if drugs were legalised America stands to lose billions in job losses as well as private companies like Halliburton who will lose billions in government contracts.