Posted on 09/24/2009 7:54:08 AM PDT by Borges
The sun is beating down as Elizabeth Padilla is laid to rest in the Garden of Eternity cemetery. She lies under a pane of glass. Her pretty face has been made up one last time.
"Open your eyes, my darling," her mother cries. "There is something I wanted to tell you." "Princess," her sister wails. "I'll never forget the way you danced and sang." "Why you?" her mother screams. "You were so good."
Elizabeth Padilla was 29 and had been a policewoman for eight months when she died. She was killed one Wednesday just before 1:30pm while on her way to work in her dark Plymouth. Her murderers fired six 9mm bullets, hitting her in the right arm and in the head.
She was one of 14 people murdered that day in Ciudad Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Just another ordinary day.
Before the white wooden casket is placed into the concrete vault, her unit reports for duty one last time, shouting out in unison, "Elizabeth Padilla, present!" Her brother, who is also a policeman, says there is no justice in this country. But he will carry out justice, he says. The squad car sirens wail a goodbye.
Ciudad Juárez, a border town in the north of Mexico, is at war: a war the government is fighting against the drug cartels and a war the drug cartels are fighting against each other. More than 1,500 people have been murdered there this year alone. A total of 1.5 million people live in the city, which is considered the most violent in the world.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
this story is red meat here.
Sad and tragic. Especially since there’s nothing we can do about it. Mexico can be a rough place.
Is this a novel or a news piece? The city’s not identified until the fourth graph.
We pray for the faithful departed. May Elizabeth Padilla rest in peace. May perpetual light shine upon her. Amen.
However, if we legalize drugs, the violence shifts into the shadows - the person killed by a driver under the influence, the domestic violence at home, the family made desititute by drug use - that over time adds up to a much higher body count - but since the bodies are not in a pile, it's not as noticeable.
There are no good answers to this puzzle - only bad and worse.
This place is right across the border from El Paso.
Four years ago my son did a High School Mission trip to Juarez. Two years ago, Youth Works, which operates the mission site, pulled out; it’s not safe.
The reason?
Our open border policy with Mexcio which allows drugs and illegal aliens to be moved across the border there with ease.
If we REALLY wanted to help these people, we would BUILD THAT DAMN WALL and enforce our border laws at bayonet point.
Couple years back I was in El Paso and decided to take a walk across the border - the place looked looked like a bombed out warzone. I was a but clueless to the danger before I went. Guess I should be glad I escaped with my life
The worst hellhole ain’t Gaza? Someone tell the Messiah...
Yes, I know where it is. :)
I was commenting merely on the reporter’s lousy style.
“This is the most violent city in the world: Juarez. More than 15-hundred people have been murdered here this year, as drug cartels slug it out in the streets with machine guns and machetes.”
See what I mean?
Ciadad Juarez is so far ahead in violent death it’s unbelievable.
And also in abduction of women.
I lived in El Paso for a dozen years after getting out of the Army in '84. Even back then, I didn't cross the border my last 6-7 years there.
You won't see much reportage on high school kids that venture into Juarez to party, then never return.
Seriously though, we have a violent failed state across our undefended border, and our govt is literally doing nothing.
I think all law abiding citizens who want out should be offered a way out. Then all authorities should leave. Then let whoever is left kill each other.
What are you saying? Throw "red meat" and get us off topic? Are you saying that that's what trolls do? It is - but why are you saying it?
Mexicans come here and they’re democrats. Democrats are criminals and liars. Is that why it’s “red meat”?
“Sad and tragic. Especially since there’s nothing we can do about it. Mexico can be a rough place.”
We could keep it in Mexico instead of letting it roll into the states unabated. Phoenix, AZ is now the #2kidnapping capital of the world, second only to Mexico and because of Mexico.
Their violence is all over this nation now thanks to those who refused to see the problem spilling into this country. Armed Mexican drug cartels are patrolling our counties rural roads fighting for control of land to grow their dope.
Exactly!
Unlike many on this board, I think that 75% of the illegals are actually hard working, ambitious folk who are just trying to make a better life for their families. I would probably do the same thing in their position.
At the same time, as a sovereign nation we have a right to determine who comes into our country. Those who don't do it right should be deported immediately.
Too bad. I went there in the late 70’s and had a great time.
you answered your own question, but not quite in the way that you might think. More as an object lesson, really - you have red meat between your teeth.
I think we all instinctively knew it was either Ciudad Juarez or Chicago.
LOL!!!
They both need better community organizers.
Let’s send them ACORN.
So why do you think our govt at all levels refuses to secure the border? That’s the important question.
True.
However, if we legalize drugs, the violence shifts into the shadows - the person killed by a driver under the influence, the domestic violence at home, the family made desititute by drug use - that over time adds up to a much higher body count - but since the bodies are not in a pile, it's not as noticeable.
Those are all happening now under drug prohibition. What makes you think they would increase if prohibition ended?
Alcohol consumption did go down during Prohibition, and then went back up again after repeal of such.
I do think about the dumbest part of the WoD is having pot criminalized, though. It is probably the least harmful drug out there.
Yet El Paso and San Diego are two of the safest big cities in America. Go figure.
to put this in perspective, NYC has a little less than 600 homicides/year. this place has 1,400 so far this year!
sorry. 1,500 so far this year!
It went down initially but returned to pre-prohibition levels near the end of the experiment. The murder rate rose between 1919-1933, then dropped after repeal.
I do think about the dumbest part of the WoD is having pot criminalized, though. It is probably the least harmful drug out there.
Agree. It is also the big money maker for the cartels. Drug czar John Walters estimated they got about 2/3 of their revenues from pot.
Phoenix is pretty safe, too - that kidnapping statistic is all about cartels, illegal aliens, and drug debts. The kidnappers aren’t driving out to the suburbs to snatch little white girls from their bedrooms for ransom...although the way the economy is going, a nationwide return to that favorite Depression-era tactic of free-lance socialists may not be far off.
I'd like to see those stats.
Maybe it’s just my inner capitalist thinking or perhaps its my utter contempt for Mexico at work here but, either way, I think we should be doing everything in our power to ensure that there is an unlimited stream of guns and ammo availble to the Mexicans. can I get an amen brutha?
We estimate the consumption of alcohol during Prohibition using mortality, mental health and crime statistics. We find that alcohol consumption fell sharply at the beginning of Prohibition, to approximately 30 percent of its pre-Prohibition level. During the next several years, however, alcohol consumption increased sharply, to about 60-70 percent of its pre-prohibition level. The level of consumption was virtually the same immediately after Prohibition as during the latter part of Prohibition, although consumption increased to approximately its pre-Prohibition level during the subsequent decade.
I think that has shifted. It's a lot easier to smuggle in meth than pot, meth is a lot less bulky.
The irony is, pot now is very price whereas hard drugs are cheaper. Another unintended consequence of pot prohibition.
Keeping the bloodshed on Mexico's side of the border is a very deliberate decision on the part of the cartels who know that if innocent Americans start getting gunned down across the border, US law enforcement would increase their interdiction efforts. This would be bad for business.
The alcohol consumption figures are for the years 1910-1929. (a 1932 study was the source for these numbers)
“So why do you think our govt at all levels refuses to secure the border? That’s the important question.”
Masses of uneducated poor people convinced they are ‘victims’ are easier to manipulate and keep tyrants in power. Look where they come from.
The borders are the government’s responsibility so I hope you’re not referring to “big bidness” being the culprit. Of course, most latinos lean hard left and don’t tell me about family values, every house in Mexico has a tall wall around it because family is family and those outside that wall are meant to be ripped off.
“so I hope you’re not referring to “big bidness” being the culprit”
Where in my post could you possibly assume that?
I said:
“Masses of uneducated poor people convinced they are ‘victims’ are easier to manipulate and keep tyrants in power. Look where they come from.”
Now, about “big Bidness’...yes, there are too many corrupt business people and politicians bought by them who are on the left and right. Private prison systems is a perfect example. They also provide the ‘immigration’ detention centers. No surprise they contribute millions to the likes of McCain, Bush who support not securing the border.
You didn’t mention it. I was glad you didn’t but my post isn’t just directed to you.
Government is in charge of the border, it’s their legal duty to secure the border yet both you and me know they won’t lift a finger to secure the border.
Our challenge is to find out WHY they won’t do this.
When your mayor and city council live in another country, you know you have a problem.
$$$
I went to Juarez with my sister, my mom, and my mom’s friend back in the early 70’s ... 3 women and a small boy ... it seemed pretty tame ... no concerns about safety as I recall ... we were obviously only in the “touristy” areas ... I remember liking the food and trying to impress everyone by counting to 10 in Spanish ...
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