Posted on 03/28/2007 12:45:24 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
MEXICO CITY — Police in the Mexican capital have kicked off a campaign to exchange guns for computers and other gifts in an attempt to reduce firearm deaths.
On the first day of the program in Tepito, a neighborhood known for drug dealing and street markets rife with contraband, officers collected 29 guns Tuesday and gave out several desktop computers along with packets of food and cash.
"Imagine how Mexico City would be if there were no guns," Mexico City Public Safety Secretary Joel Ortega said. "This is a barrio known for boxing champions, and now it has turned into a barrio where there were 32 murders last year."
The gun exchange program is part of a crackdown on crime by Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who has sent in thousands of police to tackle crime gangs in Tepito and other rough neighborhoods.
The campaign comes as President Felipe Calderon has led an offensive against crime on a national level, sending more 24,000 police and soldiers to areas where drug gangs have been fighting.
Stabbing and strangulation murders would increase?
It's all the USA's fault! If we had common sense gun control where no one could get guns, Mexico would be a peaceful, thriving utopia.
Police in the Mexican capital have kicked off a campaign to exchange guns for computers and other gifts in an attempt to reduce firearm deaths.
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Here's a better idea. How about replacing your corrupt police with honest ones and actually jailing the criminals and executing murderers.
They should try doing the same for drugs! That will stop drug usage! /s
It won't work. Denver had a "Cash for Guns" program and one guy was filmed on a local TV station and he said all he did was turn in three old guns, got the cash, and was going to get a better gun. The liberal anchor of the News was PO'd.
I lived in Mexico City in 1968 and remember when the Mexico City Chief of Police retired after 6 years on the job, he sold his mansion for 1.1 Million Dollars. His salary had been $18,000.00 dollars per year.
Bingo. We have a winner. The judiciary and law enforcement are riddled with corruption. Compared to Mexican pols, who give our American pols a race for the money (literally), however, they are as pure as driven snow.
Old Mexico ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Yep!
I lived in Mexico City in 1968 and remember when the Mexico City Chief of Police retired after 6 years on the job, he sold his mansion for 1.1 Million Dollars. His salary had been $18,000.00 dollars per year.
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Gee, what a savvy investor. /s
Whatever, it must be Bush's fault.
Does anyone know what the individual gun ownership laws are in Mexico?
I thought personal gun ownership was illegal, how could there be any crime with guns already banned.
The 1911 frame in .38 Super is very popular in Mexico.
L
From the headline, I was about to pack up my old computer and send it to Mexico City. Darn.
"In practice, possession of firearms above .22 caliber is severely restricted. As with much of the rest of Mexican law enforcement, corruption is a major element of the gun licensing system."
http://www.davekopel.org/Espanol/Mexican-Gun-Laws.htm
/h
rgr, thanks.
That would be a freaking hoot!
I've got a couple of old computers. What's the offer.
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