Since last Tuesday the 7th's Primary election, some people have remarked to me, "Oh so now you are not talking about the violent and corrupt state of affairs in Baja California and Mexico any more?" For the time being no I am not, but that doesn't mean I won't resume. After all, it is the nature of the beast and I am convinced that both U.S. Neo-Con and Neo-Lib policies and the unattended and untreated U.S. social conditions of drug consumption have perpetuated the drug war.
( Edit 06/21: But for the record, we are up to and over 350+ homicides due to the drug war just in Tijuana since the beginning of the year. Frontera cited the report from the Secretario Ejecutiva Nacional de Seguridad Publica placing the homicides in Baja California for the first four months of this year at 486 - so that report does not include May and June, then for the same time period included nine kidnappings, 76 extortions, 4,184 robberies and 5,035 car thefts and robberies. The overwhelming majority of these crimes are drug related. Nation wide, two more journalists have been murdered in Mexico in the past three weeks, another Mexican journalist covering organized crime and human trafficking murdered in Texas. Oaxaca is in a state of horrible and disturbing turmoil - to which I am adding this link in English for you. [06/22: Adding this link, a continuation of the Democracy Now coverage, video and interview]
If you don't have an alarm on your vehicle, we would recommend Luis at ATBAC across the street from the Jersey Dairy Distributor in Rosarito. He is completely honest and reliable for this and all mechanical repairs. I just had an alarm installed on my almost 30 year old volvo jalopy because of his recommendation - when he mentioned an alarm, I said: "... who would want to steal an almost 30 year old car?" He replied: "You would be surprised.") end edit.
After the Primary election, another Rosarito business-person asked how I was feeling, and of course I told him both Mike and myself were devastated by the amount of corruption and repression within the Democratic Party. He said, shrugging the subject off: " ...that happens everywhere in the world, that is nothing new."
Another Mexican professional in San Diego reminded Mike that, "...you can't change a culture." (not that either one of us was trying to change the "culture" of Mexico.)
There were also two remarks from neighbors: One from an actual Bernie supporter who said, "I guess we are stuck with Hillary." The other from a Hillary supporter who asked how I was to which I replied, "Are you ready for oligarchy...maybe you need to start reading the Intercept?" (Although I am sure we all understand that oligarchy has predominated U.S. politics, foreign affairs and internal affairs for a very long time) He said - "What's that?"
Not willing to accept the ni modo or complacent attitudes which I have encountered, or to be part of a general denial movement which basically gives in to the status quo and just shuffles along - many of this group both U.S. citizens and foreign investors alike hoping to make thousands and millions along the way in Baja and backed by the US corporate media, or even perpetuate anger over the 'I smell a rat' approach (although we are re-registering as Independents); this last weekend's "The People's Summit" was truly a breath of well needed and uplifting fresh air. You can find the entire conference on You Tube. Here then are excerpts from Democracy Now !
Democracy Now ! :
"Juan Gonzalez to the Bernie or Bust Movement: Don't Repeat the Mistakes of 1968 That Elected Nixon "
"Our Dreams Don't Fit on Your Ballots": Naomi Klein on Next Steps for Pro-Bernie Sanders Movement"
"Rosario Dawson at People's Summit: We need to Stay the Course to Build a New Movement "
Naomi Klein: there would Be No Bernie Movement Without #FightFor 15, KeystoneXL & #BlackLivesMatter
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to the Nurses Union for this one:
No comments:
Post a Comment