She wouldn’t even look you in the eye as she was tapping ash off her cigarette. She was determined and defiant in her actions as she took this opportunity to accentuate her point, “Laws are laws” she said quite plainly. The talk concerns laws and the state of things in Mexico. More precisely, the reference is to a French delegate who was caught in the middle of a kidnapping and smuggling ring and locked away here in Mexico. This particular woman was in charge of overlooking kidnapped people and even deciding when their fingers would be cut off. The whole ordeal even got Sarkozy petitioning her release. It is making for tense relations between France and Mexico.
“I could not agree more” I say wholeheartedly. However, I look her in the eyes and add, “Can we keep the same stern view when we talk about illegal immigration and all the stuff going on between Mexico and the States?” This serious question elicits her to roll her eyes and exhale smoke, “Oh come on. Let’s not start that again, you know there is a lot of stuff involved. In fact, a whole new bunch of things just came in to light in the press” I am serious though, and ask again why we can’t tow the line so tough when it comes to Mexicans scurrying every which way over the border. This statement also brings the wrath of my girlfriend. I will now be double teamed immediately after our nice dinner.
I am constantly amazed at how the whole illegal situation is viewed here. I recently read a four page spread in an English language newspaper (The News) concerning the huge influx of smugglers taking to boats to get their human cargo into America. Four pages and only once was the term ‘illegal immigrant’ used. The rest of the mentions were a cleaner and friendlier ‘immigrant’. I kept asking the simple question, “If they are a legal ‘immigrant’, then why must they come charging in on speedboats under the cover of night and be dumped off several yards out at sea and told to swim…hurry!” It doesn’t make sense to me. I am still baffled at how every Mexican I have spoken to about how the average person here views this topic.
It is the United States fault. This is the usual reply, usually followed by a quickly added, “It is the uneducated, poor Mexicans who only go to America anyway”. Oddly enough, I somewhat agree…not on the intellectual aspect, but on the view that America does not truly do its part to stop them. A friend just told me last week how Mexicans often say “F*cking gringos are racist!” then laughed and continued to say that in reality, they themselves will not tolerate any other Latin American personage but their own. He laughed at the fact that the gringos can carry that weight, and that the race card is wrongly played.
One cannot address the ‘immigration’ issue without it being overshadowed by the bigger, pressing issue; Drugs.
Most of the polite yet somewhat serious conversations that I have partaken in regarding these topics usually occur at a table or a coffee table. They are somewhat relaxed and never allowed to get too heated. Likewise though, the outcome is always the same. The drug problem in Mexico is because of the US. The Mexicans and Europeans who have addressed this point usually start with this simple statement, “All the weapons the Cartel has comes from the US.” In short, one can conclude that all the violence and bloodshed is solely due to the weapons that come down from America.
In turn, I address this point alone every single time, “Are you telling me that Mexico never owned a weapon until Vicente Fox came into power five or six years ago?” This is ridiculous and they know it too. They laugh it off and say “Of course not…but not the weapons the Cartels are using” is the usual reply, or one of a similar fashion. I then have to ask some simple questions to whoever is engaging me on this topic. I am only a gringo and therefore racist and obviously ignorant. “How did Mexico fight a revolution without loads of weapons?” Every picture I see of Zapata and his Zapatistas, they are all wearing the famous crossed over the chest bullet belts and usually brandishing a rifle or at least two pistols. This may seem a silly question, but I think it makes them think a minute. Forget that. Let’s talk of all the ever-present problems that are synonymous with Latin America and the ever revolving door of revolutions and overthrows constantly in effect. After said government is overthrown, where do the weapons go? I then ask a very simple question, one that every Mexican here can relate to; Colombia. “After the whole Colombian Cartel was ‘dissolved’, did they ship all the weapons immediately out of the country? Where did they go? Obviously, none were brought into Mexico…right?” I think these are some simple and honest questions that can help shine a light on one aspect of the problem here. Yes, my opponents sit silent for a moment then resume their constant stage of denial. It is still not possible for these weapons to actually have been accessible already or have been provided by any other country. When asked what kind of countries usually support other Socialist countries they shrug and still say the same three letters “U.S.A.”
“If people in the USA didn’t buy so many drugs, then we would not have this problem” is the obvious other retort used in their defense of Mexico’s innocence. In turn, my first reply is something along these lines; “Ok. It is common knowledge that the Mexican government has been in a constant state of flux since the revolution. Almost 100 years and nothing has changed. The same ruling government had been in power since shortly after the revolution, for over 80 years, up until Fox was elected, and currently Calderon” Every single Mexican this has been asked to agrees in a split second. When I ask if they think that for over 80 years the government working hand in hand with organized crime is far-fetched, they immediately dismiss it. There is no way the people here or the government would have anything to do with the drug trade. Yes, they all admit the government is corrupt. Yes they openly admit the government and organized crime worked hand in hand, but they cannot draw the line to the current drug crisis.
“People here don’t use drugs…at least not like they do in the States” is a common reply. This may be true, but just less than a day ago we walked passed an old guy in the park, smoking a Cheech and Chong size doobie with no qualms whatsoever. I suppose that the stories here of the rise in meth usage go unnoticed, and all the users of cocaine from the 80’s have vanished. I also assume most Mexicans here are oblivious to the fabled grass grown in their own yard, ‘Acapulco Gold’. I know that none want to acknowledge that over 70% of all Meth sold in the US is manufactured in Mexico. I also know it is just too crazy and far fetched to think that with the overpowering size of the drug lords and their gangs here, no one decides to partake in a little bit of the goods at hand so readily available.
I like to play dumb and agree to all of this. ‘Ignorance’ is the usual defense as to why any Mexican would get involved or do drugs of any sort. Personally, I find it hard to believe that a bunch of stupid people have managed to get such a deep seeded trafficking network set up across the globe and managed to strike fear in the hearts of millions. Most cases of smuggling involve a respectable amount of intelligence to be able to come up with the ingenious ways of concealing dope in cars and in boats…even submarines! Nope, only stupid and unintelligent Mexicans get involved in drugs.
Acting the dumb gringo that I am, I throw my last card on the table. I understand the concept of supply and demand. I try not to address the economical aspect of expendable income for the average chump in the States compared to Mexico; because the idea of money to burn is foreign to most here, and therefore makes understanding the larger amount of drug usage possible impossible for them to comprehend. This is strictly a gringo vs. Mexican problem. I implore an obvious agreement of good versus bad, and that criminal behavior is bad in any sense. I also get an agreement that drug usage is undesirable too. Needless to say, we are in perfect compliance. I reach up my sleeve, and fling my card on to the table for all to see; “So, which is better then, the addict or the people who smuggle and sell the dope to the other weak individuals?” Before they can answer, I rephrase the question, “Are the users the problem, or the suppliers? Is it better to buy drugs or to make money from drugs?” They stare at me like I am crazy. “One guy loses his money while the other guy is making it…who is the better man? Who is at fault?” Of course I am way off track and I only make myself look more stupid by asking, “If we are the problem, why do you keep the supply flowing freely?” They do not understand this point. They do not understand that even though there is demand, it cannot continue if the supply is not there. Yes, people here may traffic drugs, but not use them; that is uniquely an American problem. The Cartel is bad, but it only exists because Americans wanna get high. No one else in the world does drugs, and the concept of ceasing exploiting drugs would diminish the Cartels’ powers. According to Mexican logic, the manufacturing of drugs and the smuggling of drugs is not near as bad as the usage of drugs. This explains why no Mexicans are bad because they do not use drugs, only Americans do and they are bad.
No matter how deep or far the conversation goes; it always ends the same way. People sitting at the table, some smoking, and shaking their heads side to side in disapproval. I can’t understand why it cannot be acknowledged that the Cartels are vital to the whole scenario and that the ‘pushers’ are the innocent ones. They can’t understand why I do not agree that it is all down to the fact that people in America want to get high, and thus it is Mexico’s burden.
All I know is that in most cases the same rule always applies: America = the problem. God have mercy if you are white and American.
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