Three hundred thousand deaths. No this wasn’t from World War II or the Civil War. This is the number of people, both innocent and guilty, who have died because of the drug wars going on in Mexico. Although this is not happening in our homeland, yet, it is still an issue that should concern Americans, especially those living in border towns. These deaths could’ve been prevented with the legalization of drugs in the United States.
Rumors about the drug wars and misconceptions are gossiped about because people are uninformed about the situations around them. Why do they occur? Who does it affect? Are they really that bad? All these questions and more haven’t been truly explained to most people.
Keeping the peace was easy for the government in the 1800s when the wars began. That is until the winter of 2006 when ex-president Felipe Calderon was elected. He campaigned to end the violence occurring in Michoacán. What he didn’t know is that this act would only make things worse. By providing military defense towards the minimum violence, Calderon angered the drug lords causing havoc to rise everywhere in Mexico and the nations surrounding it.
Famous singers, such as Valentin Elizalde, were killed due to narco corridos, song tales which tell the stories of the drug lords. Citizens are being killed too. An unknown body was found Nov. 26, in a sack in Chihuahua, Mexico. Chihuahua is the border state between the United States and Mexico. The next victim could be an American.
In cities such as El Paso and Presidio, Texas, violence has broken out due to the shootings taking place. Seventy two bodies were found 90 miles from the Texas border, obvious victims of a drug cartel shooting. The violence is getting too extreme. Teenagers are being recruited to form part of these cartels, many by force. Families are being separated, and many innocent people are losing their lives.
The legalization of drugs in America is an option that could stop much of the violence that is taking place. It is estimated that more than 60 percent of the revenue that drug cartels make comes from the sale to Americans. If the United States legalized drugs and supported the growth and taxing of such sales, the cost of all the lives, everywhere, that are being taken away to stop the growth, consuming, and sales would be reduced dramatically. Ex-president Fox said this was an option, many frowned at him, but maybe he’s right. If drugs were legalized, the persecution would cease to end, and the cartels would be a business, not an illegal import.
Drugs should be legalized in the United States for the safety of both American and Mexican citizens. In the midst of the danger, nothing can be done safely, not even sleeping. Tourism has dropped due to the dangers it would expose people to. If drugs were legalized, the violence would be reduced and unnecessary deaths could be prevented.
