Don't get me wrong, they make it in the news, usually as a brief summary on the back of the third page. Follow my logic for a second. If Mexico is
responsible for 95% of America's illegal drugs, then the serious crime that occurs in the towns along the border is headline news. I learned how bad the situation was/is and what would/is happening when I watched an episode of the National Geographic show 'Gangland' featuring "Los Zetas" / the Zetas. In the documentary the Zetas military-like organization is outlined, and the back ground is better explained. In a nutshell what happened was:
Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel were the number one distributor of cocaine, until he was gunned down by militants and police on a rooftop in 1993. The power was then split between the Cali Cartel and the Gulf Cartel. Then Columbia changed radical governments, so the cartels were forced into hiding in their own country, and forced to do business in other countries, mainly Mexico. The Zetas became the official right hand of the Gulf cartel. With the new business route in place the money poured in and the Zetas hired ex-military and ex-police; then began hiring away the active Mexican Special Forces and the police. The Zetas flaunted their power in Mexico, riding in convoys of armored vehicles with machine guns in hand. The Zetas as a street-gang, migrated into the U.S. just as easily as most illegal immigrants before them. In the United States they play a vital role in distributing the cocaine for the Gulf Cartel.
The Zetas became even more dangerous when they decided to buy straight from the cartels and distribute their own product through their own channels in the United States. Now they have intertwined with
Latino street gangs in the U.S. like the 17
th Street, Latin Kings, and MS-13. The huge flow of cash into the Zetas' headquarters caused an upset in power in Mexico, as the gangs bank account towered above the account of the Mexican government. This brings us into the present day, as daily accounts of violence between police and Zetas are reported, often with Zetas as the victor. The cartels have a
pit bull on a leash with the Zetas, who send huge shipments of American cash back to Colombia to the cartels in exchange for cocaine. The Zetas are so well financed, that they have already purchased helicopters, planes, grenades, rocket launchers
RPGs, and whatever else they can imagine. The reason the Mexican President asks the United States to legalize marijuana, is that the Zetas are smuggling marijuana from Mexico to the US (Mexico supplies 95% of pot to US) and using those funds to then purchase cocaine from the cartels. By legalizing marijuana, the
Presidente hopes to cut off a vital limb of the Zetas and thus the Cartels. I'm sure he probably expects the US to look to Mexico to continue to supply 95% of the 'now-legal' marijuana, instantly diverting the flow of cash from the Zetas, to the Mexican government. The question now becomes, do we as Americans, want to fund terrorists, the Mexican Government, or do we want to keep that money in the United States? We cannot win the 'war on drugs' magically in one day. People are going to buy and smoke marijuana in the United States, whether it is illegal or legal. They are currently, unknowingly supporting these violent terrorist organizations by purchasing weed from a neighbor. Their American dollars are flowing into these organizations, and furthering the violence on both sides of the border. The desire to legalize marijuana IS a moral question, Deny the prolific use of
marijuana in the United States, and continue to turn a blind eye to the constant flow of American dollars into the poorest parts of the world furthering violence and
turmoil which has now spilled over the border into our state. OR Forget about pride and accepting
marijuana use, and do the responsible thing and legalize marijuana and hemp production in the U.S. and add an enormous cash crop into the economy, adding jobs, contributing TRILLIONS in tax revenue, and releasing non-violent marijuana
possession convicted persons from our overcrowded jails and prisons.
The most important effect of legalizing marijuana is diverting the flow of American dollars from the cartels, back to America. Whether you agree with marijuana use or not is the same as whether you agree with smoking cigarettes or not, or alcohol. It is a personal opinion and should not be caught up in government.
Lets not allow these cartels and gangs to steal anymore American dollars, lets bring George Washington back to Washington. (Note George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe all had enormous hemp plantations, as well as personal cannabis gardens)
Great Links---*
Burnt Evidence *(Marijuana Blog)
WHAT THE HELL? Everybody acts like these two kids found sliced 
Disturbing news about a mass invasion of the public's privacy comes from CNN out of Atlanta, Georgia. Privacy advocates are in Washington as we speak, petitioning the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to suspend the use of "whole-body imaging", citing the technology's ability to produce a picture of the person scanned completely nude. The national campaign will start this week, and hopes to go 'viral' spreading throughout America in a matter of days. The machines detect both metallic and non-metallic items, and are currently being used in only 19 airports worldwide. Of those 19 airports, only 6 use the machine as a primary security check (instead of x-ray machines) followed by a pat-down. The rest of the airports use the machines as a voluntary secondary security check, in lieu of a pat-down.
The campaign has already recieved the attention of several lawmakers, including Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R) of Utah, who introduced legislation last month to ban these machines.
The rest of the article can be found at HERE at CNN.
One thing is for certain, with all this news about airplane safety, it's hard to believe 9-11 ever happened. The airlines stepped up, and played the part for a few years after, but it's clear the situation has become out of control. Rather then continually chip away at Americans civil liberties and human rights, we should focus on things we CAN control, like 'mechanical malfunctions'. If the same amount of time and technology were spent aimed at making sure a plane's engine wont stall, or that the wheels stay on; well then we just might start saving a few crashes from taking place, maybe save a few lives in the process. Who knows, it just might work!......worth a try regardless.
