Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 Source: Cayman Net News (Cayman Islands) Copyright: 2006 Cayman Net Ltd Contact: http://www.caymannetnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3700 Author: Tyrone Douglas THE MYTH DRUG DEALERS FACE Dear Sir: History dictates that most people who engage in any type of drug dealing or drug use are usually people who barely managed to graduate from high school and are attracted because of the potential to earn large sums of easy money in a short period of time. However, the false perception that most drug dealers fail to comprehend is that the most powerful and dangerous drug dealers ended up on the news in many countryies running for or losing their lives because of unseen dangers encountered, as documented with Pablo Escobar etc. If you speak to someone who decides to be really honest with you, they will tell you before that before they became involved in any type of drug activity, they were not even aware of the type of transactions going on around them until it was too late for them to disassociate themselves from the persons they are involved with. The primary reason one hears this comment is because most people involved in distributing and using drugs are targeted by well organized gangs because of the status. For example, teens in their early 20s are usually taught to be partying and having a good time, hence they are least expected to be involved with such activities. On the other hand, accountants, attorneys, bankers, custom officers, police officers, police officers, pastors, pilots and politicians are also least expected to be involved with such activities, especially if they keep a low profile and are perceived to be of good character. The interesting part of these professions that attract gangs to target key persons and have them included in their gang, is to expand their operations simply because of the use of acquiring such power, authority, financial and legal expertise or most of all that is least expected, respected religious leaders. As the gang activity continues to grow in schools undetected, we the public assume that it has no real means of expanding beyond the school grounds and growing into well established organized criminal networks. Well, according to an article published in the local press a few months ago, one of Cayman's most powerful drug dealers from George Town was sentenced in Mexico for drug trafficking. If one wishes to research beyond that, another major drug dealer from West Bay and a former RCIP Officer was sentenced in federal prison with Manuel Noriega a few years ago for drug trafficking and the list goes on. What most people who fail to properly educate themselves do not comprehend is that, there is no option for a career or pension plan and that this type of life style is short-lived. Therefore, as parents, we must stand up and fight against all criminal networks that target our families for financial gain and take away the future from the indigenous people of these Islands. Caymanians need to stand up and fight, employed or unemployed, don't ask your political representative if they can create deterrents, tell them that they must, and if they choose not to, then we the people have the right and the power to call an electoral recall any time we wish. Remember that we the people have the power to vote in or remove any political representative at the general public's request. A very concerned Caymanian who is fed up with the level of suppression and oppression constantly expressed by the power-hungry investors, accountants, attorneys, bankers, custom officers, police officers, police officers, pastors, pilots and politicians who continue to show no regard for the dignity of the people of these Islands. Tyrone Douglas - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom