Pubdate: Wed, 22 Apr 2009
Source: Daily Nexus (UC Santa Barbara, CA Edu)
Copyright: 2009 Daily Nexus
Contact:  http://www.ucsbdailynexus.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2729
Author: David Sforza
Note: David Sforza is a third-year political science major.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

A JOINT ROLLED IS A BODY BURIED

There is a new blood diamond in international politics.

This new product is enjoyed by 25 million Americans on a regular basis.

It has led to the death of 6,300 people in one country alone last 
year. In one city, 1,600 have already been killed this year. Many 
have been beheaded and placed on display for all to see. The country 
with the largest problem is becoming the kidnapping capital of the 
world, and is one of two countries our government has classified as 
being in threat of complete government collapse.

Marijuana has become the new blood diamond, and Mexico its victim.

After enjoying 4/20, the question becomes: Do you care?

I hope you enjoyed your state of euphoria.

After all, you're helping contribute to a $38 billion industry for 
the drug cartels in Mexico. And hey, it is helping to stimulate our 
economy, too. After all, 90 percent of the guns being used by the 
drug cartels come from the United States. While the guns are great 
for grabbing control, a saw works better for intimidation. Beheadings 
have become common, and finding someone and hanging them from a 
bridge while placing their head in the town square has a much greater 
intimidation effect.

These cartels have not stopped at intimidating Mexicans. Border 
Patrol has found heads in ice chests with notes warning them not to 
get involved. Sixteen hundred people died in Juarez so far this year. 
After carrying through on a threat to kill a police officer every 48 
hours, the police commissioner of Juarez, Mexico, resigned and the 
mayor of the city moved his family to Texas. The city is now run by 
the drug cartels themselves.

Need to take another hit? Go ahead.

You are helping employ U.S. teenagers. U.S. customs is finding 
14-year-old Americans with marijuana strapped to their bodies as they 
smuggle the drugs from Mexico. And last month we found that two U.S. 
teens were hired at the age of 13 to be hitmen for Mexican cartels.

As a bonus payment, they received a $70,000 Mercedes. The prosecutor 
in this teenager's case said that working for a drug cartel is like 
working for a Fortune 500 company. After all, number 701 on Fortune's 
list of world billionaires is a Mexican drug lord.

But don't worry; only half of the marijuana in this country is 
imported. So you only have a 50 percent chance that you are funding 
this bloodshed.

Unless, of course, you bought marijuana that's grown here in 
California. The Drug Enforcement Administration found that these 
cartels were using national parks in California to grow marijuana 
because they were so secluded.

The cartels have become the largest organized crime threat in 
America. They operate in over 250 U.S. cities, and have made Phoenix 
the kidnapping capital of the country.

I can already hear the voices. "Legalize marijuana!

That will solve everything!" For the sake of argument I'll listen to 
your call. But guess what? Today, marijuana is illegal.

Today, your marijuana may be funding a drug war and the number-one 
organized crime threat in America. Today, your state of euphoria will 
help get our neighbor and ally Mexico listed with Afghanistan as a 
country likely to have its government collapse.

You want marijuana to be legal, fine. But today, it is not. And even 
if you begin to convince members of Congress that it should be legal, 
it probably won't be legal tomorrow, either.

As a result of drug cartels, 6,300 people were killed last year in 
Mexico. More people were killed last year in Mexico for drugs than 
soldiers in Iraq in the last six years.

The protester drug of choice has killed more than the war they are 
protesting. But hey, as long as it feels good and is cheap, why 
should we care how it affects other people? After all, marijuana 
never killed anyone...
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom