The new moral panic: "Smuggled American guns and Mexican gangs"

[friendly_iconoclast]

This of course fits right in with the previous subjects of moral panics:
"dissent", "drugs", "comic books", "song lyrics", "Internet porn", and of course
the latest biggie: "TERRAISTS!".

Sad to see some in the Obama administration using the tactics of Bush Jong Il, et al
(fearmongering, flat-out lying)
as an excuse to trample on the Constitutional rights of citizens

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x205774

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x205412

http://www.mccaffreyassociates.com/pdfs/Mexico_AAR_-_December_2008.pdf


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-arms-race15-2009mar15,0,7497626,full.story

...Unlike grenades and antitank weapons, the .50-caliber guns can be obtained by ordinary citizens in the U.S. and smuggled easily into Mexico, like the tons of assault rifles...

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/03/04/a_lethal_export_to_mexico?mode=PF

GLOBE EDITORIAL
A lethal export to Mexico
March 4, 2009

WEEKLY death tolls may be something Americans associate with war zones like Baghdad, yet this is life within miles of the nation's southern border. Mexico has become synonymous with gun violence and drug trafficking, and the power of drug cartels has lately increased, causing a surge in violence. In 2008, 6,000 Mexicans were killed in gang warfare, twice the number of the year before, with another thousand deaths so far this year.

This is not just a Mexican problem. According to US and Mexican law enforcement oficials, 90 percent of the guns picked up from criminal activity are purchased in the United States.

Mexico has strict gun-control laws, prohibiting purchase of assault rifles and requiring gun purchases to be registered with the government. Even so, 55 percent of weapons picked up are assault rifles - which can be bought legally in much of the United States. These military-grade weapons easily out-muscle the Mexican police....

...The criminal demand for assualt weapons cannot be deterred by Mexican law alone when they are so easily available in the United States. Attorney General Eric Holder admitted this on Friday when he said reinstituting a federal ban on the sale of assault weapons, which lapsed in 2004, "will have a positive impact in Mexico, at minimum."

[cliffordu]

1. Holder is a fucking idiot.

And, oddly enough, so is anyone who thinks any weapons ban is going to affect drug gangs.


Wanna stop the killing?

Legalize and regulate drugs.

[Hoopla Phil]

2. self delet

[madrchsod]

3. buying guns from border dealers?

if the feds know these shops are doing this then shut them down. how about tracking the shipments from the manufacturers. simple-case closed.

smuggling 50 cal.? ya right

you know dam well the feds can track the purchases of these guns....


the heavy weapons are coming from the mexican army or from the southern border of mexico.