Mexicans: Criminal Infestation or a lot of Hype--Part One

Written by Doug Bower


Continued from page 1

"... I severely doubt we haverepparttar information you're looking for," Blackman said. "... I have people looking into it now, so I don't know for sure what records are kept or how yet." Again, I exclaim, "Say what?"

Then, what isrepparttar 142494 deal withrepparttar 142495 State Department's warnings andrepparttar 142496 Minuteman supporters' claim ofrepparttar 142497 massive Mexican criminal element?

I cannot explain this. Who could? Perhaps God Himself could explain just howrepparttar 142498 U.S. State Department's bureaucracy works and why they do what they do. Then again, maybe even The Almighty might have trouble doing that!

So, what isrepparttar 142499 truth about Mexican violence against Americans?

According to a report, U.S. Citizen Deaths From Non-Natural Causes, By Foreign Country, there were some interesting revelations:

"In 2003,repparttar 142500 first full year for which homicides figures are recorded, a total of 42 U.S citizens were murdered in Mexico,repparttar 142501 report shows. A total of 18 homicides that year occurred alongrepparttar 142502 U.S.-Mexican border. In 2004, through Dec. 31, a total of 35 U.S. citizens were murdered in Mexico, with 17 of those homicides occurring alongrepparttar 142503 border. That’s right. The murder rate actually dropped between 2003 and 2004", reports Bill Conroy.

I grow weary but can manage to croak it out again, "Say what?"

I encourage a great deal of perspective when a potential expatriate or tourist is evaluatingrepparttar 142504 issue of crime in deciding whether to move to or visit Mexico.

Look at this:

In Mexico in 2003, there were 13 murders per 100,000 people inrepparttar 142505 entire country. Inrepparttar 142506 United States in 2003, that wasrepparttar 142507 same homicide statistic forrepparttar 142508 state of Louisiana![3] These stats come fromrepparttar 142509 FBI Uniform Crime Reports forrepparttar 142510 year 2003.

"Another conclusion that can be drawn fromrepparttar 142511 State Department report, which some inrepparttar 142512 U.S. government might find shocking, is that Mexico appears to be a safer place to be for U.S. citizens than their own homeland. The State Department figures show that a total of 77 U.S. citizens were murdered in Mexico duringrepparttar 142513 two-year period ending Dec. 31, 2004. That’s forrepparttar 142514 whole country.

By comparison, according torepparttar 142515 FBI Uniform Crime Reports, in 2003 alone, 109 people were murdered inrepparttar 142516 mid-sized city of Milwaukee. In Washington, D.C., where State Department officials cook up their policies, a total of 248 people were murdered in 2003,repparttar 142517 FBI report shows. New York City weighed in with 597 murders that year." —Bill Conroy NarcoNews.

So, whyrepparttar 142518 hype? Americans need to learn how to detect "Phony-Boloney" when they hear it. Stay tuned and we will learn how to do that—together.

[1] 'It's a war' alongrepparttar 142519 Mexican border 300 have been killed as drug crime thrives in Mexico 08:23 AM CDT on Friday, June 3, 2005 By TRACEY EATON / The Dallas Morning News

[2] Tracey Eaton in conversation with author.

[3] http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/murder.html#usa



Doug Bower is a freelance writer, Syndicated Columnist, and book author. His newest book Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country can now be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241


Mexicans: Disease-Ridden or a lot of Hype?

Written by Doug Bower


Continued from page 1

"As far as your specific question about illegal immigrants causing a rise in TB, CDC’s data shows that foreign-born individuals – whether illegal immigrants or legal immigrants – accounted for more than half of TB cases reported in 2004."

The rate of TB among Asians wasrepparttar highest group. Does this mean that this reader and his Minuteman-like comrades will be going afterrepparttar 142493 Asians next and then all foreign-born people whether illegal or legal?

Does it not begrepparttar 142494 question?

Why, do you think, and I have most certainly wondered, do people who so vehemently oppose a racial or cultural group resort to making such sweeping generalizations without much substance to back their positions?

I've decided to do a series of columns on this very issue with specific application torepparttar 142495 Mexican Migrant worker problem. And yes, believe it or not, I think it is a problem that has to be solved. However, having said that, I do not think it isrepparttar 142496 problemrepparttar 142497 Minuteman-like minions would have you believe it to be. I think they have different motives, which I hope to prove in my series inrepparttar 142498 coming weeks.

Until then, let me suggest something at this juncture for your kind consideration. The reason Americans, no matterrepparttar 142499 issue, and especially with regard to people of different race and culture (and politics for that matter) will resort to such emotive blustering and grandiose exaggerations such as,

"Just look what all those thousands of disease-ridden illegal Mexicans are spreading all over our country."

is that Americans, at least in my view (remember this is an Opinion-Editorial piece—so don't get all twisted into a knot), is that Americans have very poorly defined "Phony-Boloney" detectors--More on that to come!

Meanwhile, get your printer cartridges filled, get a notebook and pen, you will want to print and take notes and cherish what I am going to say for decades to come (I just made up that last part so I could say something witty to end this serious piece and make my editorial word count.).



Doug Bower is a freelance writer, Syndicated Columnist, and book author. His newest book Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country can now be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241


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