Continued from page 1
"... I severely doubt we have 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 is deal with State Department's warnings and Minuteman supporters' claim of massive Mexican criminal element?
I cannot explain this. Who could? Perhaps God Himself could explain just how 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 is 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, first full year for which homicides figures are recorded, a total of 42 U.S citizens were murdered in Mexico, report shows. A total of 18 homicides that year occurred along 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 along 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 evaluating 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 in entire country. In United States in 2003, that was same homicide statistic for state of Louisiana![3] These stats come from FBI Uniform Crime Reports for year 2003.
"Another conclusion that can be drawn from State Department report, which some in 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 during two-year period ending Dec. 31, 2004. That’s for whole country.
By comparison, according to FBI Uniform Crime Reports, in 2003 alone, 109 people were murdered in 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, FBI report shows. New York City weighed in with 597 murders that year." —Bill Conroy NarcoNews.
So, why 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' along 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