LatinaLista — The violence is escalating — not in Iraq, but in our own backyard.
This week there have been reports of the drug cartel violence that has long plagued Mexico moving north into towns along the border.
In New Mexico this week, the state’s two US Senators have formally asked Homeland Security for extra security for the area near the border town of Columbus after two men were killed in the Mexican border town across from Columbus, Palomas, and a US resident living in Palomas was wounded and drove himself to Columbus’ port of entry where he was taken to a hospital.
The violence in Palomas is too close for comfort for New Mexican residents and authorities.
Thankfully, our government is finally realizing this but what is more important is Mexico is realizing this as well.
The Dallas Morning News reported that both sides are realizing that they must work together to eradicate the violence that threatens to invade our borders and turn Mexico into a country under siege.
Because both sides are actually fueling the violence: the drug cartels in Mexico are funneling their drugs into the U.S. where there is a market for them and the from the US comes illegal weapons that the drug cartels use to murder anyone who gets in their way.
Yet, what may surprise those who think the original wall Congress wanted to build would keep all this violence out of our country and would be a natural choice for border residents, the Texas Border Coalition, a group comprised of Texas border mayors, county judges, and communities, — people who live along the border — say no to any wall or fence.
Por que?
Because these border communities know that no fence is infallible in keeping anything or anyone out but does a good job of buildling walls between people.
At a time when drug violence equally threatens both sides of the border, it doesn’t make sense to still want to build something that keeps one side from seeing what is coming.
Even the guys at The Alamo had that advantage. Their problem was not anticipating just how big their adversary was.
Strange how history can repeat itself.
