Forget War With Syria, There's a Massacre Much Closer to Home in Mexico Roy Klabin - PolicyMic
go to original September 6, 2013

Americans have demonstrated as lazy an outrage over the thousands of deaths in Syria, as they have for the thousands slaughtered in Mexico’s ongoing drug war. The arbitrary distinction over the use of chemical weapons seems laughable, considering the brutal and sadistic violence we’ve thus far tolerated in both conflicts. While our political machine redirects focus towards another Middle Eastern conflict with no end in sight, it might behoove us to admit that we’re far more responsible, obligated to, and better suited to deal with the war just south of our border.

The rise of the cartels in Mexico can wholly be attributed to their main customer base: America. Much in the same way that our oil consumption affects geopolitical landscapes in oil producing nations around the world, our drug consumption has financed and empowered an endless array of brutal, international drug syndicates. But whereas even the worst dictators in oil producing nations can be held accountable to international standards, the criminal enterprises we support with our misguided drug policies actively mock the notion of accountability — while corrupting the very governments we try to form working partnerships with.

On the domestic front, Americans are starting to wake up to the misinformation they’ve been fed regarding the War on Drugs — which is often compared to the last century’s failed prohibition on alcohol. Advocacy for the scientific research and health benefits of certain drugs has grown. CNN’s Sanjay Gupta has released video documentaries explaining his new found appreciation for Marijuana medical research, including a feature on a strain of Colorado weed that has helped children’s brains grow and recovery from traumatizing head injuries. Sam Harris, a famous neurologist, has often written about the virtues and merits of scientific research into psychedelics like LSD and Mushrooms. The Justice Department recently buckled, and promised not to pursue legal action against marijuana-related crimes in states that have legalized its use.

Several police departments and advocacy groups have come out against current drug policies, claiming they are to blame for our nation’s overcrowded prisons and violent crime rates. Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca, who runs the nation’s largest jail system, recently advocated investing in pre-schools rather than prisons. These voices count among many portions of our society that believe the legalization and regulation of drugs is a necessary step towards securing a more stable Republic. Meanwhile, alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies enjoy control over the market, and have death rates that dwarf anything related to illegal substances.

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