Mexicans
By Doug Bower, Fri Dec 9th

If you have been following my columns (and if not, why not?),you know I am embarking on a series of articles, prompted byreader's comments on the "Illegal Alien" issue.

Reader's Comment Two: How could you live in a country that is sodangerous?

At first, I thought this individual was referring to the UnitedStates--I am not being sarcastic. Not until I figured out he wasmaking a commentary on the state of criminal affairs in thecountry to which my wife and I had expatriated could I form acogent reply.

There is violence in Mexico. In addition, and what may surprisesome of my critics, is my admission there has been some violenceagainst and kidnappings of some Americans. That is a fact.

I had a reader quote an article by Tracey Eaton, with the DallasMorning News, in hopes, I suppose, of supporting his claim thatcrime is massively rampant in Mexico. Ms. Eaton does quote somefigures and then points out, and quite correctly I might add,though the dead include

"…university students, assembly-plant workers, farm hands,businessmen, journalists, money couriers, drug gang henchmen anddozens of police officers.[1] They ALL are thought to be linkedto organized crime."

I spoke with Ms. Eaton, who agreed with me that Americans need agreat deal of perspective when reading articles like this andcoming to such emotively blustering conclusions that each timeanyone, whether Mexican or an American expat or tourist, walksout the front door, it is time to play the "let's dodge thebullets" game.

She told me,

"I agree with what you wrote. I lived in Mexico City inthe 1980sand again in the 1990s and I know what you mean aboutperspective. It's not like you walk out your front door and haveto dodge bullets."[2]

The issue is one of perspective. Ms. Eaton agreed.

So how much crime is in Mexico? Is the criminal element thatexists in Mexico killing masses of innocent Americans daily?From the hype that has been in the Minuteman Project reports andfrom their supporters, you would certainly think so. Also, fromthe State Department's unfounded "traveler's warnings", youwould think you do have to dodge bullets each time you dare takeone step over the Mexican-American border.

You would think it must be some humdinger of a statistic towarrant the State Department's and the Minuteman supporters'frightening warnings.

The truth is, when Narco News reporter, Bill Conroy triedinvestigating this little statistical wonder, here is what hegot:

“We don’t have figures to respond to this question at thistime,” said Diana Page, assistant press attaché for the U.S.Embassy Mexico. “The consular section is working on helpingAmericans, so getting statistics together has to wait.”

Say what?

Next, Conroy filed the Freedom of Information Act with the U.S.State Department. Here was the reply from Greg Blackman, a StateDepartment program analyst:

"... I severely doubt we have the

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

Then, what is the deal with the State Department's warnings andthe Minuteman supporters' claim of the massive Mexican criminalelement?

I cannot explain this. Who could? Perhaps God Himself couldexplain just how the U.S. State Department's bureaucracy worksand why they do what they do. Then again, maybe even TheAlmighty might have trouble doing that!

So, what is the truth about Mexican violence against Americans?

According to a report, U.S. Citizen Deaths From Non-NaturalCauses, By Foreign Country, there were some interestingrevelations:

"In 2003, the first full year for which homicides figures arerecorded, a total of 42 U.S citizens were murdered in Mexico,the report shows. A total of 18 homicides that year occurredalong the U.S.-Mexican border. In 2004, through Dec. 31, a totalof 35 U.S. citizens were murdered in Mexico, with 17 of thosehomicides occurring along the border. That’s right. The murderrate actually dropped between 2003 and 2004", reports BillConroy.

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

I encourage a great deal of perspective when a potentialexpatriate or tourist is evaluating the issue of crime indeciding whether to move to or visit Mexico.

Look at this:

In Mexico in 2003, there were 13 murders per 100,000 people inthe entire country. In the United States in 2003, that was thesame homicide statistic for the state of Louisiana![3] Thesestats come from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports for the year 2003.

"Another conclusion that can be drawn from the State Departmentreport, which some in the 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 figuresshow that a total of 77 U.S. citizens were murdered in Mexicoduring the two-year period ending Dec. 31, 2004. That’s for thewhole country.

By comparison, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Reports, in2003 alone, 109 people were murdered in the mid-sized city ofMilwaukee. In Washington, D.C., where State Department officialscook up their policies, a total of 248 people were murdered in2003, the FBI report shows. New York City weighed in with 597murders that year." —Bill Conroy NarcoNews.

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

[1] 'It's a war' along the Mexican border 300 have been killedas 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

About the author:Doug Bower is a freelance writer, Syndicated Columnist, and bookauthor. His newest book Mexican Living: Blogging it from a ThirdWorld Country can now be seen athttp://www.lulu.com/content/126241