I was reading another article about Mexican President Calderón, and it looked like it was going to be more of the same…
Calderón Blames US Consumer for Drug Wars in Latin America (Honduras Weekly)
My first thought was that this was getting a little old. Blaming US consumers for the violence in Mexico is like blaming gravity for plane crashes. Technically true, but you’re better off looking at what your pilots are doing and whether your airplanes are designed right.
But then I read what he actually said and realized that the headline writer completely missed the bombshell.
President Calderón said, “If [the US] is determined and resigned to consume drugs, then it should look for market alternatives that would either deny the stratospheric profits to criminals or create alternative shipment routes to the border with Mexico… but this situation can no longer continue as it is.”
Read that carefully. Calderón says if the US is going to continue to consume drugs (ie, not repeal the law of gravity), then it should look for market alternatives…
Did Calderón just call for legalization? I think so. Market alternatives that deny exorbitant profits to the black market is pretty much the definition of legalization.
How is that not the headline of this story?
That quote is also buried in this story in the Latin American Herald Tribune.
Early in the story, they talk about Calderón’s criticism of the U.S. a different way…
The crime prompted President Felipe Calderon to escalate his rhetoric against violent drug cartels and also criticize the United States’ appetite for illegal narcotics and demand greater commitment from Washington in the battle against organized crime.
Then much further down comes the key quote, with a slightly different translation that makes the latter part about distribution routes clearer, while keeping that very specific “market alternatives” language.
If Americans “are determined and resigned to consume drugs, then look for market alternatives that cancel out the criminals’ astronomical profits or establish clear entry points for the drugs distinct from the border with Mexico, but this situation can no longer continue unchanged,†he said.
Yes, President Calderón, it’s time for the U.S. to look at market alternatives.
…
In related news…
Ex-Mexico President Suggests Truce With Drug Cartels
Just an Ordinary Day of Death in Mexico’s War on Drug Traffickers
…
Update: McClatchy reports on Calderón’s reactions to the casino fire as well, and includes the criticism of U.S. not doing enough, but leaves out the references to market alternatives. So far, I’ve not found a single U.S. media outlet (other than blogs) that has reported this fairly major item.
my favorite market alternative is where i go out in the back yard and plant a seed in accordance with the tenth amendment. don’t worry calderoon, thelbert swears to never buy mexican weed again, even if it does have really good seeds.
Yes! Wow! It’s really there!
“If Americans are determined and resigned to consume drugs, then look for market alternatives that cancel out the criminals’ astronomical profits or establish clear entry points for the drugs distinct from the border with Mexico, but this situation can no longer continue unchanged,â€
Well spotted Pete!
And well said president Felipe Calderón!
And deep shame on all the world-wide mass media for missing or censoring it!
That’s it! The media, politicians and “news services”, for lack of a better term. Suffer the symptoms of the prohibitionists gossip about Ganja causing short term memory loss. This may be a first although it isn’t a recent development. Mexico and Canada has tried to end the war and provide some legitimacy in the sales of Ganja and small amounts of drugs for personal possession. It was Unk Scam on both occasions that said thousands of dead people are better than kids smoking pot. Beer sales would go down and binge drinking wouldn’t provide statistics to prove how deadly getting a college education can be. If the people can’t think for themselves and rely on this yellow journalism of shock and awe headlines and other diversions keeping us ill informed. Obombo seems to be totally bassackwards as his predecessors. I think I’ll call him Amabo.
ABCBSNBCFOXMSNBCNN all Alphabet News Sucks
The Free Mexican Air Force
Yeah, the Free Mexican Air Force is flyin’ tonight
* Mexico Decriminalizes Small Amounts of Drugs
* Mexico legal-drug bill condemned
* U.S. Cautious on Mexico Drug Measure
Ganjawar Puppets Cave… again
* Mexico President Seeks Review of Drug Law
* OH, MEXICO (OH, THE EMBARRASSMENT)
* MEXICO MOVES TO DECRIMINALIZE DRUG POSSESSION — NO, WAIT, NEVERMIND
* Threats From USA Force Mexico to Drop Decrim Plans
Canada’s Supremes Cower Under DEAth Threats
Loosen Pot Laws and Face Tighter Border U.S. Warns!
Drug Czar Talks About Tightening at Border
Relaxed Pot Laws May Affect Border
Canadian Pot Legislation Could Snarl Border
Danger On Our Northern Border
Pot Bill Could Bog Down Border
U.S. Warns Pot Plan To Clog Border
A Border War Over Pot
140 More Agents Will Be Sent To Border
Canada, U.S. Bolster Border Security
Potent Marijuana, Lax Laws Frustrate U.S. Border
Police Smoke Out Cross-Border Marijuana Trade
U.S. Faults Canada for Letting Drugs Across Border
Marine Anti-Drug Border Patrol Suspended
Looking Over the Northern Border
Opposite Side of Border, Opposite Pot Issue
Border Crossers Fall Victim to Profit-Takers
Fired Border Patrol Agent Blames Hemp Bar
Italy Police Battle Reefer Madness at Swiss Border
Unmanned Planes Tested in Border Watch
Blaming US consumers for the violence in Mexico is like blaming gravity for plane crashes. Technically true, but you’re better off looking at what your pilots are doing and whether your airplanes are designed right.
Well said. But yeah, I’ve noticed that anytime I read a story on prohibition-related violence (which is invariably mislabeled as “drug-related violence”), some commenter will attempt to do just that. Here’s my response:
There are two required ingredients for so-called “drug-related violence”: demand for illegal drugs and prohibition. If the demand for illegal drugs disappeared tomorrow, you’re absolutely correct that this would put an immediate stop to “drug-related violence” in Mexico. The only problem with this “plan” (which is really just magical thinking) is that it will NEVER, EVER happen! If the war on drugs hasn’t stopped the demand for illegal drugs yet, it’s never going to. What MIGHT happen (and what I believe WILL happen) is the end of our stupid and counterproductive war on drugs. This country eventually realized that Prohibition 1.0 was a mistake and repealed it. I think we’re set to do the same with Prohibition 2.0.
Francis Francis Francis
You are by far not alone in your thinking. But let me just ask how it is that everyone is in agreement that journalists are bias towards reporting on the Ganjawar. That the government lies about the dangers and how to combat it. Yet we still believe deep down that they are normal politicians without vested ignorance beside them making huge profits on the war all while keeping thousands of products off the free market shelves and jobs out of communities.
No Francis we didn’t, the same as most in the country don’t realize the actual reason for the war today. The only way to stop the war is to hold the corporate entities behind it accountable. Either by Boycott, Jury Nullification or whatever nonviolent means necessary. Not to save the druggies, to save Liberty. If we don’t remove the incentives to profit on elections and laws then this modern fascism will continue and we the people will continue chasing our tales in circles. No one was against drinking, the speak easy’s can account for that. The repeal wasn’t due to all the violence and children. That the gangsters violence finally made us normal joe’s see the light. Money dude…. It’s always the money.
Al Capone and Watergate were red herrings to divert the countries attention from the Fascist acts of eliminating competition. Booze/Ethanol or Ganja//Hemp.
Plaque Outside Old Bailey, London
“Near this site William Penn and William Mead were tried in 1670 for preaching to an
unlawful assembly in Gracechurch Street. This tablet commemorates the courage and endurance of the jury, Thomas Vere, Edward Bushell and ten others, who refused to give a verdict against them although they were locked up without food for two nights and were fined for their final verdict of Not Guilty. The case of these jury men was reviewed on a writ of Habeas Corpus and Chief Justice Vaughan delivered the opinion of the court which established the Rights of Juries to give their Verdict according to their conviction. ”
Jury Nullification
Well, if Calderon doesn’t get his ass kicked by American diplomats for this, then I’m a monkey’s uncle.
If he has any backbone at all, he’ll use the word “legalize”.
We can do it ourselves at the State level. In Washington, support, at minimum sign, I-505, the Real Route to Reform.
A reluctant entry, but I-502 has so many flaws that we need to put something better before the people. Key points:
A) 505 allows for commercial hemp. (502-not)
B) 505 allows for personal garden growing. (502 – not)
C) 505 follows existing standards of impaired driving. (502-introduces a non-scientific standard blood test)
We can overturn this un-American prohibition and return some sanity to our civilization. I-505!!!!!
Wow, the comments on that Fox News story are depressing. Here’s one selected pretty much at random: “No truce and no tolerance !! Take them out as soon as their feet hit American soil with drugs. They won’t return for a second run. Problem solved.”
*sigh* On the other hand, I think the “truce” language is unfortunate. And we have to recognize that this type of visceral, emotional reaction is completely understandable. The thought process goes something like this: “These cartels are murderous thugs! And you want to declare a ‘truce’ with them?! That’s crazy! We should never surrender to evil. We should redouble our efforts to destroy these monsters no matter how long it takes!”
And you know what? I kind of agree. I just recognize that the only way to destroy the cartels is to take away the source of their power by ending prohibition! That’s the message we have to keep driving home.
It is simply amazing that people so stupid can still be alive.
Conservatives should embrace market solutions to problems that government legislation fails to solve(an in fact makes worse.) I won’t hold my breath.
That was an inadvertant slip, I’m beyond sure. As soon a that quote hit the wires, you know Calderone got the call from the U.S. Ambassador’s office. I’m also sure he was called by an underling and NOT the Ambassador or much less, Hil herself. He’s an employee fer crissake, and a Hispanic employee at that. Bet he’s treated like kitchen staff.
The strongly worded anti-drug statement and his re-committment to “Plan Mexico” is just waiting for the Monday news cycle.
If it sounds cynical, put your money there.
Agreed. After all this is his baby. Sounds like a politician saying something he thinks everyone will like and will be able to twist to justify whatever he might do in the future on this issue. Kinda like when someone told us that science would lead policy…
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Secretary of State Clinton stepped out on a limb and told the truth for once in her life when she stated that there was just too much money in marijuana to ever legalize it,,,she didn’t bother qualifying the statement of whether it was too much money being lost by big business or federal bureaucracies though,,,,
Clay..
Herself not qualifying the statement was the reporter’s fault for not following up…something that is all to common and it allows for the BS talking points to go on and on and on…
No one has since followed up either…
Well, it came straight from the heart, that much is clear. But what the Devil does he intend to do about it? If he decides not to cooperate with the U.S. it will spark a diplomatic crisis. It is hard to believe that after all this time he’s ready to reverse himself.
It’s obvious many of you don’t understand Mexican politics. Hell, I’ve lived here for 10 years now and still don’t understand it other than…it’s not the person. The person, President, whomever, only speaks as told to by The Party, which is now PAN. When you vote here, there’s no person’s name, just their party. Calderon is as much of a hand puppet as Obama is!
Like I said…
More so… heh At least Obama had the option to run independent – not that he’d WIN. 😛