...Most people assume the drug war in Mexico should not be called a war at all, but through the first 11 months of 2008 the Mexican war has “about 1,000 more [deaths] than the number of U.S. military personnel [killed] in Iraq” (“Is Mexico’s” 3) in that same time period. You have to wonder why more isn’t done for this reoccurring violence and illegal activity. The Mexican drug war masked by powerful gang leaders called cartels and hidden by intimidated citizens will continue for many years unless both the United States and Mexico join together further more to stop this ongoing problem that has cost thousands of lives. The cartels using various forms of illegal money making techniques to attain their powerful state has received minimal defiance until recently by U.S. and Mexican governments. The cartels use highly illegal techniques to obtain power. These techniques originated because of the chance at 8-23 billion dollars estimated for anyone to obtain (“Is Mexico’s” 4). Topping the list to acquire money are illegal drugs which are the most “widely recognized source of criminal power in Mexico” stealing cars, kidnapping, smuggling Mexicans into United States, and protection rackets also increase their profit (Walters 2). This profit is made from drugs shipped to the U.S., and sold there because of the high demand. At the peak of these drugs is marijuana which it is the “single largest source of drug profits for cartels”. They can easily ship their marijuana to marijuana legal...
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...The United States in 1846 was not justified in going to war with Mexico. The United States did not have proper justification to respond with violence against the Mexican government. The war with Mexico was also a product of the United States’ belief of manifest destiny. Polk’s over ambition to seize new territory from the Mexicans and disappointment over their refusal to sell him California also possibly played a factor in his willingness to wage war against Mexico. The United States under the leadership of president Polk clearly provoked Mexico into attacking US troops. All these reasons show that the US had no business starting a war with Mexico for territory that was rightfully theirs. The war with Mexico came at a time when much of the country had strong feelings of manifest destiny. Manifest destiny is the belief that fate had preordained the US to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans and from Canada to the Rio Grande river. This idea which was coined by John O’ Sullivan was very popular in the 1840’s. This ideal had strong influence and was one reason that their was so much popular support for the US expansion west. This ideal while nationalistic did not give us the right to go into Mexico and seize land which was rightfully theirs in the first place. They had the right to expel any US citizens that were living on their country’s land especially if they where not abiding by their laws. This alone makes even the annexation of Texas not completely just...
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...borders within Mexico lie huge drug war problems both nations are attempting to resolve through the use of a variety of different foreign policy including military intervention, sharing of information, and stricter border control. Yet it would seem that all of which have been ineffective in solving the problem and may have even worsened it. These costly and terrible policies are hurting both nations and only tarnishing the...
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...Trafficking between the United States and Mexico: The Drug Trafficking Nexus Transnational Crime and Globalization By: Katrina T. Mason May 2, 2008 The United States is quite known for their proactive stances on the “War on Drugs”, “War on Terror”, and “War in Iraq”. Some view them as the international police and others view them as the international fiend, but it is in no doubt that the United States takes a very active stance in fighting what they believe is evil and wrong within the world. This is increasingly true for the evils that occur within its own borders such as the continued drug epidemic, domestic violence, child abuse, poverty, gangs, and prostitution (with the exception of Nevada). Unfortunately though, the United States’ stance on legal activities crossing from their own governance into neighboring states where the activity is illegal is not held with the same level of concern or dedication. A primary example of this double standard can be seen on the Mexican-United States border. This is not in reference to the debris from the giant wall being built on the Mexican border falling to the southern side, the young Americans fleeing across the borders to intoxicate themselves, or even the revolution of McDonalds springing up in towns throughout Mexico; but instead to the small arms and light weapons trafficking continually flowing down from the border states into Mexico causing alarming murder rates, economical...
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...The U.S./Mexico border is clearly distinctive with the desert of Mexico and the run-down city of Juárez overlooking the modern City of El Paso, Texas in the United States. This shows many living in Mexico how close they are to opportunity but also how difficult it is to get it by crossing the border. The theme of gender identities and the U.S./Mexico border is also made clear in The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea. We follow the story of the Yuma-14 crossing the Mexico/U.S. border into Arizona through extremely dangerous conditions. Gender identities are seen by the coyotes because they try to show off their machismo with their tattoos, big payments for each walker they get across the border, and higher up status compared to other village people. The story of the Yuma-14 suffer days in the desert heat causing them drastic physical problems such as becoming delusional and becoming dehydrated which for many leads to death. To cross the border for opportunity many will the...
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...of Hernando Cortez to Mexico were motivated by three major desires: to obtain wealth, personal glory, and spread Catholicism, but this was also true for other Conquistadores in their expeditions. Hernando Cortez set out to gain fame for himself by finding untold riches, as well as to convert the newly discovered Indians to Christianity in order to save their souls. Unfortunately, these goals were not completely accomplished, instead of converting the Indians, the majority of them were slaughtered or killed by diseases brought by the European conquerors. Cortez and his army invaded and sacked the Aztec empire and brought back more wealth to the motherland than any other adventurer in the Age of Exploration. When Cortez first viewed the city of Tenochtitlan, his reaction contradicts his actions as it is noted that he called it “the most beautiful city in the world.” After conquering the Aztec Empire it was claimed as a colony of Spain, Tenochtitlan was laid to waste and rebuild by the Spanish and renamed Mexico City, the colony was named New Spain and later Mexico, after Mexica the word used by the Aztecs to denote themselves....
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...first started in 1965 as an ad hoc experiment at secluded sites on the U.S.-Mexico border which expanded quickly into quite a sophisticated federal program intended to attract export investments. In the early eighties, major economic problems seeped into Mexico causing an ensuing need for overseas investment. To improve Mexico’s economic problem it would have to develop through the success from the maquiladoras, and from its success, it immediately attracted the Mexican government. In the modern world, the use of maquiladoras are Mexico's primary source of domestic production, exports, and employment, and continues to attract foreign investment from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. The main purpose is to imports raw materials, parts or sections into Mexico for manufacturing, processing and assembly needs. The finished or semi-finished products are then exported out of Mexico, or to various...
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...“Should we really be going to war?” This was the question that many Americans asked themselves in the year of 1846. The Mexican American War began in April of 1846, the cause being disputed territory. Mexico claimed the Nueces River as its northeastern border, while the United States claimed the Rio Grande River. The disputed territory, which is now Texas, was originally a part of Mexico, but Texas was annexed into the United States in 1845. Mexico deemed this annexation as illegal and ignored it, causing the territory dispute to begin. This caused a lot of trouble with the two countries, including many battles and the start to a new war. The United States was not justified in going to war with Mexico because Polk provoked it, the United States...
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...The film Reportero encapsulates many of the ideals and themes that have been examined in the Human Rights in Latin America Class. These themes contribute to the frantic and dangerous dynamic that many journalist face in Mexico on a regular basis. The idea of borders and corruption are physical ideas that are not regularly seen with a person’s eyes, but are rather recognized by their mind. Death is another theme, though unlike the previous two, present a real, noticeable physical response. Born out of these physical themes, the idea centered on the motivation of Fear and Resilience is found. These two metaphysical thoughts are encouraged and enlightened by the other physical themes associated with Human Rights. However, before diving into a...
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...Narcocorridos Alexander P. Myers HY 377 Dr. Steven Bunker November 7, 2013 The facets of Mexican life that can be studied through the corrido are practically unlimited, and these ballads can be used as historical documents of important aspects of modern Mexican and Chicano life, as well as of the daily trials and tribulations of the pueblo the popular or common classes. Narcocorridos have and can be a positive to Mexican culture. The same cannot be said about its growing influence in American culture. In respect to historical significance of traditional Mexican corrido influences, narcocorridos provide a view of public/popular opinion not otherwise found in the media or other sources similar to the role of rap music in the U.S. Originally before modern technology or radios, corridos were passed along by word of mouth through family, friends, and traveling workers. Although the subject matter has changed, corridos remain rebellious, political, and an oral form of historical narratives. Corridos are often intensely serious, and they have always mirrored social and political concerns. They serve as repositories of both myth and history for a people not often served by mainstream newspapers and other media. Corridos are deeply ingrained in Mexican and Chicano culture, and are a standard form of marking major events in both public and daily life. In the beginning, Mexican corridos mimicked traditional Austrian and German Polk ballads and also had Spanish roots...
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...Diego Bustos Mrs. Schmitt English 120 21 May 2012 Traven’s Literature: Subliminal or Straight Criticism? In 1993, Bruno Traven’s Canasta de Cuentos Mexicanos was published. Although numerous people have read his work, many critics claim that Traven’s literature is nothing more than subliminal criticism. In an online “working paper,” writer Mr. Tapio Helen from the University of Helsinki, Finland, states that Traven’s ideology “is socialism and anarchism” (par 5) and Helen writes: “capitalism and bureaucracy make decent life impossible for the ordinary man.” Since Traven’s work of literature is full of subliminal criticism about capitalism functioning over subordinate countries, Traven has been the target of critics since his literature was first published in the 1930s. Despite the controversial criticism surrounding his work, Traven accurately describes the American capitalistic system, its flaws and the impact it has over subordinated countries. Traven is more mysterious and difficult to find credible information about than the majority of authors. This is because there does not exist precise data, only theories about Traven’s origin. One of the reasons of this incognita is that during his life Bruno Traven had different names in order to keep his true identity hidden. Ret Marut, Traven Torsvan, and Hal Croves are the three names most associated with Bruno Traven. His wife, Mrs. Rosa Elena Lujan, said that Bruno Traven was an actor in Germany by the...
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...demonstration of bloodshed and violence of the “Mexican Drug War” that never ceased to appall and bewilder the public-- in and outside Mexico-- has intensified in the beginning of 2006. The attribution of this intensity to the newly deployed military is neither gullible nor unfactual. “2010 was the year with the most violent deaths in the country,” acknowledged Felipe Calderón-- who augmented and expanded the military’s role in the war against drugs. Nevertheless, prior to Calderón’s administration, demands-- especially in the international level, and in particular from the U.S.-- have been strongly and repeatedly made to urge Mexico involve its military prowess and resources(Militarization of). As David R.Mares contends, the U.S. promotion-- incrementally for decades since the 1980s-- of the fallacy that the military has a unique ability for fighting the drug production and trafficking has proven futile and costly(David Maries). Due to the apparent ineffectiveness of the military in ameliorating the drug dilemma in Mexico, a multitude of military factions have expressed dissatisfaction.“I think there is frustration on the part of Mexican military personnel about being engaged in eternal conflict,” said Mexican Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos....
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...supplying Mexico, as well as the corruption on both sides of the border. The Mexican Drug War initially began about 2006 during the Felipe Calderon administration, with a short, but gruesome history to include death, drugs, weapons, trafficking and corruption. Police corruption often categorized as any form of misconduct, inappropriate or illegal action resulting in goods or favors exchanged. The amount of money that is involved in drug trade embellishes the corruption making...
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...15). The Spanish have been living with these diseases for years and have built up and immunization to them. However, the Native Americans have never been exposed to these diseases and were unable to build up an immunity like the Spanish (Cohen Kennedy 15). This lack of immunity resulted in deaths of the native people of America due to diseases. Another factor that diminished the Native American population was violence. Due to the encomienda system and the violent conquering of civilizations, Native Americans were dying because they were being killed by the conquistadores. If conquistadores were truly heroes, they wouldn’t be the cause of all this...
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...reach from the east all the way to the west (Pacific Ocean). Amid the controversy of whether it was Mexico or the United States that started this conflict, one thing is for certain, the end result of this war would help shape the U.S. in more than one ways than one. It is believed by many that newspaper editor John O’ Sullivan came up with the term Manifest Destiny, which really was a time when American families started looking west in search of new lands and opportunity, and while many were motivated by religious beliefs and the movement of the second awakening, thinking they could reach the natives and convert them to Christianity, others were simply motivated by the economic potential (e.g. fur trade) the west had. Unfortunately many Americans, mostly from the south also sought new lands but for the wrong reasons, reasons such as acquiring more lands for the expansion of cotton cultivation, thus also spreading more slavery. One of the main events that lead to the war was the dispute of boundaries between Mexico and the United States and the union of Texas with the U.S. Mexico did not like the fact the Texas joined the union, in the years prior, Mexico had been at war with Texas trying to get them to surrender to their rule but could not succeed. Another reason that possibly lead to the war was that the U.S. wanted to establish their border at the Rio Grande, but Mexico believed their border was at the Nueces River which was about 120 miles north of the Rio Grande...
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