Finally, We Acknowledge our Drug Demand
By DAVID ORTEZ on March 26, 2009
"We know very well that the drug traffickers are motivated by the demand for illegal drugs in the United States and that they are armed by the transport of weapons from the United States." – Hillary Clinton
Yet, it still seems that there are idiots running around this world that are too proud … exhibiting a pompous flair of ego that clearly indicates just how ignorant they are. The fact that some Americans do not understand our role in the demand for illegal drugs is shocking.
Take John Gray of Illinois for example, who states, “I have no insatiable demand for illegal drugs. In fact, I have no demand at all. And none of my weapons have ever ended up in the hands of criminals.”
The Guardian notes, “An estimated 90% of drugs used in the US enter through Mexico. A similar proportion to the weapons used by the cartels in their war in Mexico come from the US.”
Of course Gray knows best as he eloquently notes, “The only blame the U.S. has in the violence in Mexico is failing to secure our borders. There are relatively easy solutions to that. Of course, no one has wanted to actually implement them.”
What Gray fails to understand is that his single unique point of view when it comes to the demand of drugs or smuggling weapons to the hands of criminal is not the standard. He applies this failed logic to justify his position, which is inherently the root problem in addressing these issues.
I can’t blame him though … he does not live in a border state so he may not truly understand what is going. Furthermore, he does not hold a worldly view of the U.S. demand on drugs … only relying on his personal perception thus explaining his position.
I am happy that we have a new administration that does not stick its head in the sand and attempt to address foreign policy as if the United States is immune or at least not liable for the problems of other countries.
It is until we admit that we play a significant role in the Drug War that is taking place in Mexico … will we be able to find the solutions and the change we seek.
