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on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Don Alejo Killed in Defense


Don Alejo, a giant among men, Rest In Peace-Descanse En Paz.

Nuevo Leon businessman Don Alejo Garza Tamez was killed at his ranch in Güemez, Tamaulipas, when he resisted an attack by gunmen who tried to strip him of his property.

Garza Tamez, 77 years old and originally from Allende, Nuevo León, and partner in the lumber El Salto, died at 05:00 on Sunday inside his country home after being attacked with guns of high caliber and fragmentation grenades.

Unofficial sources said that the businessman was an avid hunter, so he was in possession of a collection of weapons which he used to defend his property located 23 kilometers east of Ciudad Victoria on Linares road in the jurisdiction of Güemez.

Don Alejo had received threats from an organized crime group to force him to vacate his ranch, but instead, Don Alejo decided to stay and face the gunmen.

Although the Tamaulipas authorities did not provide any factual information, other spokesmen claimed that before Don Alejo fell dead by the hail of bullets and grenades, he managed to kill four of the sicarios who participated in the attack of his ranch.

The remains of Tamez Garza were returned to his family by Ciudad Victoria authorities, where they were eventually transferred to Monterrey.


Location of Don Alejos' "San Jose" ranch, located several miles from the capital of Tamaulipas, Ciudad Victoria.



62 comments:

  1. Así deberíamos ser más los norteños. Hay el dicho que más atropellan al peón que más se deje. Pues este sí que no se dejó. Pésames pero también un fuerte ajúa a ese verdadero leonense.

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  2. This is so damn sad!!!!! This eldery man was very respected and has more courage than most younger men in MX. However..he had to know his hunting rifles could not go up against the weapons of org criminals. Rifles, 38 & 357 handguns are the only legal weapons allowed by citizens..no match for sure. He knew this I think honestly he wanted to make a big point knowing he would be killed in the process. A grand hero...

    ORALE Don Alejo Garza Tamez !!!!
    May your soul go directly to heaven and rest in peace and my your act of courage lead by example to all others...

    Tamps is so dangerous ...my team left only 1 hr before the shooting and grenades began in Reynosa yesterday AM also in Miguel Aleman...

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  3. Its sad, but I do like reading the old man went out fighting unlike most stories you read.

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  4. It's only a matter of time before this happens in Texas.

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  5. If, in fact, he did kill four of those fucks, this will serve to motivate the people to pick up arms against the cartels.

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  6. It has happened in Texas ,Roma they killed a man at his ranch .

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  7. The "gunmen" are not identified. The spokesmen are not identified. The authorities are not identified. The sources are not identified. Every Mexican cowers in fear before the ruthless Zetas but you still haven't had enough. You have to organize. You have to go on the fucking warpath. You have to find these mfers and hang them from the phone poles. If you don't, you and yours will be next because these people mean to exterminate everyone.

    You BB posters make my butt ache.
    "He knew he would die - he wanted to make a point - way to go don alejo - he went out fighting" - and of course the cliche of all time - "it's only a matter of time". Orale don alejo. Orale, are you kidding me? Orale??? The death of this fine man is so enormous, so meaningful and so profoundly tragic for our beloved Mexico. And you got orale and a "fuerte ajua"??

    Felipe Calderon should shout this from the rooftops. Anyone who can't see the huge pr potential of this wonderful man's murder is blind or involved in organized crime.

    Gotta go, gotta puke.

    PL

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  8. the old man took out 4 gunmen? that's badass. respect.

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  9. Mis condolencias a la familia, mi respeto y autentica admiracion a Don Alejo. Todo un orgullo neoleonense y un heroe nacional. Eso es ser hombre, no como las piltrafas que lo quisieron despojar de su rancho.

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  10. PL

    I say my words from my heart and my love of Mx. I have been in Mx for years and I hear something I have not heard before people are actually talking and saying if you won't defend us please give us the weapons to defend ourselves. WHat the hell do you do for Mx besides puke? WHen I saw the first video of the Mier refugees I went to action and 7 days later took 35K USD of supplies to the shelter in Miguel Aleman Tamps..I do not just write on blogs and think that is somehow enough. Shame on you! your mama raised a rude fool. DOn't tear us down, we that can see this for what it is, sad for sure, but in my heart and eyes I have a absolute idea what El Don did and why. Basta! Enough!

    Grow up...state your op but do not make it personal.

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  11. Puker - Don´t you read spanish? Or you can´t write english? Everybody is praising his courage and the example he gave us to fight the narcos, and you are saying you have a problem with that. Are you saying he should have called 911 and waited for the government to bring him justice and that individuals shouldn´t make stand? Whatever. I say that only with more Don Alejo´s will the situation get better. So when you finish puking, read the posts again and see that everybody is inspired by this man´s deed. Could be a turning point in the war.

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  12. I feel a Naro-Corrido is being made right now for him! Sad, but can't wait to hear it!

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  13. Buela - Don´t make it personal, indeed. Sometimes the key to changing the course of a war is changing the mindset of the parties involved. If you can get the aggressors to begin seeing them selves being surrounded and vulnerable to attack from folks they otherwise see as hapless victims, then you can expect the tide to change. Likewise if you can empower the victims to take effective action against their oppressors, then you can expect a change. Guns blazing like the heroic Don Alejo is pretty spectacular, but it´s not the only way. Supportive messages that fuel a viral wave of support for those who are standing up is another way that could be just as important. It´s a way of not letting Don Alejo die in vain. I would say that we do his memory a disservice if we let this story go cold after a could of days. Keep it hot! Take it viral!

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  14. When you read stories like this, ask yourselves three questions:

    What is worth defending?
    What is worth dying for?
    What is worth living for?

    Don Alejo sacrificed his life for principle and survival. He did it because he stood for something that he felt was worth dying for but most important, it was also worth living for!

    On a recent workshop on survival I heard a speaker say:

    "Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself."
    William J. Bennett

    Don Alejo exemplified those traits and is an honorable man.

    RIP Don Alejo.

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  15. So are the narcos now living on Rancho? That news report is useless and only showed the photos from the city of Mier when it was abandoned.

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  16. We need heavier media coverage of all these events. I think if more Americans only knew the sheer scale of all of this they would be motivated to take appropriate action to try and end this absolute bloodbath. That's not to say it's up to US citizens to resolve this, it's ultimately up to Mexican citizens themselves, but they could certainly use our halp with things like stopping the massive flow of money and guns that fuels this whole mess.

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  17. Chihuahuense con UstedesNovember 21, 2010 at 3:23 PM

    Que orgullo saber que aun hay Mexicanos, Nortenos, Leonenses, de verdad.

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  18. Good for Don Alejo y que Dios lo tenga en su santa gloria. He wasnt afraid of these cowards that tried to appropriate from something that he had work hard for. We need more people like him to stand up to all this cowardly actions! Rip Don Alejo

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  19. The problem here is that once published his name, and home address, it's almost certain that the Zetas will go after his family. Why is the Mexican press doing this? What can they possibly get by putting this man's family at risk? Maybe they are in cahoots with the drug traffikers.

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  20. The Mexican Federal Government MUST be supporting the narco business. Are we to believe the cartels are more powerful than the Mexican Nation? And, if they are, why does the government not ask for U.S. military assistance? We are already seeing this in our streets in Brownsville, how long before it is common place????

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  21. Kudos Buggs & the others that understand what exactly El Don did and why...he is a hero in the eyes of us that know & love Mexico and care deeply.....I agree with the post tat said this story..should go viral...should be everywhere. Making it personal by putting a face on this tragedy..I think about it most of my day and it creeps into my dreams at night. I am but one person, an old lady, a buela, down with a disease that I have fought against for 1 year, but I will do what I can when I can as long as I can for the good people of Mexico. Some call me an angel, a hero, but when I read this story I see who the true hero is, and I am greatly humbled by this man.

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  22. Hats off to the courage of Don Alejo who stood up to these thugs & gangsters, though it cost him his life. At least he took 4 of these bastards with him. Obviously, the government is not capable of protecting its own citizens against the thugs, so it is up to the average citizens to protect themselves. Change the gun laws in Mexico so citizens can own guns, train them how to use them responsibly & for self defense, & level the playing field against these thugs & gangsters. I live in mexico for 6 months a year for the past 6 years. I have seen 1st hand the security situation deteriorate. The cartels now control approx. 60% of the municipalities in Mexico, 40% of the people said they want to leave the country, & 80% said they are afraid to go out anymore. What kind of a country is this to live in? Also you U.S. drug addicts who buy all these drugs where the $$ ends up in the hands of the cartels, & the U.S. gun smugglers to Mexico: you are as bad or worse as the cartels & should be locked up. MEXICAN CARTELS BEWARE: WE ARE TAKING OUR COUNTRIES BACK.

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  23. movie rights.....i hope the corrido is being written right now...it could serve as an anthem for all the good men who died fighting the narcos...he deserves a monument..imagine ten old men like this...a hundred ..a thousand ...now give them guns equal to what the narcos have ...

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  24. Esos cobardes no han matado un hombre, han descubierto a un heroe!!

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  25. Don Alejo was a hardworking, yet humble, man. Everyone that met him admired him. He was respected and loved.

    He did not die defending "just a ranch in Tamps".He died defending a lifetime of hard work. A life time of helping others, even when times are rough. He died defending not only his ranch and his life, but the very foundation of this country.

    He died defending the Mexican people, his people, and the right they have to live and enjoy what is rightfully warned.

    Q.E.P.D. DON ALEJO

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  26. Pinches zetas muertos de hambre! Si no les queda pa comprar comida y vestirse bien pa ke chingados andan de narcos? Uds. son la verguenza del negocio. Y que iban a ser con ese rancho? No creo k el 40 y Lazca se los iba regalar a uds. Bola de pendejos sigan haciendo ricos a sus PAPIS!

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  27. A solo Hero who may have died in vein!

    First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a communist;
    Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a socialist;
    Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a trade unionist;
    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a Jew;
    Then they came for me--
    and there was no one left to speak out for me.
    Martin Niemöller
    http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/niem.htm#mayer

    They "the cartel" came for Don Alejo Garza Tamez and nobody was there for him. Who will be there for you? I think that Mexican citizens are at a huge disadvantage due to the gun laws of Mexico but be that as it may form up groups unite against this evil. Learn about improvised weapons.
    For my American brothers and sisters buy a civilian version of your local police or militaries weapon. You never know when you might run out of ammo lol. See if you have a group that are already in agreement about defending then agressing this border threat or start your own.

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  28. Un hombre de huevos y de honor... que se pudran esos zetas (most likely) en el pinchi infierno... ill be honest with you guys, stories like these are happening all over northen mexico, they are not publiched bc (they fear for their lives, or bc they kept it a secret). In juarez I heard a couple of stories of neigbors getting together and killing extortionist... there's a movement picking up steam.. the sad part is the Calderon will very likely use the military to squash any such movement..

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  29. May this brave man rest in peace. Did all he could to repel the scum who were atacking him, they probably would of killed him anyway armed or unarmed. He took out 4 pos sicarios, my respects. Like I have said before, Tamaulipas and Nuevo leon have the highest rate if legal registered guns in the country, this brave man decided not to go out tied up on his knees with a bullet behind his head. World class defensive instructors say once you are in enemy hands your survival rate goes down 99%. I bet he knew this.

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  30. Respect to this man. May all mexicans rise and stand up against corruption and all bullshit happening!

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  31. What a brave man. IT must have taken guts to do what he did, not too many people would do this. I salute you Don Alejo Garza Tamez. RIP

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  32. Crime waves coming to all city in the USA soon. The USA never learnt from Florida and the cocaine gangsers in the 80's who came over from Cuba.

    You need to put a stop to these gangssters NOW !

    RIP old timer :(

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  33. Anonymous...Vein - It is obvious you are a troll for some gun company.
    I know its a job, but there spaces like these where it´s in poor taste to come in selling shit. Had you paid better attention you would have come to the same conclusion as everybody else that it´s not about the size of the man, not the gun.
    PS: btw, it´s vain, not vein, pendejo.

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  34. I'm sure he knew he would get killed but did not want to give them the satisfaction of simply taking his property without any problem. He showed balls and went down fighting. He took out 4 of the fuckas! YAYYY!!

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  35. The Score:
    Don Alejo -4
    Shitheads-1

    The result: we all lose.

    Rise up Mexico!!! Insurgency is what is needed. When you can't go to the authorities it is time for the people to defend the country.

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  36. Don Alejo, mexican hero. We have to remember this gentleman. Write a blog, write your news paper, make him famous, spread word of his acts. He is true hero. Mexico needs more brave individuals like him, only those can safe Mexico.

    Vivá Don Alejo, Vivá!

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  37. had mexicos gun laws been less strict don alejo would have still been alive because he would have had better firearms and loads of ammo to destroy all of them. He killed 4 and injured 2 for a total of 6 with nothing but bolt action rifles, imagine if he had a semi or even a full auto for when SHTF?

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  38. Maybe this is what Mexico needed. Don Aljos was the match that started the fire burning. We needed somebody to start the march, a hero with balls to lead the fight Wwe mush show the government that if our leaders and representative won't help, take their salary away and we the people will take our country back. We the people have had enough, we the people will clean house of all corruption in and out of government. If the PRI is involved, we will destroy it also. People rise and lets take our country back. Where is our pride. Our brothers and sisters in the US are willing to help financially. Remember we love to come and visit our families during the holodays and bring backs goods and stuff for our friends and families. We don't want to be hasseled by corrupt officers at the borders or cartels. People let's get organized

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  39. El es mi tio. No estoy bromiando. El vivio en monterrey nuevo leon y es primo hermano a mi abuela. Nunca fui a su rancho pero nosotros eremos muy sercos. espero que puethe estar con pas y diosito, te quero

    michelle

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    Replies
    1. Michelle tiens familia en Chicago, yo trabajaba con jorge Tamez.

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  40. Michelle

    Todos aqui en Borderland Beat acompaña a Ud. y toda su familia en sus sentimientos de dolor y separacion. Jamas nos olvidaremos del gran hombre que era su tio Don Alejo.

    Su Servidor
    Gerardo

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  41. Michelle, your Tio did not die in vain, he is truly a hero who we must give a voice. The spark of light needed to engulf the whole Mexico in a new movement and I think Borderland Beat must take us there. I challenge the Borderland Beat community to organize and lead our community to stand up against the violence and impunity.

    What do you say?
    Lets go!

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  42. don alejo rest in peace

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  43. First please forgive my English is horrible.
    I live here in Nuevo León, in fact I know through Don Alejo's family, at some time I went to his ranch some time ago.
    The problem is that we are in war and the laws allow us to carry not even a pistol .22. The policemen are with them, the organized crime, alone the army fights of our side.
    Believe me to my also they have covered me, also me and wire drawing to the floor to the oir the shots, and of all forms I go to the work and return.
    If they were allowing me to have at least one semiautomatic, I am sure that more of one had helped there is brave this one, we have up to the laws in ours against.
    But know that we will remain we will defend our homes and will hope that the law allows us to defend us.

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  44. Don Alejo, hizo lo correcto en el momento correcto! cuántos de nosotros recordamos la última vez que lo hicimos!!, solo recordar cuanto sin vergüenza y tranza a nuestro alrededor, en donde vivimos, en donde trabajamos, nuestras autoridades..debemos y necesitamos los mismos valores para parar y pensar a donde vamos y como lo estamos haciendo!! es el dinero todo lo que importa!! por un poco mas tenemos que corrompernos y podrirnos, cuántos de nosotros necesitan a alguien que lo esté supervisando o vigilando para hacer lo correcto, Don Alejo debe de servirnos de ejemplo y cada uno a sus posibilidades y sin que nadie nos lo pida, hacer lo correcto!! dejen algo positivo y que viva el ejemplo de Don Alejo.

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  45. I am from Tamaulipas and it didn't receive any coverage from the media. I knew about this because I watched the news fron NUEVO LEON. Really sad, because what he did was great. And I live 23km away from this shootings

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  46. Sadly, I feel this case only will be commented but it doesn't really mean something. Unfortunatelly, he died this way bwcause he knew NOBODY (army, police, goverment, etc) would move a finger for him. It was a desperate measure, because he knew this time he was alone :(

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  47. Actually, he killed 4 and injured 2 of them, wich had to use grenades to kill him

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  48. the time is near we the citizens of mexico , we the people will bear arms , and will bring all this , mother fuckers to justice we will kill em all!

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  49. Well, what do you when the mexican army is bought by organized crime, and the federal police are only interested in extorting and robbing civilians rather than do their job? you take justice into your hands. This guy has more HUEVOS than all the army put together, may he rest in peace. A true warrior's death

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  50. If instead of the sicarios attaking, some one had wistled to the police/Army that don Alejo had more than 3 guns (.22 to .38 spc) or just one 9mm, .45, .357, 10mm etc. the news we would be reading would be on how he was arrested for having ilegal guns instead . That is our sad history, at least he had the means of defend himself (illegaly in terms of mexican fire arms law)

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  51. "Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once."
    Rest in Peace Don Alejo Garza Tamez
    A Hero In any land!

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  52. I hope this planted a seed of an uprising for more to come

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  53. DON ALEJO hero of Mexico, the bravest man in earth...rest in peace, SO MUCH RESPECT

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  54. A solo Hero who may have died in vein!

    First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a communist;
    Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a socialist;
    Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a trade unionist;
    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
    because I was not a Jew;
    Then they came for me--
    and there was no one left to speak out for me.
    Martin Niemöller
    http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/niem.htm#mayer

    They "the cartel" came for Don Alejo Garza Tamez and nobody was there for him. Who will be there for you?

    Pretty stupid analogy...unlike this Martin Niemoller character ,Don Alejo coulda been there for all the others ones that couldn't stand up for themselves....jews, comminists..you name them....your "poem" sounds actually a lil racist/right wing.....and the character such a pansy that couldn't defend anyone else not even himself and then ask for help....that wasn't Don Alejo I am almost positive...

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  55. Should the government fear the people, should the police fear the people, should the military fear the people, should the criminals fear the people, this once great country would be a republic again. Rise up and take back your country from these criminals. America this statement is also for you. When I was young I briefly met a man that head of the gulf cartel, he stated he could not exist without the very top of the Mexican government and the us government allowing his organization to exist. He went on to state that a large portion of his profits went to these corrupt officials..

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  56. Don Alejo proved to have more guts, no courage than the whole Mexican Army, and any freaking Cartel out there, or the darn presidente.

    Long live Don Alejo, and my deepest condolences to his family.

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  57. "....sin que nadie nos lo pida, hacer lo correcto!! dejen algo positivo y que viva el ejemplo de Don Alejo."

    @November 23, 2010 8:47 AM

    Bien dicho, hay que hacer lo correcto, no porque nos esten viendo, si no porque ES LO CORRECTO!

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  58. Don alejo sinónimo de dignidad y valor

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  59. I've had enough of these cowards. Need to go over to a Texas gun fair and buy myself a good shotgun and pistol.

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  60. it's sad that this man has lost his life, but I a so excited that a Mexican citizen has finally stood up to the narco's and fought back! Too many Mexican's are waiting for the U.S. to send troops and save the day rather than take back their own country, and that is exactly what the U.S and Mexican government's want. That is why all this time Calderon has not made any moves to change the gun laws, and self defense laws in Mexico. That is why you will not see this story told in any of the mainstream news outlets. I sent an email to a reporter at the LA Times inquiring about this man and what he did....Still no response...

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  61. The LA Times responded:

    "Thanks for your note. Yes, we are aware of the case, one of many developments competing for our attention here."

    ReplyDelete

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