"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat
For the northern neighbors the bad guys are always others, the worst always happens in other countries.
Their young people are exemplary, their police and justice system impeccable and efficient, or at least that is what they sell us every day in their newscasts. But the dark side of U.S. society is nowhere to be seen.
Except in the world of fiction, or something similar, a reality disguised as fiction.
Well, and precisely in the United States, there is still a lot of talk about drug use and addictions. Topics that have been the motive for some television fiction series, if you will, but they portray part of what is lived in that country. For the neighbors to the north, the bad guys are always the worst. It always happens in other countries. Their young people are exemplary, their police, their justice system impeccable, and efficient. Or at least that’s what they sell us every day in their newscasts. But the dark side of American society is nowhere to be seen except in the world of fiction or, in other words, a reality disguised as fiction.
Let's go back to the main characters of the 80's when Brian de Palma and Oliver Stone gave life to Tony Montana. A Cuban migrant who arrives penniless in Miami and quickly becomes a bloodthirsty and powerful drug dealer. There we see murders, drug consumption, corrupt police and the ostentatious luxury of those who decided to live outside the law. In the 90's Brian de Palma told us again the story of Carlito Brigante, a former heroin trafficker who has become forever ensnared in the networks of the mafia along with his coke addict lawyer.
Once again the regular use of drugs is present. So were the protection fees, violence, and murder. In the first decade of the 2000s came Breaking Bad. A high school teacher becomes the biggest synthetic drug manufacturer in New Mexico. The TV series showed money laundering, methamphetamine production and consumption, and of course the blatant violence of drug dealers. Breaking Bad won Emmy awards and was nominated for Golden Globes. Finally in 2019 the series Euphoria shows us one of the real problems afflicting American society. The consumption of drugs in adolescents who get younger and younger.
The narrative is already well known. Family disintegration, bad company, and a new lethal drug. Fentanyl. In Euforia every song and every color has a meaning. But the decline of the protagonist is so evident that no one wants to see this in their newscasts, much less in their streets. Such is the double standard of the American society that outwardly sells itself as the country of the American dream. But inside this is also the reality of a society victimized by its own hypocrisy.
Truth is a mother fucker. But not everyone wants to hear it.
ReplyDelete-Sol Prendido
Bro you just used a bunch of fake shows for this,
DeleteNo one wants to see a show about a dude working 8 - 10 hours a day in their cubicle.
It’s like Hollywood saying guns are bad and we need gun reform,
But their best movies have guns in them used by hero’s
Facts☝🏼
Delete@3:44pm bro please enlighten us , if you could find a solution to the Huge drug addiction problem that the US currently has , what would it be ? Would your solution be to blame Mexico? It sounds ridiculous honestly . It’s easy to criticize but if your not going to contribute anything valuable to the table than it’s better not to say anything at all. It’s not about a show or a video, it’s about the information being portrayed through these videos and honestly they are spot on . The US needs to take accountability and stop acting like this is everyone’s problem because it’s not . The US is the country with the highest number of drug addicts in the world . Fact .
Delete5:02 The drug problem here goes well beyond addiction
DeleteMexican news channels are idiots and don’t get the point. Those are movies …. You know made up stuff.
DeleteBro you write random stuff,
ReplyDeleteThe news was bad mouthing cops for years calling them racist.
Even the black cops that killed a fellow black dude were called racists.
That’s true it’s random. Nothing could ever be pigeon holed this way. There’s no favoritism on my end. If you pay attention closely you can spot the patterns though. And that in turn gives you great insight if you know what to specifically look for.
Delete- Sol Prendido
Complete and utter tripe. Not worthy of toilet paper. Americans (I’m one) constantly villify our own drug users and dealers. Constantly. The difference is, we don’t produce fentynal in any appreciable way and yes, it’s easy to pick the low hanging fruit and blame our neighbors to the south. That said, what makes Mexico (I live here) easy to blame? Insecurity. Impunity. Corruption. Do these dynamics exist in the US? Yes, BUT nowhere on the level to Mexico and unlike Mexico the US has a strong rule of law, justice system, and policing. When’s the last time you heard about the bad guys taking their friends from police custody at gun point? It don’t happen. Mexico is indeed an easy target in a discussion that deserves more nuance, but Mexico is easy to blame because… Mexico.
ReplyDeleteA reliable drug demand north of the porous border creates an efficient drug supply south of the border. Add two muddled presidents and their political lies, and logic suggests many more lives will be lost on both sides of the border until this changes.
DeleteIt's easy to insult a journalist, but where would we be without them?
For starters this article if you call it that isn’t journalism it’s op ed at best. And everyone is entitled to their opinions. But coming from someone that just got his comparison from fictional movies isn’t journalism. Everybody wants to point fingers and say they aren’t at fault when clearly BOTH sides are at fault. It does nothing for the problem but magnify it. That same eager beaver energy should be used try and be part of the solution. And hey I get it. The cartels flood American streets not their own. But way I see it it’s bad for both countries. But sitting around point out the problem does nothing to solve it. And you can bet Sol put it up here for a reason. Maybe to generate dialogue who knows. But this is his second time putting a very similar message up.
Delete@5:16 You did understand the video right ? When you state , “but coming from someone that just got his comparison from fictional movies isn’t journalism.” Your missing the point completely. He’s implying in the video that the US tends to “report” this huge phenomenon of drugs , guns and violence only on movies and tv shows almost as if it’s not a part of their reality . They will hardly ever bring it up on the news of how serious of an issue they have, and when they do it’s extremely biased ..normally pointing the finger elsewhere or saying it’s Mexicos fault instead of accepting reality …. it’s almost as if their trying to hide/ ignore these people ( drug addicts) from the rest of the society , of course no one wants to see someone literally destroying themselves with drugs it’s terrible but hiding it or ignoring all these unfavorable people of (their society) by trying to sweep things under the rug is wrong.
DeleteWe as citizens see this every single day. We spend billion every year stopping demand. You can’t sweep it under the rug. The only way people can actually see what’s going on especially violence that goes with it is Borderland Beat. At the end of the day America pays its cost with death just like Mexico pays it’s cost with death. Pointing out who’s at fault is a waste of time. Is all I was saying. Journalism doesn’t do that , not where I’m from. It informs , and it teaches. It isn’t biased and it sticks to facts not fiction.
Delete7:53 am “We as Citizens “ I’m assuming your from the US , and yes your news are extremely politically biased . That’s exactly what this article is pointing out , you missed the point made in this article completely.
Delete@9:21 you are completely disconnected from US society just like the article. As I said above (3:53) we constantly report on the drug issues here from both a dealer and user perspective and there's not much sympathy for either. There has no shortage of dialogue at every level of how to approach the problem and we are certainly aware of the demand issue. And you know what? US society can tolerate a certain level of illicit supply and demand until its citizens start to die from it in ways that are not typically foreseeable risk of doing the drug as the case of fentynal poses. I don't know any drug users actively seeking fentynal lethal doses of drugs. In the case of fentynal there's only one place to look - to suppliers and as I've said Mexico makes itself an easy target in addition to being a supplier. But to think the US has its head in the sand and only talks about this issues through movies and such is nonsense. We absolutely VILIFY and target our users and suppliers (with the weird exception of some of the hero worship by some of criminals like you see here). We neither ignore or sweep any of this under the rug. Our prisons are filled because of drugs. Disproportionate budgets of law enforcement are dedicated to drug enforcement. The article is tripe and you don't know what you're talking about.
Delete11:03 am I do know what I’m talking about , all your major news sources are politically biased . Whether they lean Republican or Democrat nothings getting done at the end . All they do is argue and throw jabs at each other while they’re a huge drug epidemic going on . Admit it your politicians can’t seem to get it together, the number of addicts keeps growing and nothings is being done to stop this . I remember a long time ago, they actually invested in an educational program in public schools to educate kids about the dangers of using drugs . The program was called D.A.R.E . It turns out the program failed and just like that nothing significant has followed, since one educational program failed ;all of sudden their interest completely stopped, how about investing In another program, that will educate the future generation and follow this one through actually? Who knows why they stopped caring but doing nothing is making it worse .
Delete6:32 your comments are clueless. The US has the DFC (drug free communities) federal program. In addition, there is additional State funded programs. Just because an acronym you're familiar with doesn't exist anymore doesn't mean programs don't exist. I therefore repeat: You. Don't. Know. What. You're. Talking. About. But, you gave one clue - you said "your politicians." Safe assumption you're Mexican. I'm an American living in Mexico. Notwithstanding the fact that all of our experiences are mostly subjective, there are no amount of years here that will permit me to fully understand the culture... I'm merely an observer, and I wasn't raised here. Imagine my attempting to provide credible input about Mexican culture because I listen to the news or read a paper. Your observations are factually incorrect. That's why you don't know what you're talking about. Your ignorance can be forgiven, but your obstinance is another story. You don't know what you don't know.
Delete7:11 pm Bottom line is how are those program working for you? When do you say enough is enough and stop and put this as a priority ?? Clearly those programs are a waste of money . This is why Mexico is doing exactly what the US does (the bare minimum) because if you guys doesn’t care about your society , why should another country waste their resources to do it for you?? There’s no nation wide effort, you guys are not treating it like what it is a national emergency. To make my point , the same way that you are in denial , is the same exact way your government is treating this… we’re doing this and that okay well you guys are CLEARLY not doing enough!
DeleteI apologize if I offend. But let's look at cold hard reality. Much of US border law enforcement is Chicano. Federal, state and local. They are as loyal and ethical as any other American.
ReplyDeleteBut still, blood is blood. Family and clan ties transcend borders. Would less Chicano law enforcement at the border stem the flow of drugs? It's an ugly question but let's debate.
No
Delete@7:27 The race of CPB officers has nothing whatever to do with their effectiveness. They're under-paid, under-manned and as angry at the politicians in Washington DC and Mexico DF as you are.
Delete@3:06am I'm not talking about effectiveness. I'm saying that does a shared heritage and culture, potential family ties, shared language mean that Mexican drug smugglers have an easier task with Chicano officers manning the front lines.
DeleteIn other words, does the presence of Chicano law enforcement facilitate the flow of drugs from Mexico?
Just like Tony Montana said they like to see others and say look they are the bad people.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that cartels don’t flow their own country with drugs is only because across the border they can get a lot more money for it. Not because they want to protect their own people.
ReplyDeleteThe blaming of Mexico from the side of the US is also caused by their political view on society, I believe. When you strongly believe on the independance of your citizens, the so called ‘freedom’ where every individual is responsible of his own situation without government interaction, it is very difficult to convince your people to invest government money and resources to treat the addicted. And the group of addicted people is not known for making succesfull life decisions. For the US it is easier to blame Mexico than to admit their view on society may be not as superior as they always pretend it to be.
Everyone is responsible for their own choices they make in life. The way the government sees it and the way it is is the cartels are the ones flooding drugs. How else are they getting here ? People talk about demand well I can tell you the demand and supply start in Mexico. Whatever the cartels decide to send up here that’s what gets bought and distributed on the streets. I’ve been around awhile. And this supply / demand is a cycle. I’m 70s and 80s we went from snorting coke at discos and parties to smoking crack in the gutter and selling everything including your soul to cocaine. A few thousand were heroin addicts or a few thousand meth heads. Fast forward 20-25 years. Cocaine isn’t the drug it’s meth and fent. Why ? Production wise it’s easier and basically infinite supply. That didn’t happen over night. So you can say what you want it is by design evolved into what it is now. And it starts and ends with the cartel leaders and government strongmen that capitalize on the weaknesses and struggles of others. Mexico is very lucky they are neighbors. Because anywhere else in the world specifically eastern hemisphere would’ve already raided it. Wouldn’t have let the threat build up so bad.
DeleteCartels wouldn't be flooding the US streets if there was no demand. Mexico can produce all they want, if the demand wasn't so high here in the US, the would look elsewhere. It's not mexico's fault for drug addicts in the US they are just capitalizing and the US problem. It's like saying it's McDonald's or any fast food restaurants fault for the US being the most obese country.
DeleteLook at the patterns of production and yes the cartels start and end trends in street drugs in the United States. It’s quite easy once you get enough people strung out. They put fent in all types of drugs. Why ? To get every drug addict addicted to the same thing and make all the money. Come on I know people see that. If they don’t they’re in denial.
DeleteIt’s easier to smuggle. And your supply will be the chemicals you source out to make it. Hey awesome business model. That’s why drug trafficking is and always will be frowned on in a modern and decent economic society. It’s the easy way out is what it boils down to.
DeleteAs long as there is demand for fentanyl, there will be supply. It's basic economics, with a criminal twist.
ReplyDeleteYou mean opioids. Because it doesn’t really matter which one is there. Any decent opioid that’s available will snatch up the market.
DeleteExactly cartels know that and started producing all that crap that is killing everyone now. I wish the US would use military action. Maybe all the scared little cartel fanboys would go hide out somewhere.
DeleteYou must not watch local U.S. news. All they talk about are the awful things that happen there.
ReplyDeleteI’m a Mexican that spent my childhood and teenage years in Mexico and have lived in the US for over 20 years where I studied high school, college. This article (the actual TV Azteca segment) is nothing more that the liberal propaganda happening in the US where liberals want to blame us for all our problems and for the problems of the world. Mexico has a president with the same mentality (of protecting criminals) and this is nothing than 4T propaganda. The US has never denied the addiction problem among its society. As far as the tv shows. Someone else said it. Those shows sale and that’s what the public likes to watch. Mexico needs to admit their issues when it comes to drugs as their society is collapsing with drug addiction. When I lived there, narcos got along with each other for the most part and did not sale their products in their communities. People used to point out at “marijuanos” and that was the extent of drug usage. Now teenagers there are also doing hardcore drugs and it’s almost seen acceptable in Mexican society. If Mexico took care of their internal issues before trying to blame others and denying the problem, then we wouldn’t be here. In the US, drug addiction is, has, and will probably continue to be an issue and the war on drugs has failed. We need to take other alternatives to combat addiction while Mexico can do more to stop the production. Drugs will never go away but perhaps going back to where narcos and government had an unwritten alliance would help. This would eliminate drug addiction in Mexico and reduce the violence
ReplyDeleteYou forgot whoopi goldberg in fatal beauty they were talking about fentanyl there!!
ReplyDelete