<strong>Shocked and appalled<strong>

I am so shocked by Wednesday’s column, “Take responsibility for Mexico’s tragedy,” that I hardly know where to begin. First, how did we “create a neighbor so desperately poor”? I guess we went and pillaged them Poncho Villa-style. No wait, they did that. Well maybe we invaded them and overloaded their welfare system. Well no, another reversal. Ok, I know, we became the majority of offenders in their criminal system so that we sent their jails beyond capacity. No again! No, the only thing we “did” to Mexico while there was spend money through tourism.

I can’t fathom the arrogant ignorance of this article. What’s even better is that the writer would probably denounce the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as unjust while they seem to think it our responsibility to take care of Mexico. What a fool the author is and whomever would follow the line of (I hesitate to use the word) reasoning that the author used.

I will conclude with this: Has the author ever used illegal narcotics? Because, if so, he is the one to take the blame. To accuse the American people who have spent billions in the fight against illegal drugs for damaging Mexico is to spit in the face of what we stand for. If you refuse to publish this, I expect an e-mail explaining why.

—Daniel Horne
Chemistry junior

<strong>Stop financing the cartels<strong>

I couldn’t agree more with Jonathan Rienstra’s column in Wednesday’s paper, “Take responsibility for Mexico’s tragedy.” I’ve seen so many lives completely ruined by drug abuse and have heard of so many more lost due to drug cartel violence. To say that using illicit drugs is a “victimless crime” is outrageous and absurd. As the old saying goes, “No man is an island,” and those whose money has been financing drug cartel activities have the blood of innocent people on their hands. Illicit drugs are not worth it. They are not worth the danger they pose to the user, or to the innocent people who get in the way of the cartels. We are responsible for the bloodshed in Mexico simply because we have largely financed it. Mexico is not just some place where we go for vacations. For many, it is their home, their family. My best friend can’t even go see her family in Mexico anymore because of how dangerous it is to travel there. When even the news media is having to pander to drug cartels because of the threat they pose to their staff’s safety, things have gone much too far. I commend Rienstra for boldly speaking out as a voice of reason in this urgent and horrific situation.

—Elise Frame
Political communications freshman