Gunmen killed 16 people,including a police chief,in a spate of separate shootings across Mexico,which is grappling with a spike in drug violence,local officials said Thursday.This article appeared in the world section of the Province newspaper on Friday,July 11,'08.Many of the dead were police officers and the chief was executed after being dragged from his car.Mexico is experiencing what happens when an all out drug war is declared in a country in which much of the economy is based on drug profits and many of the people are fighting for their mere survival.Don't think that this can't happen here.Drugs have taken a while to regain acceptance among members of a once brain washed society.Some of these drugs are dangerous and highly addictive but the absolute worst way to deal with them is to ban them and create a black market in which their distribution and sale is uncontrolled and without regulation.To leave the sale and distribution of drugs to criminals with only one intention,to make money,is the dumbest and most damaging thing we could have chosen to do.The fact is we didn't have a debate or any consultation.There was never any discussion at all.These laws were brought into effect at a time when all manner of atrocities were committed in the name of white purity and racist pretension.We have seen apologies for many of the other racist things done in the past.It's time to put this last insanity to rest and stop the killing and the destruction of families and lives in the name of a failed and discredited policy.
