Violence in Border Towns?

[Wyody]

So, I'm sitting here watching "Glen Beck" on CNN - a show all about the Drug Cartel related violence along border towns - especially Texas border towns and a lot of it relates to El Paso.
It's gruesome stuff they're showing ... mostly of what transpires on the Mexican side of the border but they're spending some time talking about how it affects El Paso itself.
Is it so?
I suppose the most enlightening line I hear on there today is "This is not your Father's Mexico anymore".

My only real experience with US/Mexico borders is over at San Diego - and that was decades ago. Wasn't that big a deal then - or so it seemed.
What do you see down there, Pan. And please tell me where Laredo, Mexico is as they're discussing that town in depth.
Thanks

[Panterro]

Well according to some website that a person on CD posted El Paso is Americas 2nd safest city. Having worn a badge here, and speaking with Border Patrol and El Paso PD on a daily basis, I call BS. There is a trick in Law Enforcement that is used here in El Paso. If the crime is done by a Soldier, El Paso PD 9 out of 10 times will turn the case over to Fort Bliss, taking it off the FBI and El Paso records. If the crime is with a Mexican National, it is turned over to the Mexican Consulate, taking it off the FBI and El Paso PD records. Now there are exceptions to this.. but most of the time El Paso can make its crime stats look rather low because they can pawn it off to some other agency.

As for the Drug cartels, yes it is quite awful here.. there was a shoot out with Mexican Militia and US border patrol a few months ago, never made the news. I have been warning people all the time to stay out of Juarez, while others on CD have been claiming how safe it is. Its not safe at all, kidnapping is Big Business in Mexico, and there is nothing better than an American citizen for a big payday.

But as bad as it is here, it is far worse in Laredo TX, they killed a newly elected Sheriff there just a couple weeks after he gained office. Cops and rival gang bangers are being found dead there in mass.

Mexico, and Columbia, and other drug cartels are fighting over the turf. Mexico cartel has the top spot as we speak now. But who knows when that will change?

[Wyody]

Thank you for the inside info. That's quite the trick on the crime-stats ... as we know, even the honest folks and honest organizations aren't always honest ... and it seems to pay off in some ways.
I thought that I had seen you post on this issue before - but wasn't paying as close attention at that time and also thought it needed to be over here, on the Texas Forum as many people consider Texas for relocation partly because of it's "Separatist" attitude.
I know that C-D is white-washed a lot ... dang if they don't make every place seem cheery and clean but I know I can count on the folks at Talk States for honesty and reality.
Would you say, Panterro, that the violence has increased many-times over a decade ago? Or two? Or, has it always been this way?

[Panterro]

It has always been this way. I will say that for a time there we had real bad gang violence. Then we made a task force and curbed it. Then our city thought hey we don't have any gang violence we don't need this task force and got rid of it.. now gang tagging and violence is on a rise.

Another thing not talked about, is El Paso is a very poor city.. it has many low income house projects all over the city, 3 of them are in my neck of the woods. These tend to breed gangs and criminal activity.

El Paso is really 4 smaller cities, the West side being mostly old money, the East Side new money, North East retired military, South Side is old town, where most of El Paso's original houses are, and it is considered by some to be the slums.. this area also includes the Downtown area. We also have the upper valley and the lower valley.. the upper valley is the very well to do, and the lower is the opposite.

Thats El Paso at a glance.

El Paso has always been an outlaw town.. and will continue to have that stigma. I see a major rise in crime coming in the near future.. so bad, I hope not to be here by late 2010.

[Wyody]

Sounds like normal problems in any "warm-weather" town ... or region. I guess that's part of the allure of some northern states like Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Minnesota, etc. Too cold out for serious stuff to be going down all year long so, each year, the grosser-side of life has to reorganize itself.
I know more now about El Paso than I did. I rarely spent any time there on my way through.
I can only suggest a colder climate - maybe now that you're older it won't be so bad being stuck inside with Cable/Satellite and The Net - and maybe the wood-burner. You don't really lose that many problems though; the kids still get all messed up in drugs and the system still puts a dent in you.
Spending my evening watching "Sicko" - a Michael Moore Expose' - it just illustrates how we all fall prey to the same problems.

[Wyoming53]

Stupid me. Had to run to the grocery store. It's about 3 miles. I drove my 4 wheeler. I got home and it was a full 3 hours before I had feeling in my hands. It was actually funny. When I pulled up I went straight in and got my crossbow. Now there's 150lbs of mule deer in the freezer. ya ain't doing that in Texas.

[Panterro]

I may move to Seattle or Portland.. not sure though Galveston still has my attention.

[PDXnative]

Originally Posted by Panterro

I may move to Seattle or Portland.. not sure though Galveston still has my attention.

Why do you want to move up here? Some people cannot handle the rain and eternal grey. It gets BAD. So, once again, why the Pacific NW?

[Wyoming53]

Never been there. Grand Prairie, Dallas, McAllen, Austin, Arlington, been all over the place and enjoyed it. Cept for the tornado's. hahaha

I gotta tell you. Was watching TV one night and a tornado was headed for my back door. Power went out. I was living in a 5th wheel. Power went out, house kind of hovered for a bit and then slammed down. My 5th wheel was setting sideways in the lot. It took me and the neighbor 3 hours to get under it and straighten it out. No damage, just funny.

[Panterro]

Originally Posted by PDXnative

Why do you want to move up here? Some people cannot handle the rain and eternal grey. It gets BAD. So, once again, why the Pacific NW?

I happen to like the Gray. I love Rain, one of the things I enjoyed most of in Mississippi. It energizes me. Maybe I am just wired backwards? I also like water.. lots of it.. not so much to play in, but to look at.. it gets my brain all fired up.. like anything is possible.

EDIT: What happend to all the ladies that post here, MyAzi, Kimber and so on..

[PDXnative]

Not enough action for them. Not enough action for lots of people that are no longer here. Many people even let me know that they are leaving because this place is dead/dying and admin does not seem to want to do anything to promote it. This place needs some action!!!

[Panterro]

What other options do we have PDX?

[Panterro]

Originally Posted by Wyoming53

Stupid me. Had to run to the grocery store. It's about 3 miles. I drove my 4 wheeler. I got home and it was a full 3 hours before I had feeling in my hands. It was actually funny. When I pulled up I went straight in and got my crossbow. Now there's 150lbs of mule deer in the freezer. ya ain't doing that in Texas.

Well maybe not in El Paso TX.. but Fort Stockton you can. Maybe even in Uvalde, or Rock Springs. Maybe even more North East, like Lawton, or Ada, or McAllister.

Wyoming does not have the only rights to deer hunting from your front porch.

Wish I could eat deer meat. I am allergic to it something fierce.