Treat the Cause, Not the Symptom

This past Monday Carlos González Gutiérrez, the Consul General of Mexico to Sacramento, addressed the students of Sacramento State.  The Consul's speech was groggily welcomed by the half-awake audience, but it didn't stray from serious topics.  The most severe subject Gutiérrez spoke of was, as he stated, "the battle against narco-terrorism."

Critics claim that the Mexican government has only increased violence in their actions against the powerful drug lords.  The Consul himself acknowledged that over 28,000 people have died due to drug violence since 2006 when Mexico President Felipe Calderon took the firm stance eliminate the narcotic industry.  But even with the casualties, Gutiérrez said that there was no other way to take down the drug business without waging war.  In a round about way, he said the Mexican government had no other choice but to fight dirty.

As an outsider, it is easy to criticize either side.  Drug lords are spreading violence, terror and obviously narcotics throughout their own state and internationally.  The government is using some of the same tactics to try to stop them.  I will agree the drug industry must be stopped, but do two wrongs make it right?  Is there an alternative solution?  Or have we even clearly defined the problem?

It is easier for me to think of this issue on a smaller scale.  The best comparison I can make is to my very own home county of Humboldt, in northern California.  Humboldt County is a large yet isolated region that houses the furthest west point in the greater 48.  Once known for its lumber and fishing, now the depressed area has one claim to fame: weed.  From sea to shining sea you'll find dedicated potheads who praise the magic of the HumCo. herbs, but as a honest and homegrown honey, I promise you the marijuana culture of Humboldt County goes much deeper than just hippies getting high.

On paper, the economy of Humboldt isn't just depressed; it's suicidal.  The unemployment rate was over 9% before the recession hit.  The public schools are crumbling (believe me, I'm a product of them).  Hopelessness should hang over the community like a blanket of fog.

But there's still hope.  It comes every harvest season.

In reality, Humboldt County is oozing with money.  It's seen every five blocks when a some guy with blond dreadlocks gets out of a brand-new Ford 350 he  bought with cash.  It's seen in the boutique stores that sell $200 jeans (a new meaning to laundered clothing.)  It's seen when your friend's out-of-work parents offer to take you to Hawaii.   Like Mexico, Humboldt County has a tight hold on illegitimate business.

Obviously, the violence in Humboldt isn't anywhere close to the terrors occurring in Mexico, but that's not to say it doesn't exist.  Every year people go missing and more often homicides are being traced to drug deals/robberies gone wrong.  The local politicians (the non-growers at least) are encouraging the police and state entities like CAMP to tighten down on the cultivation and trade.  But like Mexico, the problem just gets worse.

I propose that tackling either issue head on is the worst way to fight drugs.  Cultivators/dealers will only get smarter and try their hardest to stay one step ahead of the authorities.  Also, they will give everything they have as it is their livelihood, and has often been passed down for generations.  Many will not be budged by violence.

What should be addressed are the factors surrounding the drug culture; why the drug business flourished there in the first place.  The poor schools, struggling economy--the shaky system in general must be reconstructed so that a strong community/country can thrive.

While discussing the issue with my classmate he simplified the dilemma with a common cliche: "It's treating the symptom, not the cause."

He's right.  Fighting the drug lords won't find a lasting solution.  Before security is found, the entire system needs a revolution.