At the risk of a beheading, and this is no joke, I’m sticking my neck out (that is a joke) to decry the horrific and terroristic behavior of a drug cartel that uses Z in Mexico. I won’t use its name to be somewhat cautious on this side of the border.
A woman blogger/journalist was decapitated because she blogged for safety on the streets of Mexico. She decried the power of the drug lords over innocent women, children, men, and families. She reported on the daily narcotics wars in the country and began to research info about the “Z” cartel. She dared to lash out via a blog in the name of freedom of expression that apparently is disregarded in our Central American neighbor. Because of fear, reprisal against self and family, money, safety.
While this true story may be gruesome to you, it’s not the first breach of freedom of expression the world has seen. We’ve watched the streets of Iran, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and other countries explode in the name of freedom. Some were successful in their quest; others were not.
Americans have the freedom to express malcontent to the highest echelons of government without recourse (except perhaps a wire tap or creation of an FBI case folder). We picket, we lobby, we rant and rave in op-eds, and we blog – freely.
In honor of this woman, Maria Elizabeth Macias — “The Girl From Laredo,” whose severed head was placed next to her desktop, mouse and keyboard, I encourage your blog post speaking out against the tyrannical drug cartels in Mexico who are killing innocent victims doing what Americans’ inalienable right allows on a daily basis.
She is not the first to die under this rash of violence. Two others were hanged from a bridge with notes listing three websites. Six other journalists have already been killed this year. In spite of being spooked, bloggers and Twitter accounts forge ahead:
>> Borderland Beat Blog tweets @OVEMEX
>>Follow #MtyFollow for news of cartel activity in Monterrey, Mexico.
>>Follow #AcaFollow for news of cartel activity in Acapulco
>>Follow #LaredoGirl to remain abreast of cartel activity in the name of Senora Macias
>>Follow #NenaDLaredo for rolling stream on news about the cartel ongoing after Ms. Macias’s passing
I applaud those who carry on against violence; I cry for those the world over who cannot hope to live in peace but always fear losing a loved one.
