Views in brief

Untold victims of the drug war

IN RESPONSE to "No escape from drug war violence": I've lived in Mexico or along the U.S./Mexico border most of my life, and have followed the U.S.-led war on drugs for more than 10 years. I believe the death toll and number of desaparecidos are significantly higher than you've cited. Just a few weeks ago, the Mexican president commented on the crisis and said the country is experiencing 100 homicides per day. Given the nature of the Mexican government's role in the crisis, and the relative lack of U.S. interest in the crisis, I don't believe anyone has an accurate fix on the numbers of dead and missing. When I average the estimates I've read, since the years when Ciudad Juarez erupted in violence and became too dangerous to visit, I've concluded as many as 400,000 have died or vanished.

There are two phenomena that I feel have been terribly under-emphasized in the U.S. media: First, the root cause for the human rights crisis in Mexico is drug policy of the U.S. government. I've grown fond of telling people, "We don't know how many would die from legal drugs, but we know tens of thousands are dying from illegal drugs."

Second, the crisis in Mexico is the worst terrorism of the 21st century. No compassionate human could read the accounts of massacre, gruesome torture, enforced disappearance, and discovery of mass graves throughout the country, and NOT call it "terrorism." Yet no one in the U.S. media is willing to use the term when covering the story. It is what it is, no?

Thank you for your coverage of a story that, unfortunately, may never be completely told. Like tens of thousands of Mexican people, many of the facts have simply disappeared.
Steve Milstead, Bernalillo, New Mexico

Losing seniority as an autoworker

I HAVE a story. I started at General Motors (GM) on September 25, 2000, at the Detroit Hamtramck Assembly plant as a journey electrician and was represented by United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 22, Region 1A. I was laid off in 2003, and immediately picked up at Romulus Engine, UAW Local 163, Region 1A. The plant's future was in doubt in 2013 and I was looking elsewhere for employment. No information was given on future product plans, and the language in the national agreement for layoffs/area hires/extended area hires was very scary for a man trying to raise teenagers in high school and concerned about relocation, moving, etc.

Ford Motor Company had offered me a job in September 2012. I declined the offer. Early in 2013, transfers at Romulus to out-of-state plants were being offered and salaried folks were being told to seek employment elsewhere. We had no information about the future of Romulus Engine. In March, a skilled trades buyout was available to all folks in Michigan GM plants. I called Ford Motor Company and the offer for employment still stood. My start date was April 1, 2013, and my last day at GM was March 31, 2013.

On April 5, 2013, however, GM announced product plans for the Romulus Engine plant. In December 2013, GM announced more plans. So I pretty much was run out of the company. I am happy at Ford for the most part, but do miss GM on occasion.

I want to be credited at Ford for all my seniority from GM due to the fact I have been an unbroken member in good standing with my union dues since September 2000. I feel that as a dedicated autoworker I should be granted my request. Thanks for listening to my rant.

From a fellow worker who is lost with no identity.
Mike, from the Internet

The damage Walker has done

IN RESPONSE to "Governor Union-buster goes for Washington": This article gives a good synopsis of the damage sociopath and Reagan wannabe Scott Walker has done to our state. The list of his assaults (funded by the Koch brothers, the American Legislative Exchange Council and more) on our state and its people is endless, but I just wanted to mention a few more.

In the latest budget, Walker wanted to dismantle a well-regarded and model program that Wisconsin has for helping the elderly and disabled--which, by the way, is financially secure and has high approval ratings from clients. He has done away with a program that allows disabled citizens to stay in their homes and choose their own caregiving, despite much protest from the people who use the services and their families.

He is antagonistic, unfeeling, rigid, drops "bombs" on unsuspecting citizens, and has lied, deceived and changed his stance on policies--saying one thing then doing the opposite. If you are anyone but an extreme right-wing supporter or a business and/or corporate CEO, you DO NOT want this guy for president. He is a narcissistic career politician who is also not very intelligent, and will do or say anything to climb the political ladder. He has divided and ruined our state.
Carol, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

The lies police told about Sandra Bland

IN RESPONSE to "What did they do to Sandra Bland?": When will this police brutality end? It appears that only whites can change the hearts and minds of such calculated murders by these white police officers. The U.S. is supposed to be an example for democratic freedoms, but we have seen that this is only propaganda when it comes to those who are non-white or powerless economically and politically. Then too, the Constitution was not written on our behalf, even though amendments have been made. You would think that how other countries view the U.S. would pose some kind of national security concerns.

Regarding Sandra Bland: She was charged with "assaulting a public official." When did this assault occur? She was wearing a long dress, and she was sitting behind a steering wheel. When she exited the car, there was no assault. When taken out of the view of the recorder, we could hear and see that she had been handcuffed. Why was she arrested, head smashed to the ground, arms bruised, with no concerns about her epilepsy? If any other man had assaulted a woman like this, he would have been arrested and charged, but not a public official--even when it is all recorded. Domestic terrorists in the guise of public officials are getting away with murder.

As for the "suicide": Without even knowing her and watching her demeanor and display of strength in the video, she would NEVER, EVER have committed suicide. Activists just don't go out like that.
Linda Johnson, Houston, Texas

What Sanders can do for socialism

IN RESPONSE to "What should the left say about Sanders?": While I agree that an independent challenger is needed as an alternative to the Democrats, I feel compelled to point out that Bernie Sanders is awakening the political conscience of people who had never even considered it within the realm of possibility to vote for anyone who had any association with the word "socialism."

Case in point: My sister and her husband, who had traditionally considered themselves free-market Republicans who turned to the Tea Party as their hope for combating the corporate takeover of their party. When they heard Bernie Sanders' pleas from the left to take control back from the corporations, they began to take notice and pay attention to his pleas and arguments. They now consider themselves supporters of Bernie--and they assure me that they are not alone!

There are many on the right who are closer to the thinking on the left than we realize and acknowledge. We should reach out to them, slowly and gently re-educate them and embrace them. After all, it's taken decades of fear mongering to wipe out any recognition of the value of socialist concepts, beginning with the very word "socialism." It will be a long, hard slog back...but at least we're beginning!

The left needs an update itself. All the reliance on purity and the rhetoric of the left is getting us nowhere. It's time to consider our own new paths to victory and leadership. Bernie Sanders is helping to build that bridge--and he's asked for our help. It's up to us to help make sure it isn't just another bridge to nowhere!
Craig Loftin, from the Internet