AMERIQUE:


A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: It is the unspoken statistic, but it is as real as anything to do with the lingering U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the military, 1,800 American servicemen have killed themselves since the initial invasion of Baghdad. That is in addition to the more than 4,000 who died in battle. This week, families of the soldiers who committed suicide asked President Barack Obama to change the government policy of not forwarding letters of appreciation to mothers and fathers of these servicemen. By week's end, the White House had reversed the policy and agreed that such letters are needed, as well... - Eduardo Paz-Martinez, Editor of The Tribune

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Like Blood For Chocolate:...Death Comes Easily In The Lawless Rio Grande Valley of Texas...

By RICARDO KLEMENT
Staff Writer

HARLINGEN, Texas - Just when you thought it was only Mexico going apeshit, along come a few locals to throw their own gallons of blood on the Good Earth. Stabbings and guns, guts and bones, hate and envy, anger and disgust. Tears and pain. Duets only the Devil would enjoy.

Welcome to a Bloody Time in the ungovernable Rio Grande Valley of Texas, a land so steeped in killer boredom that, yeah, it'll eventually force its people to unsheath their knives, pistols and rage. It's happening even as I write this sickening story.

A pretty 16-year-old kid from Los Fresnos, her Life on the lip of promise, is stabbed more than 20 times and left to die at a lonely city park in Brownsville. Two teen-age chicks from this apathy-happy burb grab a 23-year-old and proceed to knife her repeatedly, as if exorcising who knows what. And now this from Rio Grande City to the west of everything in the Valley: three women shot and killed by a dickless man unable to deal with his wife's ambivalence, his wife's refusal to love him, female indifference so aggravating that it led him to load his gun and put himself out of his Goddamned misery. Chalk all of these as victories for Satan.

Laughing Mexicans across the river no doubt are pointing fingers, mouthing words of "See, you, too, are all fucked up over on that side." And they're right. The border gets its flowing rivers of blood on both sides, via grenades and drug pushers gone wild and, on this side, from envy and jealousies that boggle the civilized mind.

What's next? Or, really, who's next?

Who is alive today in the Valley that won't be here tomorrow? Your neighbor? Your boss? Your family? Your mailman? Your Marijuana supplier?

You?
- 30 -  

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Patrick, maybe you need to re-think this because that side bar picture of Elaine doesn't quite look like she is practicing for her upcoming vows but more like she is diving off a cliff. And why is your Muslim expert reporting on upcoming social events such as weddings? Better she should go and compare what happened to the three women murdered in Rio Grande City to what they could have expected in Iran. Don't be assigning her just the fluff stories, make her help us understand another culture, if there is culture to be found anywhere. M

Patrick Alcatraz said...

ANONYMOUS M:...Rannah O'Donnell is getting acclimated to the wild Valley. Soon she will float her stories on the local Muslim culture, as well as other religious-oriented reporting. As for Elaine's dive, well, isn't that what love & marriage is - a hope-filled spring off a dangerous platform? Besides, it's Patrick Alcatraz! She should be practicing her acrobatics and more! But you tell me, M. I'm all ears... - Editor

Lupe Tortillas said...

We all should Follow Mr. Chano Maracas' footsteps...Overthere in Aguascalientes, He Doesn't have to prove to anybody Anything - He seems so relaxed, carefree and real happy - Free to enjoy Life !!!

Patrick Alcatraz said...

LUPE:...And why is that not possible in the Valley? Why not here?... - Editor

Anonymous said...

No taxes, nice wine, good looking women, good weather, US currency is worth it's weight. I am ready to fly down south.