Do gun laws make Mexico safer?

[armoredman]

OK, sever gun control, outlaw all calibers military, handgun and rifle, have to buy ammo at army stores, expensive as all get out....hmm, should be safe...Anyone remember the Chiapas rebels? Full auto weapons, etc? Yeah, gun control worked reeeeeal well, didn't it. No, I would not feel safer in Mexico than here...if feel safer working in prison than I would in Mexico. Gringos who commit crimes, are suspected of committing crimes, etc, are very harshly treated. Mexico laughs at our stupidity, and whining. They have the win/win game down to a T.

 

[Bwana John]

I have problems no with most of your points. I just think that there are good and bad things about Mexico. The religion is much worse (IMHO) than the goverment.

There is a "Culture of Fear" perpetuated around traveling in Mexico. Everybody "knows" about "someone" who had this or that happen with "banditos", or "mordita" (the bribe).

I could think of no better vacation than a motorcycle trip down Mex 1 (Baja), camping on the beach, eating good food and drinking excellent cheap beer, friendly gracious people, pretty girls. But do be aware, its the bad roads, and poor car maintance of locals, and local livestock that make it scary, not the "Banditos".

And the Army is cool, if you really need help, these are the guys that are going to save your bacon (tow your rig, search and rescue at sea, ect.)

 

[jeff-10]

I suspect much of the gun related, and other crime, that years ago would have been committed in D.C, is now committed in neighboring Prince Georges County. PG County is having a bumper crop in homicides this year.

Very true gentrification is really hitting DC pushing the bad elements to PG county.

A lot of american handguns do end up throughout Central America and the Carribean illegally. Although countries like Mexico give the perception that no one but the goverment or organized crime own firearms it is far from truth. A lot of average people keep them for protection.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

One odd thing I've noticed in Mexico is that while the potential punishment for Gringos caught breaking the law is severe, the locals seem extremely casual about obeying the laws. It seems that people from all walks of life--street walkers, farmers, taxi drivers, bartenders--tries to supplement his or her income by openly selling all variety of drugs and other contraband. Meanwhile Gringos who get caught possessing such contraband face severe penalties. Given the blase attitudes the indiginous people seem to have towards drug laws, I'm not surprised that they freely break gun laws.