tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post390535381376222440..comments2024-03-23T11:16:46.213-05:00Comments on El Salvador Perspectives: The ongoing murder epidemicTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452039674856298357noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-74637713318049220212008-12-02T21:47:00.000-06:002008-12-02T21:47:00.000-06:00The main reason that young people join gangs is be...The main reason that young people join gangs is because they dont have any other economic or social opportunities. They are often too poor to go to school, and they are well aware that any level of education is no guarantee of a job. The vast majority of jobs dont provide for a dignified life anyway. Their families are torn apart by immigration, and they lack any type of viable social support fabric. Gangs offer identity, status, belonging, power, and income (as little as it may be for those on the bottom) So you will have youth joining gangs as long as they dont have other opportunities. <BR/><BR/>So prevention is the key indeed. But to prevent the social conditions which generate gang activity, El Salvador must revert the neoliberal economic policies which have stripped away the social support system for its citizens. The Salvadoran government must invest in education, health care, housing, the arts, recreation, credits and technical assistance for small businesses and farmers, and it must control the national market so it benefits all Salvadorans. These would be good places to start to combat the gang problem, along with supporting the community prevention initiatives, and creating a functional court system. <BR/><BR/>But according to Medicina Legal, and in contradiction of the PNC, gangs are only responsible for 25% of homicides in El Salvador. See this link: <BR/><BR/>http://laprensagrafica.com/index.php/el-salvador/judicial/2830.html <BR/><BR/>This figure is similar to that of Tutela Legal of the Archdiocese of San Salvador which maintains that about only 30% of homicides are committed by gang members and about 70% are committed by death squads and social extermination groups- often times involving the PCN themselves- not something they would necessarily be eager to talk about.Danny Burridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15304348241521504486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-51256124578474927232008-12-02T10:03:00.000-06:002008-12-02T10:03:00.000-06:00There's nothing wrong with law abiding citizens le...There's nothing wrong with law abiding citizens legally carrying firearms. I live in Texas and I am far from conservative, but its naive to think that guns is what is causing crime. If you like at states like California and new york with very staunch gun laws, they have a higher rate of crime than in Texas. <BR/><BR/>Criminals will be criminals no matter what. They will get a hold of guns no matter what. It is a person's right to protect themselves. Prevention, Prevention, Prevention. Its the only way. People can not seem to wrap their head around this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-43509379119500677592008-12-01T16:36:00.000-06:002008-12-01T16:36:00.000-06:00Sideliner--During the war the Salvadoran death squ...Sideliner--<BR/><BR/>During the war the Salvadoran death squads and military took people they captured, and often tortured, up in airplanes and helicopters and threw them out into the sea. In June 2007 some of the people detained in the mobilization against the privatization of water in Suchitoto were transported by the PNC in a helicopter and threatened with being tossed out alive. Even though not physical torture this is barbaric psychological torture.<BR/><BR/>The PDDH was set up by the Peace Accords to try and address this these types of human rights abuses. Various of the PDDH Ombudspersons have received death threats for their work.<BR/><BR/>I am not sure if you're a troll, or a right-wing lurker looking to provoke.<BR/><BR/>The rule of a law, or your "respect" of said norms starts with a culture of democracy, peace, transparency, and popular participation.<BR/><BR/>Your right wing solutions for extrajudicial executions and human rights violations were the reasons the armed struggle in El Salvador happened.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9177745.post-31380327546888650202008-12-01T09:45:00.000-06:002008-12-01T09:45:00.000-06:00El Salvador needs to follow the example of Peru. T...El Salvador needs to follow the example of Peru. The Sendero Luminoso learned the hard way that if the people can fight back, being the bully on the block is not as much fun. Give the common people guns. The common people are sick of the gangs, and the extortion and the murders. It is no wonder that the gangs don't mess around in Chalate; there are to many guns floating around and just like in Texas, if you think there might be someone behind the door that is armed, maybe you don't go through the door. The answer is not more cops with guns, because they are afraid to uphold the law due to the PDDH and don't do anything anyway. Muzzle the PDDH, change the laws so they have some teeth, open the back doors of the airplanes bringing gangbangers home to El Salvador and let em take a dive into the ocean over La Libertad, and bring back the death penalty, and you might start to get a handle on the situation. It all comes down to the lack of respect for the law that is endemic in society here. It starts with corrupt politicians, shows itself in the lack of respect for others behind the wheel, and ends with hoodlums stealing from those that can afford it least: the poor folks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com