Pictured here are a few of the “Fast and the Furious” guns. Found like most, in the hands of some very bad people in a very bad place. I lost a few friends to guns that were later linked back to this operation, so when I speak about it I do so with a very specific point of view, one that many have never bother to listen to. Gun running into Mexico is a legit problem, but not just from the United States. Ports down in Mexico have long since been used to bring ammunition and guns in as well.
Guns have always been a part of life growing up in Mexico. Gun restrictions placed on legal and responsible gun owners only benefit criminals. Most people, especially on the northern border area of Mexico own a gun that was obtained by irregular means, most of these brought down from the US. I remember sometime back in the late 80’s and early 90’s a shift as far as the types of guns used by criminal groups. Most times handguns where the preferred choice, then AK’s and AR’s started to appear all over the place. With civilian AR’s being brought down to Mexico then modified to be full auto and AK’s coming in from all over the place.
It has always been an arms race. When gunships started being utilized by federal government forces the response was downing one of them with an RPG in Guadalajara. And so it goes.
There is only one legal gun store in Mexico run by the army… Yet guns are everywhere. Gun control doesn’t work once the proliferation of firearms is already set in the culture. And it sure as hell doesn’t work when the criminal element is already armed and overwhelming the security forces of the country putting forth such restrictions.
*Reposted with permission from Eds Manifesto Facebook page
