Mexico Heating Up.... Church Calls for Calm...

[RagAss]

How much longer will this stay peaceful ?

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N20253681.htm

[MsKandice01]

1. They care more about their democracy than we do...

That's really sad.

[Warpy]

2. What started in Chiapas may eventually spread countrywide

and that's what I'm afraid of.

I like Mexico. I like the people I meet there. I would hate to see violence erupt over this.

But I think they have no other choice.

[RagAss]

3. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.... but that does not mean....

surrendering your vote ...

[Selatius]

9. From what I understand, Chiapas has been relatively peaceful

The Zapatistas have largely kept to themselves in their regions of autonomy. The times when violence erupts is when federal troops antagonize the inhabitants, most of which were poor landless farmers before they overthrew the large ranch owners of the area and appropriated the land to grow food. It was crushing poverty that provoked people to rebel. Libertarian socialist activists in the area gave the rebellion its unique features as the farmers were already very communal and mutualist in outlook.

Are they socialists? Yes, most definitely. Are they of the authoritarian kind? I wouldn't say so, since the autonomous communities run on a form of semi-direct or direct democracy. Each community is free to decide issues as they see fit. They haven't shown very much interest in using violence outside of self-defense/self-preservation. They have been spreading their ideas through pampleteering and literature, and it seems to be slowly spreading in the Mexican population.

[RagAss]

10. Good to hear.... A peaceful protest and a victory will send a

stronger message in the long term. Violence will easily detract from the re-count, if not cancel it all together....IMO....

[burythehatchet]

11. May it spread continent wide

as long as it doen't conflict with American Idol

[UTUSN]

4. I got flamed two days ago for posting the same concern

On the supposed grounds that "MY" argument was the SAME ONE that SINGLEHANDEDLY surrendered the '00 and '04 selections for the Dems. It will be terribly sad if the Mexican underclass is bloodied and killed by the government's launching the military at them.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1666139

[High Plains]

5. Tick tick tick

Mexico has a long tradition of local political violence, not necessarily guns (though sometimes), but party militants going at each other with boards, staves, whatever they can grab. It's usually over local issues. If this starts happening all across the country, it could spin out of control pretty fast. And thanks to its northern neighbor, Mexico is flooded with illegal guns.

[RagAss]

6. that's a good point...I'm not familiar with Mexico's gun laws...

but the open border will negate any controls if they did have laws.....

[UTUSN]

7. Uh, "the open border" ...

It is strictly prohibited to transport weapons into Mexico. That doesn't mean they aren't SMUGGLED across. But calling it "the open border" sounds TANCREDOish.

[lovuian]

8. They want the rich ruling class out and they are the minority

The rich in the US get a good look at the organized socialistic movement of Mexico... its going to spread to the US...

I'm proud of these people wanting to fight to take back their country...

from the Mexican Mafiosa