The Proliferation of Firearms

Well, this week there was a very pompous event where more than 2,700 weapons were destroyed. Of these 2,700 weapons—well, actually nearly 1,000 of them were long guns: weapons that are supposedly meant to be used only by a specific type of person or institution, yet which we know are utilized primarily by members of organized crime.

However, rather than focusing on this destruction of some 2,700-odd weapons, I would prefer to focus on what happens in real life. In real life—at least here in the Guadalajara metropolitan area—this is the reality in Mexico. But to narrow our focus: how often do we talk about muggings? 

How often do we talk about robberies? How often do we discuss any type of violent incident—involving injuries or fatalities—where the term “firearm” inevitably comes up? That is to say, firearms that are, quite literally, circulating left and right, turning up just about anywhere. 

Pay close attention to this issue, because it is estimated—and this is a national-level calculation—that the number of homicides committed with firearms across the country stands at approximately just over 70 percent—something in the range of 72 percent. If we take these national statistics and extrapolate them to other regions of the country, we would surely find similar figures. 

In other words, for every 100 homicides, 70 are committed using firearms. But we are not speaking solely of homicides *per se*; we’re also referring to robberies, muggings, and all manner of violent encounters—particularly those involving armed individuals, and most notably, armed individuals riding motorcycles. 

I have even gone so far as to suggest that there should be a distinct statistical category labeled: “Assaulted, Robbed, Killed, or Injured by Motorcyclists.” That is, incidents where individuals riding motorcycles robbed you, mugged you, killed you, or wounded you. There is an illicit arms trade operating in Jalisco—specifically within the Guadalajara metropolitan area—yet this critical issue is almost never discussed. 

There is never an investigation into where all these weapons come from. There is never a concrete outcome—no one ever says, “Well, I obtained this particular weapon from such-and-such a place.” Because, whether we’re talking about long guns or handguns, there is one thing here that no one has really stopped to consider: any random guy, in any argument—and I’ve said this a thousand times—arguments around here get settled with bullets.

Source: Telediario Guadalajara