In every measurable way, the U.S is head honcho of the global violence industry.
I live next door to the world’s biggest gun manufacturer, writes Tamara Pearson for Common Dreams. Here in Mexico, the murder rates are close to civil war levels. They broke records last year, for a total of 41,217 homicides, with 25,339 first degree murders over the course of the year. And those are the official figures – which if anything, tend to under report reality.
President Trump has labeled Mexican migrants heading to the U.S. as “criminals” but has ironically overlooked the fact 70% of the guns coming into Mexico originate in the U.S. With the recent shooting in the YouTube headquarters, the inspiring movements of young people demanding gun control, and Black Lives Matter protesting police impunity – the issue of systemic, deathly violence in the U.S. is receiving important attention. But the impact of of that violence outside U.S. borders is largely going under the radar.