01 Sep, 2010 Mexico’s Turf Wars – Or is it Glasgow’s?
Last week a newspaper had a veiled go at me as it tried to make out that I was attacking the city of my birth. In doing so it ignored my fuller statement that for the most praised Glasgow highly. If anyone is in doubt about my true sentiment please find it here on my previously written journal from last week. You will find that I in fact was defending my city in face of the horrific but true stats.
In truth I was also defending it against my own natural reaction to those figures. I was aghast, depressed and ashamed. Not of the city or the people who contribute so much in making it the greatest place to visit, not at all! My reaction was do with the stinking reality that the city (and indeed the world) has failed dramatically in its inability to do much about the underbelly and conditions that gives rise to these problems.
Nevertheless, it is apparent that some would rather sweep reality under the carpet than bring it out in the open. All understandable when a) You have no clue as to any solutions. b) Feel that it’s not good to discuss this stuff in the event you might scare away tourists and potential investors. c) Better to keep mum! This is “our thing” and we don’t really want it out in the open, or the rest of the world knowing about our unsavoury side and therefore thinking bad of us. (Fans of Mafia movies will be familiar with this last one with)
In any case, merely a week later a rival Scottish paper has this story with a headline of the type that could have accompanied the recent reports from the drug gang turf wars currently going on in Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez.
Gang chop off rival’s manhood with chisel days after twin has holes drilled in his head
But this is not Mexico! (A most beautiful country I am told!) or anywhere else. This is Glasgow and it happened three days ago and a couple of miles from where I live and have done much of my recent work.
We certainly can be proud of our city in so many ways. But when it comes to crime and drugs we cannot look down our noses at anyone. Why would we want to is one question, but the bigger question is why is the society that I grew up in so inept at doing anything about this puss filled situation?
Jim Kerr