To fall into temptation and seek more than what you should is to betray the best version of yourself. Many lifestyles filled with wonders and glamour right at our fingertips, many enticing options, many enticing figures, it’s asphyxiating. But there are equally as many copouts when taking such a path, which can mean harming the people who challenge you, people who’d give up the world to ensure your safety, and then what? What will be of you when it falls apart? You’re left with a heart that can’t be filled with profits or substances, void of meaning and love. Ultimately, you are what you choose to be, and if an easy life is what you want, then let it be. That is how I view cartels.
They influence our daily lives, something they shouldn’t have control over, and force us to fear the loss of stability. With a continuously more corrupt government that doesn’t look out for its people, the situation has only gotten worse. I was born to hard-working Mexican parents and lived my entire life valuing community and connections; it’s how I was taught to view the world. My love revolves around my family, but I have to live that life every day knowing my parents weren’t as lucky as I am; they didn’t have my life, and the opportunities for education and growth I have now were unreachable to them in their time.
Recently, on February 22nd, El Mencho, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed in a Mexican military operation backed by U.S. intelligence. The cartel retaliated by burning vehicles, attacking businesses, and creating road blockades. More than 70 people were killed in over 20 states around México, and among them, Guadalajara was one of the cities that suffered the most. This city is my hometown, and it’s where many were too scared to go outside for days; among them were my family, who currently reside there. Thankfully, they weren’t put in harm’s way, but my father was unfortunate enough to witness this cartel’s malice.
On one of his shifts, he encountered cartel members igniting cars in front of him. He drove off unscathed, but regardless of whether it was his car going up in flames or someone else’s, he was still put through terror that night. “Vimos a personas armadas sacando a la gente de sus carros, pero, gracias a Dios, no nos pasó nada, ya que no nos habíamos parado” [We saw armed men pulling people from their vehicles, but, thank God, nothing happened to us, since we didn’t stop], said my father. But why should you care? What’s so important about my family going through this incident? Why should that matter to you? I’m going to tell you why; it’s because that could’ve been you.
You could have had to spend your early years with a poor quality of life, financially battling to stay alive. You could have been subjected to harsh environments and become victims of those who immerse themselves in them. You wouldn’t be able to travel, to indulge in things that only come with a stable system. Ambition would only take you so far because of laws that are actively keeping people stuck, unable to dream, unable to grow.
You’re lucky not to be near any war. You don’t have to fear going out at night and knowing there’s a chance you won’t come home. Basic needs, like water and transportation, are free; there are programs that can help you with food problems. There are professionals whose whole lives center around helping people with mental problems, and you won’t be made to feel less for pointing these issues out. Most importantly, you’re allowed to be whoever you want to be and choose to do whatever you want to do, and no one will ever hold you back; no cartel, no lack of support, only you hold yourself back, so it’s time to change that. Make of your life what others couldn’t make of theirs.