Source: Huffington PostLisa Huagaard
Just a few steps south of the U.S.-Mexico border, President Calderón
unveiled a towering billboard last week wielding a message written in
plain English: “No More Weapons!”
Weighing over 3 tons, the billboard itself is made of seized firearms
that have been chopped, melted and welded together. Visible from the
United States, the call is clear: halt the southbound flow of guns that fuel violence in Mexico.
… Unfortunately, it appears unlikely that Congress will enact
meaningful measures to curb the flux of arms into Mexico anytime soon.
Rep. Gerry Connelly (D-VA) has highlighted the failure of Congress to
seriously address gun violence in Mexico, noting that the House
Oversight Committee, which has held a string of hearings on the notoriously botched Operation Fast and Furious,
has yet to hold even a single hearing to examine any of the three steps
that many experts agree could actually reduce arms trafficking to
Mexico: a federal law prohibiting the trafficking of firearms, stronger
penalties for straw purchases, and the reinstatement of the assault
weapons ban.
Rep. Connelly has a point. Amid the political fervor and pursuit of accountability related to Operation Fast and Furious, important questions surrounding the larger issue of arms trafficking to Mexico have been largely ignored…
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