MEXICO'S PROSPERITY MASKS DEEP ROT

Regarding Bret Stephens's "The Mexican Paradox" (Global View, May 31):
Felipe Calderon's declared war against drug cartels has resulted in
more than 34,612 murders. Despite Mr. Stephens's flippant dismissal
that they were mostly drug dealers, and his strange suggestion that
Abraham Lincoln once alluded that it was OK for professional gamblers
to be killing each other, the fact is that the thousands of victims in
Mexico have included top federal officials, generals and soldiers of
all ranks, governors, mayors, judges, correction officers and police
officers, as well as innocent civilians, so that economically
hard-pressed Mexicans have declined civil service appointments. This
has left some jurisdictions without police chiefs and police
departments, and the only ones willing to serve in government are on
cartel payrolls.

If anything close to the level of corruption and violence occurred in
even one American city, the U.S. would be plunged into a crisis.
Perhaps it is time for Mr. Stephens to talk to the last four
presidents of Mexico who, as a result of the carnage, have taken the
extreme position that drugs should be legalized. Mr. Stephens might
also consult with the hundreds of thousands of desperate Mexicans
putting their very lives in the hands of "coyotes" in a terrified
attempt to flee the chaos of their homeland.

Joseph D. McNamara

Police Chief (Ret.)

San Jose, Calif.