Be thankful for what you have....

No...just earth quakes and hurricanes...

1999 thru 2010, that ELEVEN years. We count "our" couple of thousand each and every year, and what we hear here are only what it is the PN's pleasure to publish. Then, Venezuela is a 27 Million people country... "we" what 8 to 10 Million, with or without Haitianos.

But agreed, in general it's by far not as "HOT" here as it is in some cities of the rest of Latin America.
In Sao Paolo, even only middle class families tend to have body guards and bring their brats to fortified and guarded schools.

South Beach (MIA) is being filled with well to do Brasileiros who get their kicks out of just being able to stroll up and down A1A at sundown and not be assassinated over a pair of sneakers.

I remember Guayaquil in in the mid 90's was so "hot", you had to fear for your life at noon in the business district of downtown! 10 years later, after a new alcalce (Jaime Nebot), I've been able to stroll the Malecon EVENINGS (I would NEVER have done that for any amount of money offered back in the 90's even at noon and the police left and right to me!).

HERE, there are spots and especially behaviors one should abstain from, but in general... hey, people party every evening at the SD Malecon... and POP too.

But then again, drug trafficking has hit the streets here only a few years ago... most other countries have a longer history of that.

And THAT'S what's GOING TO GET US!

So, being thankful is not going to "cut" it, I am afraid. "We" need to DEFEND that relative PEACE or it WILL be taken from us.

... J-D.

Chavez just said that he'd have the crime problem licked by 2030. I doubt Venezuelan will hold their collective breath on this. In comparison to the DR, Venezuela only has a fraction of the police forces in proportion to the DR. There are practically no private security firms. Yo don't see 'serenos' and "guachimanes' with shotguns guarding businesses or private residences. Also, private citizens are discouraged and practically not allowed to carry weapons. My take is that the insecurity and violence situation is state policy. People live in continuing fear, and it is easy to control a fearful populace.

Drugs will never take over the country like it has in other places.

Two reasons: 1. as long as Mexico is the preferred route the DR will never take this over and 2. simple economics. By far the majority of Dominicans don't not have enough money to spend it on drugs. Yes there are that do but are by far a minority. As long as Americans and Europeans are willing to spend to buy drugs we will never be a competitive market because prices won't drop sufficiently.

Also, one should take into mind the cultural stigma of using drugs too. Anybody growing up in the States in the last 50 years can name at least 20 people or more they personally know that use drugs. Here that would be difficult. I'm not talking about drug dealers but just normal people who are professionals or have a good job and whatnot.

As far as the topic at hand, I've found the DR to be less violent than I originally thought.

Chip said:

Drugs will never take over the country like it has in other places.

Two reasons: 1. as long as Mexico is the preferred route the DR will never take this over and 2. simple economics. By far the majority of Dominicans don't not have enough money to spend it on drugs. Yes there are that do but are by far a minority. As long as Americans and Europeans are willing to spend to buy drugs we will never be a competitive market because prices won't drop sufficiently.

Also, one should take into mind the cultural stigma of using drugs too. Anybody growing up in the States in the last 50 years can name at least 20 people or more they personally know that use drugs. Here that would be difficult. I'm not talking about drug dealers but just normal people who are professionals or have a good job and whatnot.

As far as the topic at hand, I've found the DR to be less violent than I originally thought.

Click to expand...

You are of course right, Arizona and Texas are not our neighbors.
But on the other hand, meth and crystals are so cheap it's affordable to most locals, even the poor, and it drives people absolutely crazy and "capable" of just about anything.

And, this is one of the few countries where the police and military are the two major drug cartels.... always have been. I am not saying that drugs and the monetary influences of it hasn't found it's ways into most any country's forces of order, but this here is an operation capable of even imposing it's rule, not just on any would be competitors but the top of government. And this raises a question: Who is it then who will stop it?


... J-D.

Drugs like other problems will never go away neither here in the DR or other places.

However, with our remote location, relatively poor population and social perceptions this problem is kept in check somewhat comparatively speaking, gracias a Dios.

Chip said:

Drugs will never take over the country like it has in other places.

Two reasons: 1. as long as Mexico is the preferred route the DR will never take this over and 2. simple economics. By far the majority of Dominicans don't not have enough money to spend it on drugs. Yes there are that do but are by far a minority. As long as Americans and Europeans are willing to spend to buy drugs we will never be a competitive market because prices won't drop sufficiently.

Also, one should take into mind the cultural stigma of using drugs too. Anybody growing up in the States in the last 50 years can name at least 20 people or more they personally know that use drugs. Here that would be difficult. I'm not talking about drug dealers but just normal people who are professionals or have a good job and whatnot.

As far as the topic at hand, I've found the DR to be less violent than I originally thought.

Click to expand...

I should have written the above bolded as follows:

Anybody growing up in the States in the last 50 years can name at least 20 people or more they personally know that use or have used drugs

Chip said:

I should have written the above bolded as follows:

Anybody growing up in the States in the last 50 years can name at least 20 people or more they personally know that use or have used drugs

Click to expand...

Naw, don't worry Chip, my vision is fine.
It just did not apply to me, I haven't lived 50 years yet... and only 6 in the US.

I get your point. I think you MAY be right... but maybe not completely.
There are MANY, many ingredients to the issue of drugs and crime as a whole.

Another issue, which is affecting "us" rapidly more and more, is the up-taking of Hip-Hop/Gansta' Rap/Latin Hop "culture" by local youth, believing that this is a desirable and often inevitable "Life Style".
THAT too, has increased very noticeably here in the last couple of years. THAT again, paired with the wide spread poverty (you yourself stress) is more and more crystallizing into more crime... because now, it's not just "necessary", it is "COOL"!

... J-D.

The list of culpables is too long, but also include our "merengueros urbanos" and our esteemed government which seems to put a lot of effort into keeping the large population ignorant.


... J-D.

J D Sauser said:

Another issue, which is affecting "us" rapidly more and more, is the up-taking of Hip-Hop/Gansta' Rap/Latin Hop "culture" by local youth, believing that this is a desirable and often inevitable "Life Style".
THAT too, has increased very noticeably here in the last couple of years. THAT again, paired with the wide spread poverty (you yourself stress) is more and more crystallizing into more crime... because now, it's not just "necessary", it is "COOL"!

... J-D.

Click to expand...

While Dominicans certainly are fascinated with all things American and no doubt this, I don't believe all the negative apects of this culture will "stick" here because we are lacking one prime ingredient; racism.

Chip said:

While Dominicans certainly are fascinated with all things American and no doubt this, I don't believe all the negative apects of this culture will "stick" here because we are lacking one prime ingredient; racism.

Click to expand...

Racism comes in different forms and is to be found everywhere, even in the DR...but thats not what this topic is all about :ermm:

Chip, whatever you do, don't mention Dominican Yorks in this thread. Apparently that is now a taboo topic. :ermm:

Acira said:

Racism comes in different forms and is to be found everywhere, even in the DR...but thats not what this topic is all about :ermm:

Click to expand...

Racism is evident here but it doesn't compare to the US that's for sure.

can we get off the racism please ....there are enough threads discussing that

jrhartley said:

can we get off the racism please ....there are enough threads discussing that

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And they dont last. Very taboo here!

Why not just close this thread then???

rockero said:

I Thought I posted here not sure if the mods deleted it or if the comp. I am on now did not post it right as I am not using my personal comp...

Click to expand...

Yeah or it might be gremlins. I suggest taking a rest. Try again later

This thread is not going nowhere..

To pick up and to go somewhere instead of going nowhere

I find it an interesting thread, gives me some more insight view on how some things are going in this part of the world.

For that I thank you HB.