As I sit here thinking about the latest news from Washington, my mind keeps wandering back to those poor souls who lost their lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Three men, gone. Just like that. All because they were accused of being involved in narco-trafficking operations. It's a sad state of affairs, folks.
According to the U.S. military, this is the fourth attack this week, and it brings the total death toll to 205. That's a whole lotta folks who've lost their lives in what seems like a never-ending battle against drugs. I just can't help but wonder what really happened out there on that boat.
Now, I know some folks might be thinking that these drug cartels are behind all sorts of trouble, and maybe they are. But I also think about those three men who died, and their families who must be left wondering why this had to happen. It's a mighty big question, isn't it?
The U.S. military says it acted at the direction of General Francis L. Donovan, the top commander in Latin America. That's a lot of responsibility on one person's shoulders. I can only imagine how tough it must be to make decisions like that.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I keep coming back to the same question: what's the point of all these attacks? Is it really going to stop the flow of drugs into American communities? I don't know, folks. I just don't know.
As I look out at the world around me, I see so many folks struggling with addiction. They're not bad people; they're just people who got caught up in a vicious cycle. And what do we do about it? We kill them. Three men are dead because of our efforts to stop drug trafficking. It's hard for me to wrap my head around that.
I know some folks might say I'm being soft, that these attacks are necessary to keep us safe. But I just can't help but think about those three men who lost their lives. They were someone's sons, brothers, fathers. Did they deserve to die?
As the news keeps pouring in, my mind keeps racing back to those same questions. What really happened on that boat? Is it all worth it? And what's the point of it all?
It's funny how life works sometimes. I was talking to a friend the other day about this very thing, and he told me a story about his cousin who got caught up in drugs. He said that if his cousin had gotten help sooner, maybe things would have turned out differently. It made me think about all those folks out there who are struggling with addiction, and how we might be able to help them instead of harming them.
As the world keeps spinning, I'll keep thinking about this. Maybe one day, we'll find a way to stop the flow of drugs without killing innocent people in the process. Until then, I'll just keep wondering what could have been.
Written by: Boris Gulp | The Citizen Edition
“Life is a big ol' box of chocolates”