Border Safety

The author of “Grits for Breakfast,” a blog concerning Texas justice, posted an interesting commentary on the relative safety of Texas border towns, and how their reputation is inextricably linked to their Mexican counterparts. A website entitled “Laredoissafe.com” has been making an appearance on billboards along Texas highways. This site serves to debunk the hype that labels Laredo as a dangerous town because of the violent drug wars that are taking place only miles to the south. Grits acknowledges that yes, although the town has seen a significant drop in reported crime over the last year, that this is not the only indicator of Laredo’s safety. The article concludes by asserting “So yes, "Laredo is safe." But to the extent its fate is intertwined with Mexico's, regrettably that isn't the only consideration.”

I think that this commentary, though short, is both accurate and credible. The author not only cites the actual website (laredoissafe.com) but also refers to studies done across the state regarding statistics about violence and traffic violations in other major cities. The article also provides some explanation as to why the city of Laredo might be taking these measures. (Specifically, that a “PR campaign being undertaken by Agricultural commissioner Todd Staples” is slamming border towns for their lack of security). This background information also helps give depth and credibility to the article. 

The author’s main argument is that although it’s certainly plausible that Laredo is safe, that isn’t saying much considering the amount of violence that takes place just across the border. I think that this claim is very accurate, backed up by the author’s logic and use of several other sources. The only thing that would perhaps strengthen the article a bit is if the author provided some specific examples of the referred-to violence occurring in Nuevo Laredo. Many Texans are already aware of this, but an uninformed reader (or someone who isn’t from Texas) might not have that insight. I assumed the intended audience to be those interested in Texas justice, particularly blog readers and internet users, who may be of the younger generation. That being said, I think this strong, concise piece would be informative to any audience.