Dean of Students Ainsley Carry issued a warning Monday to the student body about the potential dangers they could encounter traveling to Mexico this Spring Break.
Carry’s message comes after the U.S. State Department issued a nationwide warning Feb. 20 in response to increasing drug-related violence in the country.
“Mexico has been a common spring break destination for college students all over the nation,” Carry wrote in an e-mail interview, adding that he is unsure how many Temple students plan to travel to the country this year. “Even if only one student from Temple were going, we would want that person to be aware of the current danger in the region.”
Other universities, including Penn State, warned students as well.
The State Department’s message says though most of the violence among drug cartels and and Mexican security pesonnel is occurring near the United States-Mexico border, some innocent Mexicans and foreigners have been killed in public places as a result.
Carry’s message, which went out to students via e-mail and is appearing on the TUportal main page all week, said his office will be available to field any questions they may have about travel precautions. He said they are using resources including Campus Safety Services, International Services, International Programs and the General Counsel to answer any questions or concerns.
“Let me be clear: we are not telling students not to go to Mexico. There are regions of the country that are still relatively safe,” Carry concluded in the e-mail interview. “As a parent and administrator I am concerned about all young adults who might put themselves in harms way. Many innocent bystanders have been victims of this conflict. I especially don’t want any Temple students getting hurt.”
Morgan Zalot can be reached at morgan.zalot@temple.edu.
What is happening in Mexico is beyond just being a crime. I have lived in mexico off and on for nearly three years. I fell in love with the country and the people. I hated having to come back here where getting someone to just say “hello” is an effort. I was a woman alone who back backed throughout central Mexico and not once ever felt fear.
I now actually fear going back to the little twon of chapala where I have many friends. One of whose son happened to be in the wrong place at the
time, ended up with three bullets in him and his friend dead.
The guns the cartels are getting are from America and most of the cartels are
supplied by americans, are much better than what the Mexican army has to fight back with. Maybe we should stop fighting the “war on drugs” in this country which has failed and always will, an begin busting the people who are suppling the cartels with the weapons.
Think about the children of mexico and the horror they see on a daily basis.
I blame this county as well as Mexico for the bloodbaths. There is a whole lot of money that goes for weapons If pot was legal over half the drug trade woulod end.
I miss Mexico and the way of life. People there are warm and loving unlike here where we are all caught up in ourselves.
I hope things calm down soon for the people’s sake and for those of us who have come to know the mexican people and the bueaty of the country.l