by ABC-7 Reporter Darren Hunt
EL PASO, Texas -- City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday expressing solidarity, sympathy and support for Juarez amid the drug violence.
But Mayor John Cook vetoed the resolution hours after it passed due to an item one City Council representative added to the resolution at the last minute.
Rep. Beto O'Rourke said at Tuesday's meeting that since nothing seems to be working, maybe it's time to look into drug legalization. O'Rourke urged support of an honest and open debate on the legalization of drugs in the United States:
"We need to say something that is a probably difficult for anyone to say, which is one, has the drug war been successful; two, if not should we continue it; and three, given that should we look at legalizing, controlling and taxing drugs and narcotics in the United States?"
Cook told ABC-7 he decided to veto the resolution because that item detracted from the original intent of the resolution, which was to curb the violence in Juarez.
In his veto, Cook said, "It is not realistic to believe that the United States Congress will seriously consider any broad based debate on the legalization of narcotics. That position is not consistent with community standards both locally and nationally. I urge Council to reconsider supporting the original wording as recommended by the Committee."
UTEP political science professor Tony Payan, who serves on the Committee on Border Relations, told City Council it was about time El Paso weighed in on the drug war in Juarez. So Council did, by signing off on a resolution that included supporting funding for law enforcement, stiff penalties for weapons trafficking and rehabilitation for drug offenders.
Payan, who wrote the original resolution, said what is happening in Juarez is our problem, too.
"El Paso was too passive in our view. We had not said anything, we had not done anything as Juarez ended the year with 1,633 deaths," Payan said.
View the resolution (does not include addition by Rep. O'Rourke)
View Mayor Cook's veto of the resolution
Written for KVIA.com by web producer Annette Arrigucci
Viewer e-mails about this story:
I think the Border Patrol needs to be able to concentrate on real security issues such as terrorism and illegal aliens, not personal choices such as drug use. Legalizing drug use would give them the time needed for real Homeland Security.
- Anonymous, West El Paso
Beto O'Rourke has guts to say what everyone knows, drugs should be legalized. It would solve so many problems, help control and regulate them and make research and treatment easier. If not all drugs, at least marijuana. It is insane that murderers, pedophiles and rapists get less jail time than someone who has an illegal plant for their own use.
-Sonya, Northeast El Paso
I couldn't find where to respond to the proposed drug legalization in order to curtail border violence and wars within the cartels in Juarez. I have to say this: legalizing drugs will not minimalize the drug wars. Legalization will provoke more warfare over territory. It's like anything, if a product is out on the market, competition results because everyone wants a piece of the pie. As long as people desire glory and gold, there will be war and violence. That is a law of human nature. What do I tell my children? Drink responsibly and smoke weed responsibly, too? Or, please, do coke responsibly. Drugs= money=greed=violence=death- legal or not.
- Valerie, East El Paso
It is an outrage that the City Council voted to legalize narcotics. Beto O'Rourke should be removed from Council. Thank God, Congressman Reyes has the good sense.
- Roberta, East El Paso
