More Guns, More Crimes

In the aftermath of Saturday's fatal shooting in Arizona, where six people were killed and 14 were wounded, the U.S is now reflecting on how and why this deranged individual committed such a horrendous crime. The left accuses the right of using hateful rhetoric, nudged on by the likes of Sarah Palin. Perhaps what is most worrisome is the ability of someone with psychological problems to purchase a gun. As it turns out, Arizona is a state with lax gun control laws. In fact, the state does not require a permit to carry concealed weapons. As with the Colombine and Virginia Tech shootings, what occurred in Arizona has brought up once again a perennial topic of debate, and one which will never be resolved: gun control.

While practically anyone can carry a gun in Arizona, the same can be said in Puerto Rico. According to an article published by El Nuevo Día back in October, a record number of people applied for a gun permit in 2010. This is largely in response to the rising crime levels, mostly drug-related cases, on the island. People feel safer having a gun in their possession. However, this has not resulted in a lower incidence of crime. There were 982 murders registered in Puerto Rico last year, making it the second most violent. In 1994, the most deadliest, 995 people were murdered. The homicide rate per capita in Puerto Rico is higher than in any other state in the U.S. What's most troublesome is the large number of people on the island who own firearms without the proper documentation. In Puerto Rico, purchasing a gun is almost as easy as purchasing a gallon of milk at a grocery store. For those gun rights activitsts who adamantly believe that owning a gun results in lower crime rates, Puerto Rico proves you wrong.

(Photo credit: Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)

A Celebration that Never Was

With just barely 24 hours into the new year, a heartbreaking family tragedy has the island abuzz. In the afternoon of New Year's Day, in the town of Florida, a 45-year old man allegedly set his family on fire with kerosene. According to Carmen Rodríguez, chief of the Fire Department, Justino Sánchez Díaz connected a plastic tube to a propane gas tank and used it as a torch to burn 13 of his family members alive. Among the victims is 25-year old Kate Donahue, who was visiting the island from Seattle to meet her fiancé's family. She is now in critical condition, with over 80% of her body burned. At the moment, four of the victims have died, including Jesús Sánchez, Kate's fiancé and nephew of the alleged perpetrator.

Justino Sánchez Díaz is currently under arrest. He had allegedly planned the family gathering to celebrate the new year, his nephew's engagement and a birthday. Neighbors and other family members have described him as "unbalanced and problematic." Although a brother-in-law of Sánchez Díaz had previously warned the police of his behavior, it fell on deaf ears. Others in the community maintain that he did not suffer from any mental issues. Some of the most horrific crimes which occur on the island are indeed perpetuated by those who seem to suffer from severe psychological problems though. Case in point, back in October, a 14-year old raped and beat his 64-year old grandmother. Some of these crimes could have been prevented if only more attention and urgency were given to mental health issues.

Update (1/7/10): Kate Donahue became the fifth victim of this New Years' Day tragedy. She passed away at a Miami hospital yesterday.

(The image above of Jesús Sánchez and Kate Donohue was obtained from www.endi.com)

A Record Year

From snowstorms in the Northeastern part of the U.S to massive flooding in Colombia and Venezuela, 2010 has turned out to be a record year of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters. As of December 21st of this year, Puerto Rico received 88.6 inches of rain. This surpasses the 87.55 inches registered in 1931, making 2010 the year in which the island received the most amount of rainfall. Recently, there has also been a lot of seismic activity registered on the island, which lies on both the North American and Caribbean plates. Although they're small movements, ranging from 2.5 to 3 on the Richter scale, a 5.4 earthquake did hit the island on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, there were no injuries or serious damages reported.

Puerto Rico also emerged relatively unscathed this past hurricane season. However, as in many parts of the world, we've definitely been feeling the effects of climate change. In the San Juan metro area, we've had quite a few days where the high temperature has reached only into the low to mid-70 degrees Fahrenheit (about 22 degrees Celsius). The normal high for this time of the year is the low-80 degrees Fahrenheit. As it turns out, this cooling trend is taking place in many parts of of the world, most notably in the Eastern U.S and Europe this winter. I urge you to read the New York Times Op-Ed piece, "Bundle Up, It's Global Warming," to get a better understanding of the causes attributing to this worldwide phenomenon. Meanwhile, I'll be keeping my rain jacket and umbrella handy.

(Photo credit: Mariel Mejía Ortiz/El Nuevo Día)