Please say a prayer for Maria Santos Gorrostieta, a Mexican
politician who stood up to local drug barons despite three attempts on her
life. Tragically, the fourth attempt on 15 November was successful and this
36-year-old heroine was brutally murdered. Her story is one of rare distinction
inasmuch as this very talented doctor of medicine, who lost her first husband
to drug traffickers in 2009 and was herself shot three times during a 2010
assassination attempt, refused to yield in the face of overwhelming odds and despite fearing for the lives of her children remained true to her
Catholic faith and sense of duty toward humankind.
My first thought on reading about this story was to pray
that the perpetrators paid in full for their crime and also that Maria’s death
would begin a backlash against organised crime which is blighting so many of
the world’s great cities.
I cannot begin to understand the magnificent defiance shown
by Maria but what is really upsetting is the lack of security for someone who
was clearly earmarked for assassination. What have we become?
The filthy rich get richer while the poor are dying in
misery and yet governments do nothing; organised gangs run many of the world’s
cities while police watch on and do nothing – only today I was stopped by a
police car outside my house when travelling to my local gym. The car came
roaring up with full siren and flashing lamp, the PC got out of his car and
introduced himself as PC xxxx from Haywards Heath and then thanked me for
stopping (what did he expect a chase down the dual carriageway!) before asking
me to turn my steering wheel full lock to check my tyres. I explained my car
had just had its MOT and had new tyres. He agreed my tyres were in perfect
condition and on my asking why I had been stopped and by any chance was it
because of my hood and dark glasses he replied “No, it was because your car is
in such a state”. I then explained that I had the car since new and after
twanging the side in the church car park I decided to keep it the past 12 years
as it has never let me down. I went on to say how I had washed it only a few
days ago to which he replied “you shouldn’t have bothered” before returning to
his car and driving off.
Yes, although I chuckled, I was a little surprised that someone would be so rude about
the look of my car as I have always thought of it as quite a handsome looking
Fiat Brava, but why I tell you this story is that my first thought was the scant
resources of our police force were being wasted. My car has got 50,000 miles on
the clock is in good repair and doesn’t immediately strike you as a death trap.
I’m sure there are many cars on our roads that are equally old and many would
be in far worse condition than my car which is rarely driven.
I thought of Maria and the absurdity of the situation – this
crazy mixed up world where crime should be targeted and yet a PC’s shift can be
filled by the routine stopping of old cars!
