Cartel Land

I'll start of by saying that there aren't that many documentaries that are capable of holding my attention for the the time they last. Cartel Land however, held me in suspense. Constantly playing with my emotions and keeping my curiosity in its grasp.

1. There were many scenes that got to me but there was only one that really blew my mind. That was the very last scene and how it looped back to the first scene. The documentary started with some cartel members who were cooking meth. They begin to explain that they have to do such a thing to survive in the environment that they're in. Only their masked faces are shown this whole scene without any emphasis on the clothes they are wearing.

The main plot of the Show here was about the rise of the "Autodefensas", a private militia built to destroy cartels and organised crime. They were doing good for the state until they expended to the point where corruption began within their organisation. Towards the end, the Autodefensas joined the corrupt government and were given standard issue uniforms and weapons. Now here's where I was just absolutely caught by surprise, the last scene comes to a full circle with the start of the documentary. This time showing what the meth cooks were wearing, the same uniforms issued to the Autodefensas. The Autodefensas had become the exact thing they were trying to stop in the first place. I was shocked, filled with pain, disappointment and disgust. I felt so many emotions all at the same time.

2. I'm surprised with the level of corruption that exists in that region. I've heard stories, seen movies, etc but seeing how easy it is for anybody to build an army and take over towns to loot houses, rape civilians and kill people who only try to defend what's theirs is eye opening to me. Adding to this is the lack of action of the government organisations due to they're corrupt relationships. The only time we see the army step in in this documentary is when they were attempting to disarm and scatter the Autodefensas, who were only helping a town at the request of its people.

3. The documentary raises many questions. It was said that those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. When Dr. José Manau Mireles started the Autodefensas, was the organisation already doomed to become corrupt and commit crime like the others before them? What, if anything, is being done to stop this violence and vice? Is the United states doing anything that is effective in terms of defending their own borders? Or do the people have to take matters into their own hands like that of their Mexican neighbours? Coming from Singapore I feel as if these are basic expectations of a government to be able to protect their own people. This however, does not seem to be the case here.

Why I fly...

I'm constantly asked why I've chosen to pursue a career in aviation, specifically in flight. To that question, I have no one answer. Like many pilots before me, my passion started at a young age. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to soar with the birds in the sky and to me, that's where my heart has always been. Not until my first day behind the flight controls of an airplane have I felt so complete, so whole as a person, so at peace with myself. That's when I knew that I had to work towards a career in the best office in existence, the cockpit of an airplane.

Sure there are hardships with this path such as the stringent training, frequent exams and high expectations from our chiefs and instructors, but in the end, I find the challenges to be worthwhile. There's not a day that the feeling of regret passes                                                                                      my mind for pursuing this dream of mine.

Like any dream we may have, it is up to us to make it happen for ourselves. It is us that must work towards what we want for ourselves. For in the end, only we can truly make ourselves happy.

*Picture taken by Ross L. Harris