#aka he wasn’t offending or harming me he was stating a fact

[our-queer-experience]

man i love being a tranny faggot

i love looking in the mirror and seeing my messy hair and eye bags and going "thats a fag"

i love having body hair thats long enough for me to play with it and dark enough for it to be seen

i love being that guy you see on the street who either looks half dead or bursting with energy while also clearly gay

i love being weird and messy and strange

i love being me

i love being weird and unconventional and embracing it, actually.

[unitchiefs-blackbirdphoenix]

You may have seen this going around but people are hating JJ for snapping at Reid in 10x11. Like maybe she shouldn’t of done that but she was having a literal breakdown and her ptsd affecting her a lot. Not to mention that Reid did the same when Emily asked if he was okay when he was going through his drug addiction and ptsd after Hankel but yet no one gives him hate for it. Emily also snapped at Garcia in 6x17 when Garcia checked up on her. They two were also going through a lot but people still defend them while JJ who also did the same as them gets the most hate (which doesn’t surprise me with this fandom). And at the end of 10x11 JJ thanked Reid for helping her and in a way apologised. Also Reid, Emily and Garcia didn’t take it personally when they were snapped at as they could tell something was going on. When you’re going through something especially trauma it’s possible you may end up snapping at someone and we shouldn’t give them hate for it.

Sorry for this rant, I’m just annoyed that people are hating on JJ for going through something traumatic

Hi thank you so much anon!

I don't know exactly what happened recently regarding this situation, but after reading this ask, I 100% agree with you! You are more than welcome to rant about this because I feel the same way. I think I have seen something like this in the past, and I still don't understand the JJ hate, which I will get at the end of the post under the cut. (I also apologize in advance if this is all over the place haha)

I think JJ has the right to feel the way she feels in 10x11. JJ probably thought Reid means well when he was asking if she was ok, but it also seemed very clear that she didn't want to talk about it. She also didn't want them to cause a scene in a place where it's public. Like you said, it seemed pretty similar to the scene about Reid getting mad at JJ for hiding the fact that Emily was still alive. He didn't get much hate as JJ did in that moment, too. Even people were blaming JJ for "hurting Reid's feelings" because she had to protect someone very close to her and the team. JJ already felt guilty having to lie to the team and while Hotch wasn't the target of Reid's anger, he still felt responsible for his actions and Reid's feelings. In fact, Hotch has made that clear for everyone to tell him how they felt about Emily's return. Even in 7x02, Hotch tells Reid if he is angry, Hotch is willing to take the blame for it and that he shouldn't be angry at JJ, in which Reid bitterly responds: "I can't. I didn't come crying to your house for 10 weeks." Hotch was guilty for hiding it from the team as well, and people have aimed their anger towards JJ because she "hurt Reid's feelings". It also didn't sit right with me when Reid implied that he was going to blame JJ for his hypothetical relapsing (that may be poor writing but it still doesn't sound right).

JJ was dealing with something traumatic to her, and so she deserved to feel frustrated, angry, etc. because it is difficult to keep all those emotions, especially negative ones, shoved into a box. Even though one pushes their emotions down, there is going to be a breaking point and all of whatever they have been feeling is going to burst out of the bottle sooner or later. That's the case with JJ. She wasn't mad that Reid was checking on her, she was only mad that it was at the wrong time. If it was at a time that was decent for them (aka when it's in a quiet place like at the end of 10x11), then JJ wouldn't mind as much. Over time, JJ has worked to push her emotions away because of everything that's happened to her. It becomes both better and worse for her coping. Better because she is able to get a task done fast. Worse because she isn't confronting her feelings, which is unhealthy. At the end of 10x11, JJ has thanked Reid for helping her and didn't seem too angry at him anymore, and in a way, has apologized. She felt somewhat relieved that she finally told someone about what she was going through (even though her trauma was still not entirely resolved, in my opinion).

I think you've made some interesting points using examples of other scenes that have characters snapping at someone else for getting them to open up about something troubling them. Derek and Emily have snapped at Garcia, who was checking up on them during a time of distress. Both of them know she meant no harm as well and they were both frustrated and stressed in those two times. Garcia understood and was only concerned about them. Same with Reid confronting JJ about her trauma. Or even Emily with Reid when he was taking dilaudid. They all were worried about each other and wanted to be there to support their friends.

People have different ways of coping with trauma and shouldn't be judged for it. It is a step forward to help them deal with it, and hopefully, make them feel safe and comfortable to talk about it.

Under the cut is how I feel about the JJ hate, so if you want to read that, feel free to do so.

This is something I needed to get off my chest. I'm already getting tired of seeing the JJ hate on some posts, here and on other social media platforms. Oddly enough back then, there wasn't this much hatred towards her character. Aside from the confession in later seasons, JJ has gotten a lot of hate now that the show's over. I have noticed the common thread of the hate being connected to Reid's character (note: I really don't want to get into some sort of hate discourse thing so please don't come at me for this).

I have seen fans say that JJ's the mean girl of the team because she is "mean to Reid" or because "Reid said so". I disagree with this whole notion because everyone has treated Reid the same way JJ has, and JJ wasn't super mean to him. I've always seen them interact like siblings, so they had that older sis teases little bro vibes to me. They both cared for each other, as seen numerous times on the show (this does not mean I ship them). In the scene where Reid thought JJ was a mean girl, she was defensive because she was hurt that someone close to her would think that lowly of her. Reid didn't even know that JJ was offended by that statement, so he just carried on with it.

People have also said that JJ is "too bland" or "too boring" of a character. I like to dig into little details of the show and/or the characters themselves, and learn why they are the way they are. People don't often see why JJ is the way she is like they do with other characters. To say that JJ's only trait is "being a mom" or "being too sensitive" is stupid. I agree that JJ's character was done dirty by the writers and producers, though. With everything that has happened to her, it explains why she is the person she is on the show. When JJ was younger, she didn't have any role model growing up besides Roslyn. She came from a broken family, who was often emotionally and physically distant from everything and everyone. Because of that, it shaped JJ into the person she is today. This is one of the reasons why she hates talking about her feelings and opening up because as her mom said, "Avoidance is what this family does best, anyhow." Her whole life, JJ pushes herself to work hard that she's never learned how to give herself a break, especially when her mental health is going bad. She needs someone to rely on and that she can trust to vent about anything she's having a hard time with.

Another thing people have to remember is that Reid and JJ are two completely different personalities and their own characters, so comparing them with each other or even pitting them against each other isn't going to make things better for many, and people will continue to fight about this.

Admittedly, this is one of the reasons why I don't join fandoms often because people are there to enjoy and share their interests with one another. I am aware that I have stated my opinions from time to time, but to waste all that energy continuously hating on something others like, is tiring. I like when people post things they like, instead of posting their absolute hatred on something that others enjoy often. I usually don’t interact with posts that have hate on something I like that I've seen and I try to filter that out. (I’m sorry if my wording doesn’t make sense here)

[mexcine]

 Parasite (2019) review: A Tale of Three Families

           The Academy Awards don't mean that much to me. Most years I see only a handful (at most) of the nominated films, and rarely do I have a dog in the fight.  This year, I'd only seen part of one Best Picture nominee (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, losing interest about halfway through), but almost literally at the last moment (the afternoon of the day the Oscars were awarded), I watched Parasite.  

           I thought it was well-made and thought-provoking, and the awards it won were certainly deserved.  It’s fascinating, nuanced, and entertaining.  It’s slick and “accessible” to all audiences (although I suspect Koreans will pick up on aspects that others will not, similar to Roma). I'd read little about the film before I saw it, and have not read any critical analysis since then, so if the following repeats conventional wisdom, so be it. [Note: spoilers follow.]

           There are many aspects of Parasite worthy of extended analysis, including the visual schema, the various references to the USA (including the two Kim children going by “Kevin” and “Jessica” in their positions in the Park household), and of course socio-economic class/conflict. However, I’ll focus here on the film’s depiction of family. Parasite is structured around three families: the struggling Kims, the wealthy Parks, and the family of the Park's housekeeper. 

          The Kims and the Parks each consist of 4 members: Mr. Kim, Mrs. Kim, grown son Ki-woo and grown daughter Ki-jung; Mr. Park, Mrs. Park, teen daughter Da-hye, and young son Da-song.  The housekeeper Moon-gwang and her husband Geun-sae have no children.  All of the major characters belong to one of these three groups; Ki-woo's friend Min appears briefly (and plays a key role in getting the plot started), and the Park family's chauffeur has a small part, in addition to some other minor characters.

           The 3 families are presented in neither a wholly negative or positive light--any actions they take are done to protect or benefit the family, and are thus seen as justified.  For example, Ki-woo essentially betrays his friend Min, who arranged for him to become Da-hye's tutor.  Min does this out of friendship but he also trusts Ki-woo not to seduce Da-hye, because Min himself is romantically interested in her.  Ki-woo almost immediately reneges on this promise (and pays for it later, getting bashed in the head with Min’s “scholar’s stone” gift). Later, the steps taken to remove the chauffeur (and replace him with Mr. Kim) and the housekeeper (so Mrs. Kim can take her place) are directly harmful to these individuals (whereas Ki-woo and Ki-jung got their positions with the Park family through deceit but no one lost their positions so the Kims could be hired).  At one point the Kim family makes a passing reference to the chauffeur, assuring each other that he probably got "a better job," but they don't even try to do this when they engineer Moon-gwang's dismissal, and in fact utilise her potentially serious peach allergy to stigmatise her and thus achieve their desired outcome.  

           The first part of Parasite is structured as a humorous, "heist" story, as the Kim family schemes to improve their standard of living by obtaining positions in the Park household.  However, the Kims are not robbing the Parks: they actually provide the services for which they've been contracted (well, Ki-jung is not exactly a qualified "art therapist," but she seems to get along with Da-song), and are not skimming from the household accounts or anything of this sort. As noted above, the means by which they secure their new jobs become increasingly dodgy, but the ultimate goal of their plan is not to defraud or steal from their employers.

           As Parasite begins, Ki-Woo (aka "Kevin") seems set to be the protagonist, and he does ultimately have slightly more footage than his parents or sister, but the Kim family becomes a collective protagonist as the film goes on (with somewhat more emphasis given to Mr. Kim and Ki-Woo than to Mrs. Kim or Ki-jung, but a fair amount of time is spent on the whole family's interactions).  It's never specifically stated what brought the Kim family to its current station in life: were they middle-class before, or have they always been living in a precarious economic state?  Clearly, they are willing to work hard to improve their lot in life, but why can’t they find opportunities to do so?

           The second family group in Parasite is the Parks.  Mr. Park is a prosperous businessman, Mrs. Park occupies herself with her children and her social circle, Da-hye is cramming for her high school examinations, and Da-song is a hyper-active boy with a mysterious "trauma" in his past.  Although the Parks pay handsomely for Da-hye's tutors, Da-song is the focus of his parents' attention.  Is he, as Da-hye bitterly remarks, faking it?  Later in the film, Mrs. Park orders a special dish (ram-don) prepared for Da-song; when he doesn't eat it, and Mr. Park also turns it down, Mrs. Park consumes it herself. Da-hye points out that she was never offered any: it's as if she doesn't exist.  On the other hand, Da-hye seems to be a moody teen-ager who shuts herself up in her room a lot, so perhaps Mrs. Park simply forgot her daughter existed for a moment.

           The Kims acknowledge the Parks are “nice” rich people, while making the observation that perhaps they’re nice because they’re rich.  In other words, they can afford to be pleasant and generous, since they’re not in a frantic competition for their daily bread, unlike the Kim family (in one scene, Ki-woo practically begs for a part-time pizza delivery job). One trait of the Parks which ultimately has deadly ramifications is their fastidiousness.  The Kims live in a crowded, roach-infested “semi-basement” that is literally flooded with sewage at one point, while the Parks live in a spotless modernistic mansion.  Mr. Park is offended when his chauffeur apparently has sex in the back seat of the Park’s auto--not even in his “own” space, the front seat!--and leaves a pair of panties behind as evidence.  Mrs. Park dons rubber gloves and uses tongs to pick up the underwear, and Mr. Park almost seems more upset by the unhygienic nature of his driver and the man’s violation of his (Mr. Park’s) personal space than by the act itself.  

          Mr. Park also remarks to his wife about Mr. Kim’s odor, comparing it to “boiling a dirty rag” and says he’s smelled the same thing on the subway. Young Da-song also detects and remarks upon the similarity of the personal odors of  Ki-woo and Ki-jung, a breach of courtesy. During the birthday party massacre at the climax, Mr. Park grimaces when he has to move Geun-sae’s corpse to retrieve the keys to his car (it’s been previously established that Geun-sae’s subterranean life has resulted in an unpleasant body odor); Mr. Kim sees this and--having previously overheard his boss talking about Kim’s smell--is inspired to stab Mr. Park.  Snobbish and classist to be sure, but believing “poor people smell bad” is hardly worthy of a death sentence.

          The third family group in Parasite is revealed only in the second half of the film.  Housekeeper Moon-gwang is fired when the Kim family convinces the Parks that the woman has tuberculosis, a contagious disease.  Prior to this, the housekeeper is a neutral background figure, with no particular personality.  However, she returns to the Park home and explains to Mrs. Kim (her replacement) that Moon-gwang’s husband has been living in a secret bunker underneath the house for several years.  The shocked Mrs. Kim berates her predecessor but holds the moral high ground for only a few moments, until the Kim family full-employment conspiracy is revealed. This leads to conflict between the two under-class families, and ultimately to a protracted bloody denouement.  

          There are a few loose ends in the Moon-gwang/Geun-sae story.  Possibly the Parks would not have hired Moon-gwang as a live-in housekeeper if they knew she was married (or wouldn’t have permitted her husband to live with her), and apparently her salary wasn’t sufficient to allow him to live alone (he’s unemployed, but then again so are the Kims as the film opens, and they have an apartment, shabby as it is). As noted earlier, I haven’t read any analysis of Parasite so I don’t know if the issue is raised at all (or raised and debunked), but there is a slight hint that Moon-gwang and her husband may be North Korean emigrants.  In one scene, a manic Moon-gwang mimics a North Korean propaganda broadcaster, castigating the Kim family for their scheme to “defraud” the Parks; at another point, Geun-sae pointedly says he doesn’t qualify for a government pension.  

          Additionally, Moon-gwang indicates she’s been taking food to her husband and he’s been starving since she was fired, yet we see Geun-sae has the ability to enter the main house at will (in fact, he’s the “ghost” who traumatised Da-song several years before): why didn’t he simply do this (i.e., steal food from the pantry and refrigerator) when his wife failed to show up?  In a clever bit of dialogue, Mr. Park earlier admitted Moon-gwang was a good housekeeper but she “ate enough for two people”--yet Moon-gwang indignantly tells Mrs. Kim she paid for her husband’s food out of her own salary.  This changes the Moon-gwang/Geun-sae family dynamic: all the members of the Kim family contribute to their general welfare, Mr. Park is the (traditional, male) bread-winner in his family, but it’s Moon-gwang who supports her unemployed husband: he takes the dependent economic role of a child or a grown slacker offspring, living off his parent’s salary. Geun-sae is at once a pitiful and a weirdly creepy character, his long sojourn underground costing him his mental stability.  He worships Mr. Park--who is (through the medium of Geun-sae’s wife) the "provider from up above," and his last word (to Park) is (in English) "Respect!" On repeat viewing, it appears Geun-sae deliberately attacked Ki-jung (after having already badly injured Ki-woo), since he then calls out "Chung-sook" (Mrs. Kim) and tries to stab her (but is defeated by the feisty Mrs. Kim, who runs him through with a sausage-laden sword).

          Moon-gwang and Geun-sae wind up the losers in this three-way Korean Family Feud, killed by the Kim family; the Parks lose Mr. Park and possibly Da-song, while only Ki-jung of the Kims dies (although Ki-woo is badly beaten by Geun-sae, using the "scholar's stone" given him by Min).  Why do the Kims "win"?  Because, one might surmise, they're the family that is truly united--despite some occasional arguments, they stick together to the very end, whereas the Parks and Moon-gwang/Geun-sae are less cohesive, more dysfunctional, and have more "weak links" than the Kims--neither of the Park children is assertive and capable (a function of their age as well as their privileged upbringing--although Da-hye does step up to carry the injured Ki-woo to safety), and Moon-gwang and Geun-sae have no children (and Geun-sae is, as mentioned, somewhat emasculated by his living situation).

          Parasite obviously deals with the issue of socio-economic class, viewed through a specifically Korean prism that outsiders are not privy to (What's the unemployment rate in Korea, etc.). However, equally important, the film seems to say, is family.  The Parks aren’t obviously evil just because they’re rich, and their wealth doesn’t directly contribute to the misfortune that befalls them. Conversely, Moon-gwang loses her job and this removes the safety net she had been providing for herself and her unemployed husband: this is directly the fault of the Kim family.  So, the underclass preys on itself, rather than uniting in solidarity?  

          I’ve now seen 4 Bong Joon-Ho films: The Host, Snowpiercer (I had some issues with the basic premise of this one), Okja, and Parasite.   Parasite is the only one of these with no fantasy elements, which makes its themes somewhat more subtle, less didactic, and less overt.  But the ideas are still there.

[vilethrowaway0914]

My Experiences With The Fictionkin Community

Well, I made this account mainly to post about this. It needs to be said, I haven’t seen anyone publicly talk about this.

Before I start this, no this is not meant to be an attack on people who are Fictionkin. If you are Fictionkin, I do not care. However, I still think that the community is complete garbage. I wish I could say a small percent of Fictkins are toxic, but at this point it’s the majority.

Please read this whole post before reblogging or responding. I will not be naming any names or giving specifics of situations. 

Why do I think the community is toxic? Well, I have a lot of reasons. I’ve met many manipulative and awful people in the community as well as I’ve heard stories from friends.

1. It is almost impossible to talk to anyone in Discord servers without risking someone getting offended or upset.  These servers often have blacklists which can be added onto by users, no issue with blacklists. What’s the problem though? People blacklist things that make them uncomfortable or cause small amounts of anxiety. Blacklists shouldn’t be used for things that cause small amounts of anxiety. This results in blacklists being miles long and extremely specific. I’ve seen characters, colors, TV shows, and things you wouldn’t expect to be on one. I understand blacklisting things, I’ve had mental breakdowns over certain things. But if a blacklist is pages long, I’m not going to want to talk in there. I’ve seen people get upset at someone for triggering them despite them not blacklisting it.  Additionally, blacklists are either followed to the tea or not followed at all. I’ve seen moderators not give a shit about people talking about triggers openly without censoring them.  I once stated a fact on how people can easily be accused of something they didn’t do. I got banned. Why? Apparently I was attacking them. Cool. 

2. Speaking of moderators, they pick favorites.  If any drama happens, you better hope the moderators like you or you’re getting banned. In fact, if people in these servers don’t like you, hope you like being ignored and/or banned easily. This has happened to me in more than one instance. Moderators ban people that they don’t like if they have the smallest reason to. How do you get them to not like you? Well, if you’re not 100% positive all the time or have slightly differing opinions, they’re not going to like you. If you don’t agree with their opinions you’re seen as problematic. 

3. Pointless drama is pointless Every server I have been in has had drama. And as mentioned before, whichever person the mods like more doesn’t get banned. People act completely immature during these and will result in just insulting the other person. Drama is usually started over something completely stupid. You say something slightly controversial and drama is going to start. 

 3.5 No, that person wasn’t being racist/transphobic/homophobic/etc. The fact that I’ve seen people get banned from servers for apparently being “racist” is insane. One of my friends said they were white, and they were called racist for some reason and banned. Yes I’m serious. In one case, someone said they were Asian and they got banned. For what you ask? Oh, because apparently Asian’s are “dog eaters” and that person likes dogs so Asians are problematic. I’ve seen people get called racists over the smallest of things like hairstyles. If you agree with the “problematic” person you bet you’re getting banned too. 

4. No problematic kinnies uwu Ah yes, “problematic” kins. The “you’re not allowed here because you kin a fictional killer”. I find the whole concept completely dumb. If you kin a killer, that does not make you a killer. Also, apparently some murderer kins are problematic but some aren’t. I’ve seen someone kin a murderer, get called problematic, and another person who also kinned a murderer not get called problematic. Scar from the Lion King? Nah, he’s fine. Killing your brother and attempting to kill a child isn’t bad in the slightest. 

5. The word “kinnies” is not a slur.  Do not call this a slur. Fictkins are not oppressed. Slurs and insults are not the same. I know most believe it’s not a slur, but some do and that’s too many. 

6. Being an ass is fine as long as you have a mental illness! I’ve seen moderators excuse toxic and manipulative behavior because oh the person has a mental disorder. It’s not an excuse to be an asshole. Before you say anything, yes I struggle with mental illness. Yes I’ve almost snapped at people. But, I don’t. I’ve worked on myself to not be aggressive. People have started drama with others and went and vented about their personal issues and have gotten pity for it. All of their shitty behaviors were excused because they were sad. Do not enable people to be assholes. This may sound shitty to say, but having that mentality is harmful. 

7. Age range Fictkins tend to be 13-18. Which means the whole community is stuck in a teenage mindset. Even the 20+ people I’ve met act like teens. I don’t like teens now, why would I want to be in a community where everyone acts like one? It’s near impossible to have a conversation with these people and be civil. 

8. No DoUbLes “No doubles” AKA, you cannot be here if you kin the same character as me. People are going to kin the same characters as you.  I once saw someone join a server that had their kin on the list. Once that person left, the person who put that kin on the list started calling them names and being an ass (they were a moderator). Imagine if Therians or Otherkin were like that. Sorry cat Therians, I’m the only cat allowed here. 

Overall Thoughts The Fictionkin community is awful. I’ve seen enough things to make me want to not associate myself with anyone from it. Not every Fictkin person is like this. I am aware of that. But when I’ve seen so much shit from this community I don’t want to trust anyone from it. I’ve trusted the wrong people. I’ve felt more welcomed in the Therian community and don’t feel like I have to worry about pissing someone off.  I’m interested to know anyone else’s experiences with this community. If you want to message me feel free, my anon questions are turned on. 

[withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus]

Unpopular opinion and a hard pill to swallow for biased fans

Everyone and I mean everyone, in any fandom, is allowed to admire anyone they want. Just like all your tastes, you shouldn’t be ashamed for things you like. Why call sth you like a guilty pleasure just because most people find it cringy, you know? Does it make you happy? Does an artist make you smile? Then you have every right to admire them, even if they are the worst person in the world. Yes, even if they are horrible. I know this might trigger some people but hear me out for a moment.

Through their work, artists don’t only offer people entertaintment. For some people, some artists’ work or even themselves could pose some sort of shelter or maybe someone those people look up to, for a few reasons. Therefore, other people who have seen big flaws on that person shouldn’t try to make their fans feel guilty for that. Unless those fans are the “dangerous“ type (aka attacking others who dare speak low of their favorite artist), they don’t harm anyone by looking up to that person or liking the things they do. We are aaaall flawed people, we’ve all done sth really bad at one point in our life until we learnt that that was wrong. If we chose to learn from our mistakes or not is what shaped us to who we are today, whether we are good or bad people, but again this doesn’t really affect the people who like us unless we are close to those people and our actions affect them in some immediate way. In other words, fans of people who are generally thought as people who “shouldn’t” be having fans shouldn’t be targeted by fans of other artists who think that person’s favorite should be imprisoned, dead, out of the business etc.

I will give you 3 examples. One from an artist I personally hate (and many others do) but he still has fans, one that most people seem to not like (some hate him too), but I like him and one who has actually broken the law and was hated or laughed at and I was attacked for saying I don’t find what he did that wrong (and I am still a fan of). All these people belong to the fandom I am in the most, visual kei.

1) Kisaki. There are some heavy allegations against this person and while I admit his work in the music scene is actually admireable, I absolutely hate him and believe several of the scandals, spread around, about him. I do understand there are people who still like him though and I won’t go into detail about why I think that admiring such a person is wrong. Why? Cause that person I consider awful might have saved one of his fans through his music, maybe his music is an escape to many people which is why they maybe still support him. When I first started hearing bad stuff about him I was really spiteful and couldn’t believe he had fans, but after being attacked once for another artist on some other stuff and seeing lots of comments against a fandom I am in because the guy is generally not very much liked, I got it. I chose to not make someone else feel bad for their choice to like this person despite everything he’s done. The fact he is still followed doesn’t mean that all of his fans consent to his actions either. I don’t know if this has happened to you guys with friends or lovers or whatever but, when human beings meet someone for the first time, they don’t know them, right? And it might actually take them years to see their bad side. During all that time that you have noooo idea how dark that person can be, you develop feelings for them, right? So when you find out they are actually evil, what do you do? If you don’t believe in strong feelings about favorite artists, ask yourselves what you would do if that case applied to you with a friend or lover. Are you seriously capable of cutting ties with that person the moment you find out they are bad? Say that person was never evil to you, for some reason. Would u be able to cut him out of your life right away, even after years of developing feelings for them? Personally I can’t, which is why I never give wrong to such people (since I don’t know if by being fans of such person goes hand-in-hand with consenting to his actions, or choosing to ignore things because they are dealing with emotions building up for years) unless they come to me and yell about how their favorite is an angel and everyone is trying to make them look bad or sth. In that case I know it’s consent or straight up naivity and can’t hold myself back. But in general yes, I wouldn’t shame people for the things they like or the people they admire because people are complicated beings and even evil people have a couple of good traits, in Kisaki’s case being creativity and ability to make some good music.

2) Gackt. *sighs* If I had a euro for every time I found someone calling Gackt’s fans names, I would have had enough to be in Japan right now xD. And I am not talking only about the crazy fans that comment all kinds of weird stuff and are fanatically thinking of Gackt as their lord and savior or sth (all fandoms have such fans don’t even try to deny it). I am talking about fans like me, who know the stuff most people don’t like about him (I too have things I don’t like about him, shocking I know :p) but choose to stay for the good things. By generalizing that all Gackt fans are bad or stupid or I dunno what else is like...bitch you don’t even know me or the artists we admire, how can you tell me I am stupid and that your favorites are better people (also I get sooo mad at those people who are like “you know the kind of fans i am talking about therefore it’s your fault you got offended“. Bitch if you want to get a message across, word it better, don’t try to guilt-trip me for not “getting“ what you meant. I don’t know you so how the hell would I know what you meant. When you say “fans“ it means all fans and “some fans“ mean some fans). How do you know your favorites aren’t worse than him and simply aren’t as open, about it, as he is about things that generally annoy people? You can’t know that. Because you don’t know them personally, we all know only what we see. And most visual kei artists are very stubborn people in their own way and their personalities can be as eccentric as their looks so you never know. Again, just like you do with people in your everyday life, you choose a bunch of people (all of whom have flaws too. you included), compare their good and bad sides and choose whether the good ones are worth ignoring or accepting the bad ones, or not (based on your opinion, of course). You choose what you are ok with and build your relationships and tastes. That’s how it is. You don’t like an artist, fine, talk about them if you want, as no one can stop you from saying your opinion, but don’t trash every person that follows him too cause newsflash, each of those people is different and follows him for different reasons. I won’t go into detail about why I am his fan, but I find several of the things he says smart, things that have helped me keep trying to achieve things in my life in dark times. His jokes vary from stuff that have made me laugh to stuff that have made me feel insulted but it’s not like this would cut me off. There was a scandal that shattered me as a fan, but since it was proved wrong, people can say what they want. They can say he paid for it to be proven wrong, or whatever, but I’d like to believe he didn’t. Why? for the emotions thingy I mentioned in my previous example. Until I found articles about what happened after the scandal and also, what he had to say about it, I felt horrible, I questioned my morals and what kind of person I would be if I chose to continue being his fan after that. It’s not like we all casually accept things. Being a fan (i dunno if casual fans experience that but those of us who become more “invested“ in the people behind the music we listen to, do experience this) can be as emotionally draining as being in any relationship with someone, in my opinion. Because when someone you care about does sth wrong, you have to decide where you stand. You can’t just say it’s not your problem cause people will confront you about it. If it’s a lover we are talking about, they might confront you themselves, but with artists anyone can come to you and complain about how the hell you could be admiring such a person. I overthink pretty much everything so such stuff could affect me a lot, as if a friend of mine had done sth really bad. (unnecessary emotional trouble, but this is how i am, sue me).

3) Manew. Ok this one might not be someone many of you rememember but Manew is one of those visual kei artists that has actually gone to prison for something he did. To summarize, he and a bunch of his buddies started a rock club which was actually a host club that they hadn’t reported as one, when they made its papers. You have to have a permit if I remember well and they didn’t get it or try to get it, I don’t know, and advertised the place as a visual kei bar, instead. I remember stating that, to me, he is not a criminal and some random vkei fan who wasn’t even following me tried to put some “sense“ into me and explain to me why no matter how I take it, he is still a criminal and deserved jail time. In my country, opening bars without papers happens pretty often so no, I don’t consider that prison-worthy. Paying a fine and closing the bar I get it, but the rest is unnecessary. And that’s my opinion. The end. Trying to convince me that’s wrong won’t work, I am sorry. The conversation stopped when I told that person to just accept I am stupid and move on with her life which she did, thankfully. I don’t remember much from her arguments but she was telling me that I can’t close my eyes to breaking the law because he’s my favorite or sth. Bitch, no, it’s not just him I wouldn’t consider a criminal about this law breaking, it’s anyone! It’s not that heavy of a felony to deserve jail time in my eyes. And generally, there are maaany people who don’t always agree with laws around the world, it’s not just me. Of course each person has different laws they don’t care about and this one happens to be mine. I am not in any case saying it doesn’t deserve punishment because, if we let everyone open any kind of store or business without knowing what happens behind the scenes, the business world would be chaotic. Anyway, laws are made for people to live in some sort of order that doesn’t harm the society as a whole. But yeah, a fine, closing the bar, or sth else other than jailtime. Why? Because his career was destroyed after that as if he was some sort of murderer or sth and that’s a pity. He loved being a bandman and he was very ambitious. He tried making another band after he was released, but it ended before it was even officially announced with a first look and stuff, he tried to pretend nth had changed and worked hard for a comeback but he cut ties with the vocalist he was with out of nowhere and changed as a whole. He was pretty popular in the small bands he was and very sociable but after that last try to make a band after prison, it seems like he has a hard time starting a new band. He still plays music when friends call him, he still calls himself a bassist, but he no longer seem to try session bands, he doesn’t posts many pics, (he used to post a lot before that) he took off his piercings, doesn’t color his hair and seems like he is trying to keep things low. I mean if he wanted to quit completely he would. The fact he is still around, makes music and plays the bass when asked...it shows he might indeed still be trying to decide what to do and how would people take his coming back and if anyone would want a band with him or sth (most of his friends have retired by the way, otherwise I am sure he would have the chance for a new band). Anyway yeah, even for him, I love the guy, I am still his fan and if he ever wishes to join a band again he will have my full support. If that makes me a bad person so be it. *shrugs*

Generally, guys, just enjoy the music of those you like and if you don’t like someone, stop shaming others who do like them. Stick to your business and keep your opinions to your own blogs. Thank you.

[storiesofwildfire]

v; death is not an escape ( Dead by Daylight verse )

tracktag ( CURRENT )

status; OPEN ships; MULTI

CHAPTER ONE – Ragnarök

Survivor: Loki Laufeyson Killer: Jörmungandr Lokison (aka The Serpent)

For many years, Loki Laufeyson eluded all those who came looking for him. A lonely God doomed to wander the Nine Realms alone, exiled by himself to keep a far distance from the rest of the Gods who deemed him and his children monsters. Odin sent search parties to find him, spies to keep tabs on him, and even the occasional bounty hunter to take his head from his shoulders for a high price.

No one succeeded. Most never found him and those who did never returned to Asgard. No one could catch him.

Until the Entity spawned.

By the time the Entity made itself a known problem, Loki had taken to traveling on Midgard with his Earthbound son, Jörmungandr. Being the only one of Loki’s children with any real freedom, Loki had an easy time meeting up with him and touring the world. Some much needed and long overdue mother-son bonding was just the thing to take Loki’s mind off of the horrors he left behind on Asgard.

The duo didn’t get very far into their travels, however. While Aesir agents had an impossible time tracking the rogue deity, the Entity certainly did not. By that time, numerous people had gone missing, snatched up, never to be heard from again. Loki and his son never bothered to pay attention to a few missing Midgardians. The world was full of terrors and people did horrible things to one another for no reason at all. Getting worked up over every single person that went missing would make for a pretty awful existence.

But Loki should have listened, should have paid more attention to the warning signs, and, above all else, should have kept to more populated areas. The Entity only seemed to pray on those isolated from society, those who did not mingle with the other people in their surroundings. People who would not be missed, people who would not be noticed if they simply... weren’t around anymore. People who weren’t even supposed to exist in the first place, perhaps?

A deity from a religion long past and his monstrous child, even?

They took a brief break from their travels when the opportunity to liberate Fenrir from Odin’s prison came to them. Naturally, they took the opportunity and brought Fenrir to Midgard, but he was wounded. Resources needed to be gathered to care for him properly, so Loki asked a dear friend of his to keep watch over his son while he and Jörmungandr went searching for the artifact they thought they needed.

Exploring the forests of Scandinavia, no one knew where to look for them. No one knew that they should, in fact, be worried about them at all. The pair decided to explore the lands of those who worshipped them so many moons ago, the birthplace of their Midgardian mythos. It seemed like the best spot for the artifact to be. They spent three days and three nights in the forests without incident. The fourth day proved difficult, though.

The density of the forest grew overwhelming, blanketing them in darkness even during the brightest hours of the day. They couldn’t seem to tell North from South and continuously walked around in circles. Eventually, they wound up at the exact same campsite they’d been the night before and were forced to make camp, lest they risk getting lost even further. Even teleporting wasn’t an option. The forest seemed to dampen both of their magic, making it difficult to use.

“Mum?” Jörmungandr murmured as he settled down beside their fire.

“Yes, darling?”

“What’s going on in these woods?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. We’ll be out soon enough.”

Silence fell over the pair. They both knew it was unlikely that something could truly hurt them, but the unease lingered. Jor, despite being several inches taller than his mother and fully grown, moved to sit right beside Loki, even going as far as to lean again the God for comfort.

“We’re going to be fine, love,” Loki reaffirmed.

“What if the Aesir find Fenrir while we’re gone? Or what if they find us while we’re stuck out here without our magic? They’ll take you back to Asgard and they’ll murder me for being the monster that they believe me to be.”

“You’re not a monster, Jor, and no one is going to do anything to us. I won’t allow that.”

If only Loki understood what was keeping them trapped in the thickening fog of the nighttime forest. The Entity spawned above them, casting its shadow onto the area. It never took such powerful beings hostage before, but their misery and their isolation drew it in. They were perfect for its methods of sustaining and entertaining itself, but it took the creature a few days to truly rob them of all of their escape routes.

Loki and Jörmungandr were never heard from again, but the Entity could not strip them of everything they were.

It could, however, pit them against one another.

SURVIVOR PERKS AND ABILITIES

Rare Loki Laufeyson Perk – Mirage Grants the ability to project brief mirrors of one’s self wherever the survivor is standing. The mirror becomes instantly visible to the killer and will even move about the immediate area to points of interest (generators, pallets, chests, etc.), while the survivor goes completely undetected for 15 seconds. In those ten seconds, the survivor cannot be seen or heard by the killer. The mirror will fade if the killer interacts with them.

Rare Loki Laufeyson Perk – Charmed Electrician Skill checks are wildly increased, granting a better chance at a great skill check and less chance of missing a skill check. Survivors with Charmed Electrician are immune to certain generator tampering such as Hex: Ruin and Overcharged. When two or more survivors are working on a single generator, grants a buff of 20% faster repair rate per survivor.

Rare Loki Laufeyson Perk – Storyteller Unlocks potential in survivor’s aura reading abilities. Killer becomes visible for five seconds upon finding a survivor, standing within 18 meters of a survivor, or picking up a survivor’s trail by blood or scratch marks. Other survivors still present in the trial will also be alerted to the killer’s location.

KILLER PERKS AND ABILITIES

Rare The Serpent Perk – Friend or Foe Grants the killer a fifteen second period of placing an illusion over their form, giving them the appearance of one of the survivors in the trail so they can quickly gain the trust of those around them and make a quick strike after backing their prey into a corner.

Rare The Serpent Perk – Eye of the Serpent Unlocks potential in killer’s aura reading by allowing the killer to track the heat signatures of nearby survivors. If a survivor is within 20 meters, they will become visible for 3 seconds. Killer’s sight is also heightened and widened. Precision is key in everything, including how well you see.

Rare The Serpent Perk – Poison of the Fang Every strike you deliver has the chance of implementing the poison effect on the injured survivor. Poisoned survivors have 90 seconds to cure themselves at various ritual sites around the map. If they fail to do so, they automatically enter the dying state. If the survivor is not healed by another survivor in 60 seconds, the survivor will succumb to the poison and perish.

CHAPTER TWO – The Binding

Survivor: Sebastian Castellanos Killer: Fenrir Lokison (aka The Dweller)

Perhaps a less likely duo than our first chapter, Sebastian Castellanos found himself taking in a shape-shifting wolf by the name of Fenrir. Naturally, Sebastian never would have believed such a creature existed, but after his time in STEM and meeting a literal God, it became easier to digest. Loki came to him with a request.

“Please watch after my son. He is still recovering and needs someone to look after him when I cannot. You’re one of the few on this realm that I trust. Can I count on you?”

“Of course.”

The God promised he would only be gone for a few days, gathering supplies with Fenrir’s elder brother during one of their trips. Sebastian thought little of it. While many stories and people painted Loki’s children to be monsters, Seb knew what a real monster looked like and Fenrir definitely did not fit the bill.

But Loki and Jörmungandr never came home. Several days passed without word. Sebastian didn’t worry. What could harm a God and his offspring? A foolish question, he supposed, since he met Loki inside of STEM and the whole reason Fenrir needed so much time to recover was because he’d been so badly injured during his time in Odin’s captivity. Still, the detective tried to stay positive while he looked after the disguised wolf. Fenrir hardly woke for anything more than food anyway.

A week passed, though, followed by another, and while Fenrir grew stronger, no word came from the wolf’s mother. Sebastian tried to reach Loki, tried to reach Jörmungandr, but failed every time.

“We ought to go searching for them,” Fenrir suggested halfway through the third week. “This is unlike my mother.”

“Loki didn’t even tell us where they were going. Where do we begin?” Sebastian asked as he dished out some homemade stew. The detective wasn’t the best cook in the world, but Fenrir didn’t seem to mind. As long as it was high in protein, he’d eat just about anything.

“I could track them,” the wolf suggested.

“By scent?”

“No.” Fenrir fixed Sebastian with a rather annoyed expression. “With magic, idiot.”

“Oh... right. I just thought, because, ya know, the wolf thing, you might...” He sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m just... still getting used to the idea that magic and gods are real.”

Fenrir nodded, excusing Sebastian’s stumbling as a human lost in a world that made no logical sense to them. They had more important things to worry about, anyway, like tracking Fenrir’s missing family members. The wolf, despite still trying to recuperate, set to work on tracking his mother and brother, only to find that they... weren’t turning up. He contacted Hel, hoping that she may have some answers or, at the very least, could confirm if they were dead, but his sister only reported back much of the same.

Hel, however, had always been wildly gifted in the ways of magic, even in ways that her brothers were not, and she was at least able to track Loki’s last known location.

“Wait for me. I will come with you to locate them,” she instructed.

“We don’t have time,” Fenrir insisted. “Sebastian and I will go now.”

And they did...

SURVIVOR PERKS AND ABILITIES

Rare Sebastian Castellanos Perk – Light the Way Survivor starts the trial with an old lantern with enough oil to burn for 2 minutes. Burning the lantern makes generator repair easier, increasing the speed by 50%. Searching chests, sabotaging hooks, and healing are also increased by 50% when the lantern is lit. It also makes finding other relevant points of interest easier to spot, making the survivor’s line of sight further and clearer. Oil can be found around the map to replenish the lantern’s supply but be careful! The lantern may make tasks easier, but the survivor will be much easier to spot.

Rare Sebastian Castellanos Perk – Catching Fire Survivor starts the trial with an old lantern and a box of matches. When the lantern is lit, the survivor can smash the lantern against the killing, momentarily stunning them and setting them on fire. The survivor can also toss a match at a flammable object to start a fire that will spread and create a temporary barrier that the killer cannot cross. Lantern light makes the survivor easier to locate. Other survivors can be harmed by the flames as well, instantly putting them into the dying state if hit.

Rare Sebastian Castellanos Perk – Trick Shot Survivor starts the trial with a revolver with an empty clip. Upon killer attack, the survivor can hit the killer with the handle of the gun, momentarily stunning the killer. There is, however, a single bullet in one of the chests around the map. If the survivor finds it, they have one shot to hit the killer. A body shot will stun the killer for 90 seconds. A headshot will stun the killer for 3 full minutes and grant 50% generator repair speeds. As soon as the gun is fired, regardless of if the bullet lands or misses, the survivor becomes visible to the killer for 30 seconds upon killer’s first step.

KILLER PERKS AND ABILITIES

Rare The Dweller Perk – God Eater Power from the Entity flows freely through your veins, granting you the ability to mori the first survivor you come across without having to put them into the dying state or hook them. One remaining survivor will be granted 100% chance of escaping their hook once and luck for all survivors increases moderately.

Rare The Dweller Perk – Howls of Rage You let off a serious of loud snarls, growls, and howls. Nearby survivors are so frightened by your presence, they scream in terror, revealing their location for five seconds. The more you frighten the survivors, the easier they are to track. Their anxiety causes louder breathing and panting, off-balanced skill checks with smaller zones to hit while healing or repairing generators, and more screams of terror when you are near.

Rare The Dweller Perk – Pack Hunting Your ability to track survivors by scent of blood and fear grants potential in your aura reading abilities. Any time a survivor within 24 meters of you enters a closet, it is revealed to you straight away. Any time a survivor sits in a closet anywhere on the map for more than ten seconds, they become visible to you.

CHAPTER THREE – The Gates of Helheim

Survivor: Hel Lokidottir Killer: Hel Lokidottir (aka The Damned)

In search of her missing mother and idiot brothers, Hel left the safety of her realm and went to Midgard to the last known location of Loki and Jörmungandr. When Fenrir insisted, he would go with a friend without waiting for her, and Hel never received word back, she knew that she needed to find them herself. It didn’t come as a shock or a surprise, really. Out of the lot of them, she seemed the most likely to actually preform correctly under pressure, but even Hel, the Goddess of Death and the Queen of Helheim could not escape the Entity’s hold once she stepped foot into its domain.

Splitting her into a survivor or a killer, however, proved to be tricky. Her true, half-dead appearance made her perfect for a monster that would tear apart survivors without so much as batting an eye. Her living side, however, lent itself to that of a survivor. Despite Hel’s cold and hardened exterior, she had a deeply caring and passionate heart, one that could very well put her at the forefront of a pack of survivors, one that made it nearly impossible to condemn her fully to a life of endless killing.

Nor could the Entity strip away what made her such, so what to do?

For the first time in the stretch of the Entity’s exsitence, it decided to manifest both sides of the coin in one person. A young, beautiful, and intelligent survivor that, when touched by darkness, flipped the script entirely.

At the beginning of each trial, Hel starts as either a survivor or a killer. As a survivor, Hel has incredible abilities, but must keep a close eye on her comrades. Signs of betrayal will pull her closer and closer to the darkness, as judgement must be passed on fellow survivors. If Hel is the victim of a betrayal or she witnesses first hand a betrayal, power surges through her, turning her into the half-dead judger of the damned. Her first kill is automatically a merciless blow on the current killer, wiping them out of the trial. Then the survivor who ignited her change becomes her obsession, always visible to her until they, too, are dead. Other survivors are penalized for helping the betrayer.

As the Damned, the killer ruthlessly passes judgment on the survivors, but the survivors have an added ability to perform cleansing rituals. These rituals force the Entity back, pulling the Damned away from it’s hold. There are four ritual sites. Each site must be cleansed by a different survivor. If the survivors manage to cleanse all of the sites, the Damned will revert back to Hel, a survivor. Without an active killer, the trial ends, and all those still alive will escape.

SURVIVOR PERKS AND ABILITIES

Rare Hel Lokidottir Perk – Gifts for the Giving Any time a survivor performs a coop action, the time it takes to complete that action is cut by 50%. At the same time, the killer is distracted by a false audio cue on the far side of the map, putting as much distance between the killer and the survivors as possible.

Rare Hel Lokidottir Perk – Ghosts of the Damned The survivor is infused with the spirit of the half-dead queen, giving them a second face hidden from view. Other survivors are unaffected by revealing what lies beneath but revealing the true face of the queen will spook a killer. Directly seeing the reveal will stun the killer, forcing them to drop their victims in the process. Being nearby but not in direct contact will fill the killer with a sense of terror at the Entity’s displeasure. The killer’s sight will be impaired severely for 60 seconds, making locating and hitting survivors extremely difficult. Restricted use of 3 times per trial.

Rare Hel Lokidottir Perk – Bridge Between Realms As a survivor, the killer’s instincts run strong through your veins. This unlocks potential in the survivor’s aura reading abilities, allowing them to see the killer’s position every 20 seconds regardless of what the killer is doing.

KILLER PERKS AND ABILITIES

Rare The Damned Perk – Judgement Passed When a survivor leads you to another survivor, you gain a buff to hone in on the betrayer and teleport right behind them. You can grab them without downing them into dying state, but you are not allowed to harm the other found survivors until your catch has been dealt with by hooking them or killing them by your hand.

Rare The Damned Perk – Survivor’s Savior If you catch a survivor assisting another survivor, you have the choice of rewarding that survivor rather than harming them. You will pull the survivor to your side, recruiting them to help you throughout the duration of the trial. They will be forced to assist you in sabotaging generators, protecting totems and ritual sites, and locating survivors. You are not allowed to kill this survivor. They will automatically be guaranteed a survived status at the end of the trial.

Rare The Damned Perk – Rites of Passage There are four ritual sites where survivors can perform the cleansing ritual that will drain you of your power. You must protect them at all costs while hunting your charges. To do this, you can set traps at the entrance of each ritual site. If a survivor steps through this trap, they will instantly be transported to a rune etched into the basement where they will be trapped for 20 seconds. You can choose to retrieve and hook them, but that will leave your ritual site vulnerable to the next survivor.

[goat-yells-at-everything]

Because this asshole decided to spew a bunch of absolutly WRONG information and then blocked me so I couldn’t reply, we’re gonna do it here because its so fucking WRONG that it needs to be fucking corrected.

This statement was clearly not about people who hunt or people who live in areas where they need protection from wildlife such as polar bears.

My statement was about using guns against people. About every idiot being allowed to own a gun.

And if you think that carrying a gun is helping anyone, then lemme ask you some questions too:

You think it’s free speech that kids shoot themselves on accident when parents are leaving guns out?

Think it’s free speech that kids shoot up schools?

Sure, gun for self-protection sounds very nice. Until you use your brain and discover that other people are also allowed to carry guns. What are you gonna do when the people come into your house carrying more than just a knife?

What about the people who suffer at the hands of guns?

Fucking kids.

Is that free speech? Is that necessary?

There are other ways to protect yourself. Non lethal.

Most areas you’re not even properly background checked. Three days for a licence?

Yea, in trained hands a gun is lethal. That is not a good thing.

Free speech? Don’t make me laugh. Guns don’t protect your free speech. KKK is walking through the streets like a fuckin carnival parade and screaming free speech. And they can carry guns. And they will use them. Is that what your free speech is? Or is it teens shooting themselves in the head? Shooting their bullies? Vigilantes? Kids who think guns are toys. Police who have an excuse to shoot kids because they’re apparently carrying a gun?

The threshold is so low.

And yes, i live in a place where it’s fucking dangerous. And i know other people aren’t allowed to carry guns so why would i need one? I’m not afraid of using a knife if i should ever feel the need to kill. At least then, it’s personal and i know I’m fully responsible.

1) 

As someone who lives in a country with gun control, never in my life have i ever needed a gun.

I have never even felt the need to have a gun.

Ya’ll just brainwashed js

This was NOT in response to people who hunt. At least, it sure as hell wasn’t OBVIOUS. Also, polar bears? You know there are other dangerous animals out there, right? Dangerous animals that exist ALL OVER THE WORLD, even in your own back yard. As I noted before, large bears (aka black and brown bears are SUPER common), large deer (the one my uncle shot while protecting their goats was a record setter in my area. it was HUGE), foxes and coyotes may not seem like a huge threat but they ARE and you show your ignorance of wildlife when you dismiss them. Other than that you have mountain lions, wolves, moose, venomous/aggressive/HUGE snakes (I have pictures of a 6 foot rat snake my uncle had to kill on their property cuse it was eating their chicken eggs and was a threat to the baby goats), wild pigs, large reptiles, large birds (most moderate to large predatory birds can take off with a chicken at least and even a baby goat. not to mention how easy it is to take off with a small to medium sized dog).

2) Humans ARE a threat. Period. No, its not good to go around seeing every single stranger as an imminent threat but they CAN pose a threat. Wanting to protect yourself is not wrong.

3) How the HELL do you go from me saying “a well armed public is essential to the protection of freedom of speech” to you accusing me of thinking shooting a CHILD is free speech?! I gave you very clear examples of what I meant. A dude in Scotland was arrested for making a joke on the internet and had his life thrown into chaos for 2 years. Its been 4 or 5 years since the incident and he STILL has problems just finding a JOB not to mention the death threats he still gets that the cops dont give a shit about. A woman in Britain was arrested in front of her daughters and held for 7 HOURS, unable to call anyone to check on her young children, all because she offended someone on twitter. Police in the UK have cited people for carrying a fucking SPOON on their person. You have to have PERMISSION to own a STEAK KNIFE. You give up your right to defend yourself, your right to hold your government accountable for its actions, then you give up your right to freedom of speech. Its. A. Fact.

4) I live in Illinois. My state has some of the HARSHEST gun control laws in the US. We are the 4th highest in violent crime, beaten out by the likes of California and New York. Why? Gangs. Gang violence is the PRIMARY source of gun crime in the US. These people do not get guns legally. No amount of gun control will stop someone from getting a gun illegally. Why should I, a law abiding citizen, be refused the right to protect myself when someone who wants to hurt me can easily get one illegally? Why should I HAVE to defend myself with a knife when they CAN get a gun? Why cant I have the means to fight back?

5) If gun safety was taught in schools then the number of accidental deaths/injuries by guns (which are a large chunk of gun death/injury statistics) would be cut to almost nothing. Not knowing what a gun can do and how to act around them is a SERIOUS problem in the world in general, let alone in the US. Accidental deaths by guns didn’t happen often just a few generations ago because basic firearm safety was common knowledge. I SERIOUSLY suggest anyone who has an issue with guns to actually take a firearms safety class. 99% of fear of guns would be wiped away if people just KNEW about them.

6) Kids shooting up a school or killing their bullies is not the fault of guns. Its the fault of our bullshit public school system that punishes kids for standing up for themselves and belittles the harm psychological abuse does. If they cant get a gun they will use a knife. If they cant get a knife they’ll use a bomb or acid or worse.

7) Yes, actually. The KKK, Arian Brotherhood, Communists, Socialists, BLM, Black Hebrew Israelites, Nation of Islam, all of them can say whatever the fuck they want. Thats what free speech MEANS. Free speech means nothing if you are not willing to stand up for speech you do not agree with.

8) The taking of a life is already illegal. It doesn’t matter what tool the person uses. HH Holmes confessed to killing at LEAST 27 people; likely his body count was over 50; never used a gun. Jack the Ripper, 5 women no gun. Jeffrey Dahmer, 17 victims no gun. Harold Shipman, 217 deaths (likely closer to 250) no gun. Pedro Lopez, over 300 victims no gun. These people didn’t need guns to kill dozens, sometimes hundreds of people. They used other tools. Are their crimes inherently less horrible because they didn’t use guns?

9) You aren’t allowed to carry a gun. That does not mean that someone else wont. Just because there is a law saying other people shouldn’t have guns doesn’t mean they wont. People who will break one law (breaking and entering, assault, ect) dont give a damn about gun control laws. Again, taking a life or harming another person is a crime already. Criminals. Do. Not. Care. But if a rapist with a gun himself has two choices, the girl with the gun and the girl without, he’s going for the girl without.

I’m not brainwashed, as you so elegantly put it in your first reply. I’m simply pragmatic and understand the world is not filled with rainbows where everyone just goes along with the laws like happy little drones. My life is in my own hands. Its up to ME to protect myself, no one else.

[miss-anna-banana-blog]

BLM and Hispanics.

In these past few days, we have seen all this protests and peaceful movements arise all over the US, and all these people having these debates about the biggest joke on earth AKA “All lives matter” it’s honestly tiring how people are so ignorant about why is wrong to chose those words right now. But that’s not my point rn, I’ll take an entire life trying to understand wtf is wrong with some people, I’m here to talk about Hispanics and their support on the BLM movements. The United States Census Bureau uses the ethnonyms "Hispanic or Latino" to refer to "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race" and states that Hispanics or Latinos can be of any race, any ancestry, any ethnicity. So now that you got an idea of what I’m about to talk, I’d like to state that I’ll be speaking on behalf of the Mexican people, as a Mexican myself and I’ll try not to generalize. So, here we go.....We have to admit, as Mexican folks, that we ARE racists and we have been racists our whole life (I could even include myself, because I used to be an ignorant person a few years ago, but I have seen the light). We might think that we aren’t because we do not have *exactly* a relation with African-american people or black people (Now FYI we do. Because a lot of people from Haiti, Nigeria and other places just arrived in Mexico a few months ago in hopes to cross the border) So at the very beginning that was our excuse. We do not have any black people in our community, we’re not racists. WELL, that’s a lie. We are racists from the very moment we chose the white looking people to represent us on television and other media. Oh and we also call “Indios” and other stuff to all the native people that live here in mexico. We do have lot’s of tribes here, and they came here first, they come from the Aztecs, Mayans and other tribes that used to rule Mexico before it was fucking Mexico. And yet, we treat them as pariahs and get the feeling that we are superior than them. That’s fucking sick and also fucking real, but that’s not our only problem, actually, we do have a bigger one, and that is...IGNORANCE! We have to admit as a country that we re way too ignorant and uneducated. Why do I say this? Because we have no idea about what history is really about. I bet half of the people only learned from the racism in the US from movies or social media, and they got surprised that that ever happened. And that’s because our schools are so focused on teaching us about the good’ole European history. You know that shit, right? How all fucking Europe colonized the whole world and came to Mexico, made us speak fucking Spanish and changed our whole traditions, and yeah, that’s our story, but that’s like, everything they want us to know. They don’t teach us the important history moments in a country some of us have so close (I’m referring to all the cities that have a border crossing) so....we don’t have fucking clue about what’s right and  what’s wrong, or maybe we do, we just like to ignore it because....We are ignorant’s lmao. 

Here’s what I have discovered: we think that because we are not exactly white (most of us are brown but YET that does not make us black or light skin) it makes us MEXICANS, LATINOS, HISPANICS. So if we’re not black, then why do we feel entitled to use the N word that much? Like, yeah, I get that we share some unfortunate stuff with black people (like white people hate our guts and some other stuff) but it is not the same. We can’t put ourselves on the same level, honestly. And that means, we do not have permission to use that word. But we do it. I used to do it. Because I thought “I’m not racist, there’s no black people around to be offended, It could be fun. I am Mexican, the only racists are the white people and I am def not white” but guess what? I kinda turned myself into a white racist person, having those thoughts. I think I used the word because I knew it wasn’t a big deal bc I was in Mexico and because we even had a rapper named by the N word. HE CALLED HIMSELF LIKE THAT. And we sang his song at the top of our lungs and we never thought it was wrong because no one told us or said something about it. It was normal, it was like  “there’s nothing wrong. That’s his stage name” but ofc it was wrong. still is wrong. And people now seem to forget that we managed to make it look like it was something normal. 

We could blame the ignorance, the lack of cultured people this country has, the fact that people love black people (as rappers, actors, sports players) but they just not respect them. So now, that we are showing support and becoming allies, let’s make one thing clear. You can’t be an ally if you keep disrespecting black people by singing that part with the N word while you happily listen to rappers such as Future, Travis Scott and whoever you listen to.

I have never apologized for using that word as a “fun word” because I didn’t knew how. But I’d like to do it. To state that I never intended any harm or never thought it was disrespectful because no one ever told me it was and I never had the initiative to look it up on google. But I am sorry and I’d like my people to feel sorry for doing the same. I’d like their support towards this movement to be honest and not to just post some BLM pictures and then continue to sing the part they should not sing. 

If you, as an Hispanic person would like to help and be an ally, then you should ask yourself first if you ever were racist or disrespectful towards black people. Even if you never met a black person or if you have never been in the US. Just ask yourself that. And then, support. And do it because it’s the right thing and to because your favorite celebrity is doing it or because “It would look cool” because yeah, all the help is good, all the support could be used, but it’s better when it’s honest and specially, when you do it out of guilt. 

[emilyzh2019-blog]

My Craziest Travel Story

Somewhere In Mexico…

This is the story of how I accidentally wandered into an extremely remote Mexican village that was openly controlled by a ruthless drug cartel — and what happened next.

The other week I was taking an Uber from the airport, chatting with the driver about traveling and working around the world as a nomad.

After asking the standard question everyone asks “what’s your favorite country”, he wanted to know if I’ve ever felt in any danger while traveling.

Sure, I’ve been scared before.

When I crossed the border into Afghanistan by myself on foot.

Balancing on rusty beams 300 feet over a canyon in Spain.

Attempting to wade across a crocodile-infested river in Costa Rica.

Scuba diving without a cage in Fiji face-to-face with bull sharks.

Spending the night on an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

Illegally hopping a freight train while hitchhiking across America.

Yes, looking back, I’ve done some stupid & risky stuff over the years…

But the most scared I’ve ever been — was on a journey through Northern Mexico about 7 years ago. And it’s a story I’ve NEVER shared on this blog.

I wrestled with writing about this experience for a long time.

It just didn’t feel appropriate to share publicly, or even very safe for that matter. I was worried about the possible consequences for myself and others.

Yet I think enough time has passed that I finally feel comfortable sharing my crazy (and pretty dumb) encounter with dangerous members of a notorious drug cartel in the lawless mountains deep within Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

Maybe the story will be entertaining, but I hope you’ll learn something too.

The Sierra Tarahumara Mountains

Once Upon A Time In Mexico…

My tale begins in the Mexican tourist town of Creel. A major stop for the popular Copper Canyon Train which runs from the cities of Chihuahua through the Sierra Tarahumara mountains to Los Mochis on the coast.

After a very scenic (but uneventful) train journey through the mountains, I planned to explore more of this mountainous area on my own. Hoping to spend time with the Tarahumara, a Mexican indigenous group.

While chatting with locals, I learned of small villages at the bottom of the canyon that would present a more “authentic” Northern Mexican experience. Off-the-beaten-path if you will.

These places were not easy to reach, and the drive would take hours on rough mountain roads. I mentioned my plan to a local guy (let’s call him Fede) who I’d worked with earlier, and he offered to take me in his vehicle.

Fede wasn’t just some random dude. I’d already spent a few days traveling with him. Even crashing overnight at his family’s house. He was a well-known local professional. I trusted him completely.

Rugged Dirt Roads in Mexico

Surprises Down In The Canyon

I’m not going to name the specific village I traveled to in this story. However, I’m sure if you dig deep enough, you’ll probably be able to figure it out.

Because it’s not like what goes on down there isn’t unknown within Mexico.

Over the course of our 4+ hour drive down winding dirt roads into the depths of the Copper Canyon, Fede starts to share some unsettling information with me.

“When we get there, you may see some stuff that’s alarming. But don’t worry. They know you’re coming.” – Fede

“Wait, what?! What kind of stuff? Who knows I’m coming?” – Me

“The Cartel. They control this town. But when the guesthouse has a tourist, the owner informs The Cartel. They won’t bother you as long as you don’t do anything stupid.” – Fede

“……….” – Me

The Cartel he was referring to is the Sinaloa Drug Cartel. Aka Cártel de Sinaloa, aka the Guzmán-Loera Organization, aka The Blood Alliance.

The same cartel controlled by the notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was just on trial in the United States for drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering.

What the hell did I just get myself into?

The Golden Triangle – Drug Production Area in Mexico

Mexico’s Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is the nickname given to a remote and mountainous region in Northern Mexico that encompasses the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango.

It’s where Mexico’s powerful cartels have been growing billions of dollars worth of heroin & weed to supply an insatiable demand for drugs from the United States.

Cartels are able to produce drugs in the Golden Triangle because the area is so rugged & inaccessible that it can take hours to reach these small villages on unmarked dirt roads.

Mexico’s Copper Canyon, if you haven’t heard of it before, is a massive canyon that’s technically larger and deeper than the US Grand Canyon. It is the perfect hiding place for fields of illegally grown opium poppies & marijuana plants!

Combine this fact with a desperately poor workforce of indigenous people called the Tarahumara, and you’ve got a Mexican drug lord’s wet dream.

This is where I found myself.

On the edge of the Golden Triangle, in a village controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Only Bridge Into Town

A Surreal Travel Experience

As we pull into the village, over a narrow bridge, I see a kid talking into a military-style radio. He’s announcing our arrival to the cartel. My heart begins to race.

Further down the road, we pass a group of men dressed in black, armed with assault rifles. I begin to sweat.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Fede notices my apprehension and assures me everything will be ok. I’m not the first tourist to visit this town.

Because the cartel doesn’t want to draw any attention to themselves, they’d never harm a tourist. That would force the military to intervene and ruin everything.

I check into my guesthouse, the only one in town, and we eat lunch at his friend’s place, which is basically a small restaurant run out of her home.

One of the Cartel’s Trucks

Keeping Tabs On Me…

Fede says his goodbyes and leaves town. He has to go back to work. So I’m on my own now. I walk around town. I visit some abandoned silver mines nearby.

I stop into the local museum and sign the guestbook (the last signature is over a month old).

I pass by the group of cartel members I saw earlier. We say hello to each other. While they certainly appear to fit the stereotype of hardened criminals, they seem friendly enough.

I still can’t quite believe this is happening.

My goal for the day is to visit an old Spanish Mission, located a few miles out of town. On the way, I run into a pickup truck with blacked-out windows on the side of the road. As I approach, the driver’s side window rolls down.

“¿A dónde vas?” says a large scary dude in a cowboy hat. There’s a beautiful woman half his age in the passenger seat.

“La misión Española” I reply. He nods, and the window slides back up. They’re keeping an eye on me. Making sure I don’t stumble into their fields of poppy or marijuana.

Friendly Mexican Drug Farmer

This Sack is Full of Weed…

Everyone Works For The Drug Cartel

Over the next few days, I learn that basically the whole town is working for the cartel. They are the sole employer.

I’m not sure if it’s by choice, or by the threat of violence, but growing and trafficking drugs for the cartel is how this town survives.

And some of them are not afraid to talk about it. Growing marijuana is as normal as growing corn. It’s just another crop — only one that pays much better.

After chatting with one local farmer for a while, he takes me up to a small barn behind his house, pulls out a large sack, and offers me two giant handfuls of freshly picked marijuana buds!

I start laughing, thanking him for his generosity, but explain that there’s no way I can bring his gift back into the United States with me.

But… because I’m a polite guy, I accept a few flowers so he isn’t offended.

This man isn’t some murderous cartel member, he’s just a friendly, impoverished farmer trying to make a living for his family with very limited opportunities.

Making Friends in Town

A Very Surreal Experience

So while the whole cartel situation had me feeling pretty nervous, this next part was the scariest moment of the whole few days I was down there.

My comfort level had been improving. I was getting used to chatting with cartel members each day. Maybe too comfortable.

One evening, a young Mexican guy dressed like a rodeo cowboy walks into the home-based restaurant where I’m eating dinner.

He’s wearing a pair of beautiful, very fancy white-handled revolvers on his hip. Like right out of your typical Spaghetti Western movie.

A heavily armed bodyguard wearing a bullet-proof vest waits for him outside.

We happily chat for a minute in Spanish, asking how I like the food, before they both disappear into the darkness of night. Everything is getting very surreal, and I seriously feel like I’m trapped in a movie.

On another occasion, I watch a team of five armed men loading blue 55-gallon drums of something from a truck into a guarded building.

Weed? Opium poppies? Human remains dissolving in acid? My imagination starts to run wild…

Sinaloa Cartel Members (Faces Censored for Safety)

Getting The Shot

I REALLY wanted a photo of one of these guys. No one would believe all this happened to me unless I had a photo!

So the next morning, I cut a small hole into the side of my backpack and tape a GoPro inside. My plan is to use “time-lapse” mode, quietly shooting photos automatically as I walk past them.

However as I approach, I decide to stop and chat. With my adrenaline pumping, I simply ask them directly. Pointing at the camera around my neck. What’s the worst that could happen?

“¿Puedo tomar tu retrato?” (Can I take your portrait?) – Me

“Jajaja… no.” – Cartel Dude

“Please? My American friends back home would love to see your big gun. I can leave your face out of it if you’d like.” – Me

“Jajaja… no. But you can get a photo of my amigo here.” – Cartel Dude

So, without thinking about the consequences, I aim my wide-angle lens at the truck driver sitting next to him. *CLICK*

Cartel Dude is in the photo too, but just doesn’t realize it.

Immediately I start to panic — internally. What if he asks to see the photo? That was so dumb! I’m going to get myself killed. Maybe I can quickly use the zoom button before showing it to him…

Fortunatley he never asks — and just assumes the camera wasn’t aimed his way.

I try to act normal, end the conversation, and walk off down the road contemplating just how stupid that was.

I think it’s time for me to leave this town.

Patrolling the Village

Mexico’s Remote Golden Triangle

Cartel Wars In The Mountains

As someone who has spent almost 2 years of my life both living and traveling through Mexico, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s one of my favorite countries.

I certainly don’t want my story to scare you from visiting Mexico. This is NOT a typical Mexican vacation experience.

I specifically went out of my way to visit a remote area that isn’t very safe. Even for the Copper Canyon itself — if you stay on the normal tourist trail you’ll be fine.

However if you venture off-grid in this region, there’s a lot of sh*t going on.

Mexico is an amazing and beautiful destination, but like any country, it can also be a dangerous one if you go looking for danger.

Golden Triangle In Flames Again (Borderland Beat)

Extreme Race in the Shadow of Extreme Danger (New York Times)

Drug Gangs Delay Sierra Trail Riders (My San Antonio)

One particular story that shook me recently was the murder of North Carolina teacher Patrick Braxton-Andrew, who was visiting a similar remote village in the same region last year.

That one hit close to home. A curious traveler looking for adventure, trying to get off the beaten path, exploring a dangerous area on his own… mistaken for a DEA agent and shot by the drug cartels.

When I first started traveling, I did many risky and stupid things seeking that addictive jolt of adrenaline. Hell, I haven’t completely cured myself of it even now!

Luckily everything has turned out ok so far, and I have some pretty incredible memories and stories to show for it.

But that isn’t always the case for everyone.

My Scariest Travel Story

I’m not sure if there is a lesson in this story. Maybe there are many.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes? Young people traveling with no responsibilities often take unnecessary risks for fun? Don’t be an idiot like me?

I’m sure I’ll be judged and ridiculed a bit for writing about this. That’s ok. It happened, and I have to live with it. I’m probably lucky to be living at all…

Have you ever done anything stupid like this while traveling? Taken on too much risk? Gotten yourself into a sticky situation that you regret later?

Frequent travelers have this insufferable tendency to “one-up” each other’s travel stories — and this one is mine. The one I share at bars after a few drinks.

Now it’s your turn to share.

Take a minute to quickly describe your scariest/dumb travel story.

If only to make me feel like I’m not the only one out there who’s done something stupid on the road…

Maybe we can turn it into a guide on “what-not-to-do while traveling.” ★

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READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

My 50 Best Tips After 9 Years Traveling Is Instagram Ruining Travel? How To Take Better Travel Photos Why I Quit Being A Digital Nomad Tips For Starting A Travel Blog

What’s your scariest travel story? Have you ever done something dangerous or stupid while traveling? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

[knightofbalance-13]

http://dudeblade.tumblr.com/post/160196348636/wow-kob-and-i-thought-that-you-couldnt-be-any

Nope and I can prove it:

https://megashadowdragon.tumblr.com/likes

Taking a look at his likes, you’ll see he is much more frequent to like stuff than i am, he has a variety of pieces he has liked from Fandoms I didn’t even know about and has been doing it for over a year AKA as long as I have been around. he’s not an altnate account: You’re just paranoid.

Still baiting 0-4 seeing as you failed to see Mage wasn’t an alternate account, failed to see dragon here isn’t one, failed to see rwbyfan18 as one until I said it and even failed to see what was obviously an alt account of mine. That’s akin to having the ball on a tie for you and you smacking yourself in the knee.

Here’s the deal: You’re being an asshole, who is constantly enabling RT to make the same mistakes over and over again, and I’ll stop being an asshole who constantly rips on them for legitimate reasons.

Yeah, the @team-crtq blog as well as my several other criticial posts of RWBy disagree.

And your legitimate problems consist of fact manipulation, out of context quotes and complaining about their depictions of LGBT people, females, racial minorities and Amputees...despite not being any of those things...and people from each group telling you you’re wrong.

Kindly fuck off. And stop doing that bullshit “Do a play-by-play ‘deconstruction’“ thing that you do. You thinkI’m petty? I’m not the one who goes into the rwde tag looking for a fight.

So I shouldn’t give context to what I am talking about so people know what i am saying and can form their own opinions. Thanks Dudeblade.

Considering the fact that you people have called me every name in the book while suicide baiting me and I have only used the generic insults of :Asshole” “dumbass” or “idiot”: yes, you are petty.

In fact, I’m unaware of any person from the rwde tag going into the RW/BY tag looking for a fight. Only you and your posse go into the rwde tag for a fight.

Aside from that time RWBY criticism posted a mocking post in the main Rwde tag on the day of Monty’s death or the fact that I have come across your posts before in the main rwby tag and I have pointed that out to you? Your tags clearly show you’re trying to pick a fight with me so yes, you and many others have.

So, who’s the real villain here? - You live in a world where everything is black and white. So obviously, you think that you’re the hero, and the entire rwde tag is the villain. 

And with one sentence you have shown that you do not understand me in the slightest.

Wanna know why I call myself knightofbalance? Because I legitimately believe that it is impossible for a human being to be completely good or completely evil. In my philosophy, you can succumb to darkness and destroy everything in your path and succumb to light and become detached from the world and become stagnant. My belief is that you have to trust in your inner compass along with the compass of people you know you can trust to guide you on he thin line between light and darkness. This is emphasized by a piece of music I have found and have adopted as my theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l0RMGid6vo). This is the theme of Senator Armstrong from Metal Gear Rising Revengence who I share more than one philosophical stand point with. And just like him, I wait to be beaten down and proven that an ideal is stronger than mine, that I am wrong. And that’s what I do in the rwde tag: Shout out for a challenge. And not one of you have won.

Even as my friends mocked you, I defended you saying that you probably just have a weird way of looking at the world or that you just have psychological problems: It took me forever to get it through my skull you think you’re absolutely right and that everyone who disagrees with you is wrong. And to this day, I still defend you on occasion. Unlike you.

Get the fuck off your high horse. You enabling, apologist, annoying, biased, person who doesn’t understand that your constant praise is detrimental to the growth of a production company.

Let’s go through this:

Apologist

I called out Rooster Teeth for not treating Shane and Sheena better. All i did was say Shane probably had problems of his own, some that he could not control. But you latch yourself onto whatever contraversy surrounding Rooster Teeth without looking deeper into it or looking at similar cases.

Enabling

I have called out Rt for not giving characters focus, like Salem and Yang. I just don’t think Jaune is hogging the screentime like you say he is. But you ignore everything positive about the show and berate everything they do.

Annoying

personal opinion and thus cannot be debated.

biased

You have a self proclaimed bias against both Taiyang and all male characters as well as a shown bias against Miles as the moment Arryn said the writing wasn’t at fault, you said he forced her to say that.

Constant Praise

I haven’t actually done all that much praising of Rooster Teeth aside from red Vs. Blue, in fact I’ve made an equal number of critical and praising posts about RWBY. You on the other hand have not said one good thing otherwise despite proclaiming to be a fan.

And just as well, that constant attacking will shut them off of actual criticism as you drown out actual critics thus not only would you damage the entire show, you risk harming the people behind it.

Everything you have called me more applies to you than me and you have a stated history of projecting: You might want to stop.

And I do find it convenient that you assume that I’m white. I’m part Filipino, part Spanish, Part Chinese, andPart Italian. How do we know that you’re not the white asshole who is constantly doing this sort of BS? - Seriously. There are also other people besides the ones that you mentioned that are part of those oppressed minorities that have a beef with how the writing is going. Are their criticisms somehow less valid that the praises that your friends have? - You sure seem to act like it.

And I was suppose to be aware of this previously despite arguing against you about racism before and never once mentioning this how?

Yeah, I’m white but I’m also autistic meaning I suffer prejudice as well (seeing as Autistic people are often compared to being diseased or brain damaged). And if the White Fang where a group with a neurological disorder, I would still berate them. In fact, I would berate them more so because they give me a bad name so that doesn’t work.

And that’s one person versus two people I know and unlike you, they don’t have a tendency to overreact and scream. Not to mention the fact that factions like the White Fang do exist in real life (Black Lives Matter for race, Muslim terrorists for religion ect). I would beat the ever loving shit out of a KKK member should I see them, even if they’re defending themselves from a group of people who are attacking them solely because they are white. You can’t claim that it is definitively racist when the majority says otherwise.

Also, why didn’t you call any BS on the section about LGBT+ Representation? - Were you too afraid to call out any of the reasons that I had there? - Or were you just one of the assholes who cherry-picks something to suit your needs? - Like how you accuse the rwde tag of doing?

This is what I am talking about when I say fact manipulation: I did call you out by posting a link to three LGBT people who call out people like you. 

Direct quote from the post:

And yet you will claim to speak for them here. Meanwhile, the three bisexuals I work with have made a post detailing why 90% of what you are about to say is bullshit. (https://team-crtq.tumblr.com/post/160160464449/rwby-and-ships)

Even I have more of a right to be offended since I’m some weird demi-heterosexual hybrid.

https://knightofbalance-13.tumblr.com/post/160180531630/httpdudebladetumblrcompost160161209960rwde Post for reference.

So you’re still projecting.

So yeah. Get the fuck off your high horse. You haven’t earned it. And if you attitude is anything to go by, you never will.

By the virtue of giving you a chance to prove your self and not telling you to kill yourself as well as the fact that I don’t manipulate the facts nor am I being hateful does put me above you.

The problem is: This is basic human decency. All I’m doing is being a human being. The fact that I see myself above you should scare you because I think so lowly of myself. 

PS: The only way to get me off this site is to force me off. So either quit with the weaksauce and come at me or accept the fact you cannot win.

[janetchavezcom]

My Run-In With A Notorious Mexican Drug Cartel

My Craziest Travel Story

Somewhere In Mexico…

This is the story of how I accidentally wandered into an extremely remote Mexican village that was openly controlled by a ruthless drug cartel — and what happened next.

No, this is not an April fools post. Posted April 2nd!

The other week I was taking an Uber from the airport, chatting with the driver about traveling and working around the world as a nomad.

After asking the standard question everyone asks “what’s your favorite country”, he wanted to know if I’ve ever felt in any danger while traveling.

Sure, I’ve been scared before.

When I crossed the border into Afghanistan by myself on foot.

Balancing on rusty beams 300 feet over a canyon in Spain.

Attempting to wade across a crocodile-infested river in Costa Rica.

Scuba diving without a cage in Fiji face-to-face with bull sharks.

Spending the night on an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

Illegally hopping a freight train while hitchhiking across America.

Yes, looking back, I’ve done some stupid & risky stuff over the years…

But the most scared I’ve ever been — was on a journey through Northern Mexico about 7 years ago. And it’s a story I’ve NEVER shared on this blog.

I wrestled with writing about this experience for a long time.

It just didn’t feel appropriate to share publicly, or even very safe for that matter. I was worried about the possible consequences for myself and others.

Yet I think enough time has passed that I finally feel comfortable sharing my crazy (and pretty dumb) encounter with dangerous members of a notorious drug cartel in the lawless mountains deep within Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

Maybe the story will be entertaining, but I hope you’ll learn something too.

The Sierra Tarahumara Mountains

Once Upon A Time In Mexico…

My tale begins in the Mexican tourist town of Creel. A major stop for the popular Copper Canyon Train which runs from the cities of Chihuahua through the Sierra Tarahumara mountains to Los Mochis on the coast.

After a very scenic (but uneventful) train journey through the mountains, I planned to explore more of this mountainous area on my own. Hoping to spend time with the Tarahumara, a Mexican indigenous group.

While chatting with locals, I learned of small villages at the bottom of the canyon that would present a more “authentic” Northern Mexican experience. Off-the-beaten-path if you will.

These places were not easy to reach, and the drive would take hours on rough mountain roads. I mentioned my plan to a local guy (let’s call him Fede) who I’d worked with earlier, and he offered to take me in his vehicle.

Fede wasn’t just some random dude. I’d already spent a few days traveling with him. Even crashing overnight at his family’s house. He was a well-known local professional. I trusted him completely.

Rugged Dirt Roads in Mexico

Surprises Down In The Canyon

I’m not going to name the specific village I traveled to in this story. However, I’m sure if you dig deep enough, you’ll probably be able to figure it out.

Because it’s not like what goes on down there isn’t unknown within Mexico.

Over the course of our 4+ hour drive down winding dirt roads into the depths of the Copper Canyon, Fede starts to share some unsettling information with me.

“When we get there, you may see some stuff that’s alarming. But don’t worry. They know you’re coming.” – Fede

“Wait, what?! What kind of stuff? Who knows I’m coming?” – Me

“The Cartel. They control this town. But when the guesthouse has a tourist, the owner informs The Cartel. They won’t bother you as long as you don’t do anything stupid.” – Fede

“……….” – Me

The Cartel he was referring to is the Sinaloa Cartel. Aka Cártel de Sinaloa, aka the Guzmán-Loera Organization, aka The Blood Alliance.

The same cartel controlled by the notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was just on trial in the United States for drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering.

What the hell did I just get myself into?

The Golden Triangle – Drug Production Area in Mexico

Mexico’s Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is the nickname given to a remote and mountainous region in Northern Mexico that encompasses the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango.

It’s where Mexico’s powerful cartels have been growing billions of dollars worth of heroin & weed to supply an insatiable demand for drugs from the United States.

Cartels are able to produce drugs in the Golden Triangle because the area is so rugged & inaccessible that it can take hours to reach these small villages on unmarked dirt roads.

Mexico’s Copper Canyon, if you haven’t heard of it before, is a massive canyon that’s technically larger and deeper than the US Grand Canyon. It is the perfect hiding place for fields of illegally grown opium poppies & marijuana plants!

Combine this fact with a desperately poor workforce of indigenous people called the Tarahumara, and you’ve got a Mexican drug lord’s wet dream.

This is where I found myself.

On the edge of the Golden Triangle, in a village controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Only Bridge Into Town

A Surreal Travel Experience

As we pull into the village, over a narrow bridge, I see a kid talking into a military-style radio. He’s announcing our arrival to the cartel. My heart begins to race.

Further down the road, we pass a group of men dressed in black, armed with assault rifles. I begin to sweat.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Fede notices my apprehension and assures me everything will be ok. I’m not the first tourist to visit this town.

Because the cartel doesn’t want to draw any attention to themselves, they’d never harm a tourist. That would force the military to intervene and ruin everything.

I check into my guesthouse, the only one in town, and we eat lunch at his friend’s place, which is basically a small restaurant run out of her home.

One of the Cartel’s Trucks

Keeping Tabs On Me…

Fede says his goodbyes and leaves town. He has to go back to work. So I’m on my own now. I walk around town. I visit some abandoned silver mines nearby.

I stop into the local museum and sign the guestbook (the last signature is over a month old).

I pass by the group of cartel members I saw earlier. We say hello to each other. While they certainly appear to fit the stereotype of hardened criminals, they seem friendly enough.

I still can’t quite believe this is happening.

My goal for the day is to visit an old Spanish Mission, located a few miles out of town. On the way, I run into a pickup truck with blacked-out windows on the side of the road. As I approach, the driver’s side window rolls down.

“¿A dónde vas?” says a large scary dude in a cowboy hat. There’s a beautiful woman half his age in the passenger seat.

“La misión Española” I reply. He nods, and the window slides back up. They’re keeping an eye on me. Making sure I don’t stumble into their fields of poppy or marijuana.

Friendly Mexican Drug Farmer

This Sack is Full of Weed…

Everyone Works For The Cartel

Over the next few days, I learn that basically the whole town is working for the cartel. They are the sole employer.

I’m not sure if it’s by choice, or by the threat of violence, but growing and trafficking drugs for the cartel is how this town survives.

And some of them are not afraid to talk about it. Growing marijuana is as normal as growing corn. It’s just another crop — only one that pays much better.

After chatting with one local farmer for a while, he takes me up to a small barn behind his house, pulls out a large sack, and offers me two giant handfuls of freshly picked marijuana buds!

I start laughing, thanking him for his generosity, but explain that there’s no way I can bring his gift back into the United States with me.

But… because I’m a polite guy, I accept a few flowers so he isn’t offended.

This man isn’t some murderous cartel member, he’s just a friendly, impoverished farmer trying to make a living for his family with very limited opportunities.

Making Friends in Town

More & More Ridiculous

So while the whole cartel situation had me feeling pretty nervous, this next part was the scariest moment of the whole few days I was down there.

My comfort level had been improving. I was getting used to chatting with cartel members each day. Maybe too comfortable.

One evening, a young Mexican guy dressed like a rodeo cowboy walks into the home-based restaurant where I’m eating dinner.

He’s wearing a pair of beautiful, very fancy white-handled revolvers on his hip. Like right out of your typical Spaghetti Western movie.

A heavily armed bodyguard wearing a bullet-proof vest waits for him outside.

We happily chat for a minute in Spanish, asking how I like the food, before they both disappear into the darkness of night. This is seriously feeling like I’m caught in the middle of a movie.

On another occasion, I watch a team of five armed men loading blue 55-gallon drums of something from a truck into a guarded building.

Weed? Opium poppies? Human remains dissolving in acid? My imagination starts to run wild…

Sinaloa Cartel Members (Faces Censored for Safety)

Getting The Shot

I REALLY wanted a photo of one of these guys. No one would believe all this happened to me unless I had a photo!

So the next morning, I cut a small hole into the side of my backpack and tape a GoPro inside. My plan is to use “time-lapse” mode, quietly shooting photos automatically as I walk past them.

However as I approach, I decide to stop and chat. With my adrenaline pumping, I simply ask them directly. Pointing at the camera around my neck. What’s the worst that could happen?

“¿Puedo tomar tu retrato?” (Can I take your portrait?) – Me

“Jajaja… no.” – Cartel Dude #1

“Please? My American friends back home would love to see your big gun. I can leave your face out of it if you’d like.” – Me

“Jajaja… no. But you can get a photo of my amigo here.” – Cartel Dude #1

So, without thinking about the consequences, I aim my wide-angle lens at the truck driver sitting next to him. *CLICK*

Cartel Dude #1 is in the photo too, but just doesn’t realize it.

Immediately I start to panic — internally. What if he asks to see the photo? That was so dumb! I’m going to get myself killed. Maybe I can quickly use the zoom button before showing it to him…

Fortunatley he never asks — and just assumes the camera wasn’t aimed his way.

I try to act normal, end the conversation, and walk off down the road contemplating just how stupid that was.

I think it’s time for me to leave this town.

Patrolling the Village

Mexico’s Remote Golden Triangle

Cartel Wars In The Mountains

As someone who has spent almost 2 years of my life both living and traveling through Mexico, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s one of my favorite countries.

I certainly don’t want my story to scare you from visiting Mexico. This is NOT a typical Mexican vacation experience.

I specifically went out of my way to visit a remote area that isn’t very safe. Even for the Copper Canyon itself — if you stay on the normal tourist trail you’ll be fine.

However if you venture off-grid in this region, there’s a lot of sh*t going on.

Mexico is an amazing and beautiful destination, but like any country, it can also be a dangerous one if you go looking for danger.

Golden Triangle In Flames Again (Borderland Beat)

Extreme Race in the Shadow of Extreme Danger (New York Times)

Drug Gangs Delay Sierra Trail Riders (My San Antonio)

One particular story that shook me recently was the murder of North Carolina teacher Patrick Braxton-Andrew, who was visiting a similar remote village in the same region last year.

That one hit close to home. A curious traveler looking for adventure, trying to get off the beaten path, exploring a dangerous area on his own… mistaken for a DEA agent and shot.

When I first started traveling, I did many risky and stupid things seeking that addictive jolt of adrenaline. Hell, I haven’t completely cured myself of it even now!

Luckily everything has turned out ok so far, and I have some pretty incredible memories and stories to show for it.

But that isn’t always the case for everyone.

My Scariest Travel Story

I’m not sure if there is a lesson in this story. Maybe there are many.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes? Young people traveling with no responsibilities often take unnecessary risks for fun? Don’t be an idiot like me?

I’m sure I’ll be judged and ridiculed a bit for writing about this. That’s ok. It happened, and I have to live with it. I’m probably lucky to be living at all…

Have you ever done anything stupid like this while traveling? Taken on too much risk? Gotten yourself into a sticky situation that you regret later?

Frequent travelers have this insufferable tendency to “one-up” each other’s travel stories — and this one is mine. The one I share at bars after a few drinks.

Now it’s your turn to share.

Take a minute to quickly describe your scariest/dumb travel story.

If only to make me feel like I’m not the only one out there who’s done something stupid on the road…

Maybe we can turn it into a guide on “what-not-to-do while traveling.” ★

READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

My 50 Best Tips After 9 Years Traveling Is Instagram Ruining Travel? How To Take Better Travel Photos Why I Quit Being A Digital Nomad Tips For Starting A Travel Blog

What’s your scariest travel story? Have you ever done something dangerous or stupid while traveling? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://expertvagabond.com/scary-travel-story-cartel/

[kevingbakeruk]

My Run-In With A Notorious Mexican Drug Cartel

My Craziest Travel Story

Somewhere In Mexico…

This is the story of how I accidentally wandered into an extremely remote Mexican village that was openly controlled by a ruthless drug cartel — and what happened next.

No, this is not an April fools post. Posted April 2nd!

The other week I was taking an Uber from the airport, chatting with the driver about traveling and working around the world as a nomad.

After asking the standard question everyone asks “what’s your favorite country”, he wanted to know if I’ve ever felt in any danger while traveling.

Sure, I’ve been scared before.

When I crossed the border into Afghanistan by myself on foot.

Balancing on rusty beams 300 feet over a canyon in Spain.

Attempting to wade across a crocodile-infested river in Costa Rica.

Scuba diving without a cage in Fiji face-to-face with bull sharks.

Spending the night on an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

Illegally hopping a freight train while hitchhiking across America.

Yes, looking back, I’ve done some stupid & risky stuff over the years…

But the most scared I’ve ever been — was on a journey through Northern Mexico about 7 years ago. And it’s a story I’ve NEVER shared on this blog.

I wrestled with writing about this experience for a long time.

It just didn’t feel appropriate to share publicly, or even very safe for that matter. I was worried about the possible consequences for myself and others.

Yet I think enough time has passed that I finally feel comfortable sharing my crazy (and pretty dumb) encounter with dangerous members of a notorious drug cartel in the lawless mountains deep within Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

Maybe the story will be entertaining, but I hope you’ll learn something too.

The Sierra Tarahumara Mountains

Once Upon A Time In Mexico…

My tale begins in the Mexican tourist town of Creel. A major stop for the popular Copper Canyon Train which runs from the cities of Chihuahua through the Sierra Tarahumara mountains to Los Mochis on the coast.

After a very scenic (but uneventful) train journey through the mountains, I planned to explore more of this mountainous area on my own. Hoping to spend time with the Tarahumara, a Mexican indigenous group.

While chatting with locals, I learned of small villages at the bottom of the canyon that would present a more “authentic” Northern Mexican experience. Off-the-beaten-path if you will.

These places were not easy to reach, and the drive would take hours on rough mountain roads. I mentioned my plan to a local guy (let’s call him Fede) who I’d worked with earlier, and he offered to take me in his vehicle.

Fede wasn’t just some random dude. I’d already spent a few days traveling with him. Even crashing overnight at his family’s house. He was a well-known tourism professional. I trusted him completely.

Rugged Dirt Roads in Mexico

Surprises Down In The Canyon

I’m not going to name the specific village I traveled to in this story. However, I’m sure if you dig deep enough, you’ll probably be able to figure it out.

Because it’s not like what goes on down there isn’t unknown within Mexico.

Over the course of our 4+ hour drive down winding dirt roads into the depths of the Copper Canyon, Fede starts to share some unsettling information with me.

“When we get there, you may see some stuff that’s alarming. But don’t worry. They know you’re coming.” – Fede

“Wait, what?! What kind of stuff? Who knows I’m coming?” – Me

“The Cartel. They control this town. But when the guesthouse has a tourist, the owner informs The Cartel. They won’t bother you as long as you don’t do anything stupid.” – Fede

“……….” – Me

The Cartel he was referring to is the Sinaloa Cartel. Aka Cártel de Sinaloa, aka the Guzmán-Loera Organization, aka The Blood Alliance.

The same cartel controlled by the notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was just on trial in the United States for drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering.

What the hell did I just get myself into?

The Golden Triangle – Drug Production Area in Mexico

Mexico’s Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is the nickname given to a remote and mountainous region in Northern Mexico that encompasses the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango.

It’s where Mexico’s powerful cartels have been growing billions of dollars worth of heroin & weed to supply an insatiable demand for drugs from the United States.

Cartels are able to produce drugs in the Golden Triangle because the area is so rugged & inaccessible that it can take hours to reach these small villages on unmarked dirt roads.

Mexico’s Copper Canyon, if you haven’t heard of it before, is a massive canyon that’s technically larger and deeper than the US Grand Canyon. It is the perfect hiding place for fields of illegally grown opium poppies & marijuana plants!

Combine this fact with a desperately poor workforce of indigenous people called the Tarahumara, and you’ve got a Mexican drug lord’s wet dream.

This is where I found myself.

On the edge of the Golden Triangle, in a village controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Only Bridge Into Town

A Surreal Travel Experience

As we pull into the village, over a narrow bridge, I see a kid talking into a military-style radio. He’s announcing our arrival to the cartel. My heart begins to race.

Further down the road, we pass a group of men dressed in black, armed with assault rifles. I begin to sweat.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Fede notices my apprehension and assures me everything will be ok. I’m not the first tourist to visit this town.

Because the cartel doesn’t want to draw any attention to themselves, they’d never harm a tourist. That would force the military to intervene and ruin everything.

I check into my guesthouse, the only one in town, and we eat lunch at his friend’s place, which is basically a small restaurant run out of her home.

One of the Cartel’s Trucks

Keeping Tabs On Me…

Fede says his goodbyes and leaves town. He has to go back to work. So I’m on my own now. I walk around town. I visit some abandoned silver mines nearby.

I stop into the local museum and sign the guestbook (the last signature is over a month old).

I pass by the group of cartel members I saw earlier. We say hello to each other. While they certainly appear to fit the stereotype of hardened criminals, they seem friendly enough.

I still can’t quite believe this is happening.

My goal for the day is to visit an old Spanish Mission, located a few miles out of town. On the way, I run into a pickup truck with blacked-out windows on the side of the road. As I approach, the driver’s side window rolls down.

“¿A dónde vas?” says a large scary dude in a cowboy hat. There’s a beautiful woman half his age in the passenger seat.

“La misión Española” I reply. He nods, and the window slides back up. They’re keeping an eye on me. Making sure I don’t stumble into their fields of poppy or marijuana.

Friendly Mexican Drug Farmer

This Sack is Full of Weed…

Everyone Works For The Cartel

Over the next few days, I learn that basically the whole town is working for the cartel. They are the sole employer.

I’m not sure if it’s by choice, or by the threat of violence, but growing and trafficking drugs for the cartel is how this town survives.

And some of them are not afraid to talk about it. Growing marijuana is as normal as growing corn. It’s just another crop — only one that pays much better.

After chatting with one local farmer for a while, he takes me up to a small barn behind his house, pulls out a large sack, and offers me two giant handfuls of freshly picked marijuana buds!

I start laughing, thanking him for his generosity, but explain that there’s no way I can bring his gift back into the United States with me.

But because I’m a polite guy, I accept a few flowers so he isn’t offended.

This man isn’t some murderous cartel member, he’s just a friendly, impoverished farmer trying to make a living for his family with very limited opportunities.

Making Friends in Town

More & More Ridiculous

So while the whole cartel situation had me feeling pretty nervous, this next part was the scariest moment of the whole few days I was down there.

My comfort level had been improving. I was getting used to chatting with cartel members each day. Maybe too comfortable.

One evening, a young Mexican guy dressed like a rodeo cowboy walks into the home-based restaurant where I’m eating dinner.

He’s wearing a pair of beautiful, very fancy white-handled revolvers on his hip. Like right out of your typical Spaghetti Western movie.

A heavily armed bodyguard wearing a bullet-proof vest waits for him outside.

We happily chat for a minute in Spanish, asking how I like the food, before they both disappear into the darkness of night. This is seriously feeling like I’m caught in the middle of a movie.

On another occasion, I watch a team of five armed men loading blue 55-gallon drums of something from a truck into a guarded building.

Weed? Opium poppies? Human remains dissolving in acid? My imagination starts to run wild…

Sinaloa Cartel Members (Faces Censored for Safety)

Getting The Shot

I REALLY wanted a photo of one of these guys. No one would believe all this happened to me unless I had a photo!

So the next morning, I cut a small hole into the side of my backpack and tape a GoPro inside. My plan is to use “time-lapse” mode, quietly shooting photos automatically as I walk past them.

However as I approach, I decide to stop and chat. With my adrenaline pumping, I simply ask them directly. Pointing at the camera around my neck. What’s the worst that could happen?

“¿Puedo tomar tu retrato?” (Can I take your portrait?) – Me

“Jajaja… no.” – Cartel Dude #1

“Please? My American friends back home would love to see your big gun. I can leave your face out of it if you’d like.” – Me

“Jajaja… no. But you can get a photo of my amigo here.” – Cartel Dude #1

So, without thinking about the consequences, I aim my wide-angle lens at the truck driver sitting next to him. *CLICK*

Cartel Dude #1 is in the photo too, but just doesn’t realize it.

Immediately I start to panic — internally. What if he asks to see the photo? That was so dumb! I’m going to get myself killed. Maybe I can quickly use the zoom button before showing it to him…

Fortunatley he never asks — and just assumes the camera wasn’t aimed his way.

I try to act normal, end the conversation, and walk off down the road contemplating just how stupid that was.

I think it’s time for me to leave this town.

Patrolling the Village

Mexico’s Remote Golden Triangle

Cartel Wars In The Mountains

As someone who has spent almost 2 years of my life both living and traveling through Mexico, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s one of my favorite countries.

I certainly don’t want my story to scare you from visiting Mexico. This is NOT a typical Mexican vacation experience.

I specifically went out of my way to visit a remote area that isn’t very safe. Even for the Copper Canyon itself — if you stay on the normal tourist trail you’ll be fine.

However if you venture off-grid in this region, there’s a lot of sh*t going on.

Mexico is an amazing and beautiful destination, but like any country, it can also be a dangerous one if you go looking for danger.

Golden Triangle In Flames Again (Borderland Beat)

Extreme Race in the Shadow of Extreme Danger (New York Times)

Drug Gangs Delay Sierra Trail Riders (My San Antonio)

One particular story that shook me recently was the murder of North Carolina teacher Patrick Braxton-Andrew, who was visiting a similar remote village in the same region last year.

That one hit close to home. A curious traveler looking for adventure, trying to get off the beaten path, exploring a dangerous area on his own… mistaken for a DEA agent and shot.

When I first started traveling, I did many risky and stupid things seeking that addictive jolt of adrenaline. Hell, I haven’t completely cured myself of it even now!

Luckily everything has turned out ok so far, and I have some pretty incredible memories and stories to show for it.

But that isn’t always the case for everyone.

My Scariest Travel Story

I’m not sure if there is a lesson in this story. Maybe there are many.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes? Young people traveling with no responsibilities often take unnecessary risks for fun? Don’t be an idiot like me?

I’m sure I’ll be judged and ridiculed a bit for writing about this. That’s ok. It happened, and I have to live with it. I’m probably lucky to be living at all…

Have you ever done anything stupid like this while traveling? Taken on too much risk? Gotten yourself into a sticky situation that you regret later?

Frequent travelers have this insufferable tendency to “one-up” each other’s travel stories — and this one is mine. The one I share at bars after a few drinks.

Now it’s your turn to share.

Take a minute to quickly describe your scariest/dumb travel story.

If only to make me feel like I’m not the only one out there who’s done something stupid on the road…

Maybe we can turn it into a guide on “what-not-to-do while traveling.” ★

READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

My 50 Best Tips After 9 Years Traveling Is Instagram Ruining Travel? How To Take Better Travel Photos Why I Quit Being A Digital Nomad Tips For Starting A Travel Blog

What’s your scariest travel story? Have you ever done something dangerous or stupid while traveling? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://expertvagabond.com/scary-travel-story-cartel/

[marymperezga]

My Run-In With A Notorious Mexican Drug Cartel

My Craziest Travel Story

Somewhere In Mexico…

This is the story of how I accidentally wandered into an extremely remote Mexican village that was openly controlled by a ruthless drug cartel — and what happened next.

No, this is not an April fools post. Posted April 2nd!

The other week I was taking an Uber from the airport, chatting with the driver about traveling and working around the world as a nomad.

After asking the standard question everyone asks “what’s your favorite country”, he wanted to know if I’ve ever felt in any danger while traveling.

Sure, I’ve been scared before.

When I crossed the border into Afghanistan by myself on foot.

Balancing on rusty beams 300 feet over a canyon in Spain.

Attempting to wade across a crocodile-infested river in Costa Rica.

Scuba diving without a cage in Fiji face-to-face with bull sharks.

Spending the night on an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

Illegally hopping a freight train while hitchhiking across America.

Yes, looking back, I’ve done some stupid & risky stuff over the years…

But the most scared I’ve ever been — was on a journey through Northern Mexico about 7 years ago. And it’s a story I’ve NEVER shared on this blog.

I wrestled with writing about this experience for a long time.

It just didn’t feel appropriate to share publicly, or even very safe for that matter. I was worried about the possible consequences for myself and others.

Yet I think enough time has passed that I finally feel comfortable sharing my crazy (and pretty dumb) encounter with dangerous members of a notorious drug cartel in the lawless mountains deep within Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

Maybe the story will be entertaining, but I hope you’ll learn something too.

The Sierra Tarahumara Mountains

Once Upon A Time In Mexico…

My tale begins in the Mexican tourist town of Creel. A major stop for the popular Copper Canyon Train which runs from the cities of Chihuahua through the Sierra Tarahumara mountains to Los Mochis on the coast.

After a very scenic (but uneventful) train journey through the mountains, I planned to explore more of this mountainous area on my own. Hoping to spend time with the Tarahumara, a Mexican indigenous group.

While chatting with locals, I learned of small villages at the bottom of the canyon that would present a more “authentic” Northern Mexican experience. Off-the-beaten-path if you will.

These places were not easy to reach, and the drive would take hours on rough mountain roads. I mentioned my plan to a local guy (let’s call him Fede) who I’d worked with earlier, and he offered to take me in his vehicle.

Fede wasn’t just some random dude. I’d already spent a few days traveling with him. Even crashing overnight at his family’s house. He was a well-known tourism professional. I trusted him completely.

Rugged Dirt Roads in Mexico

Surprises Down In The Canyon

I’m not going to name the specific village I traveled to in this story. However, I’m sure if you dig deep enough, you’ll probably be able to figure it out.

Because it’s not like what goes on down there isn’t unknown within Mexico.

Over the course of our 4+ hour drive down winding dirt roads into the depths of the Copper Canyon, Fede starts to share some unsettling information with me.

“When we get there, you may see some stuff that’s alarming. But don’t worry. They know you’re coming.” – Fede

“Wait, what?! What kind of stuff? Who knows I’m coming?” – Me

“The Cartel. They control this town. But when the guesthouse has a tourist, the owner informs The Cartel. They won’t bother you as long as you don’t do anything stupid.” – Fede

“……….” – Me

The Cartel he was referring to is the Sinaloa Cartel. Aka Cártel de Sinaloa, aka the Guzmán-Loera Organization, aka The Blood Alliance.

The same cartel controlled by the notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was just on trial in the United States for drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering.

What the hell did I just get myself into?

The Golden Triangle – Drug Production Area in Mexico

Mexico’s Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is the nickname given to a remote and mountainous region in Northern Mexico that encompasses the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango.

It’s where Mexico’s powerful cartels have been growing billions of dollars worth of heroin & weed to supply an insatiable demand for drugs from the United States.

Cartels are able to produce drugs in the Golden Triangle because the area is so rugged & inaccessible that it can take hours to reach these small villages on unmarked dirt roads.

Mexico’s Copper Canyon, if you haven’t heard of it before, is a massive canyon that’s technically larger and deeper than the US Grand Canyon. It is the perfect hiding place for fields of illegally grown opium poppies & marijuana plants!

Combine this fact with a desperately poor workforce of indigenous people called the Tarahumara, and you’ve got a Mexican drug lord’s wet dream.

This is where I found myself.

On the edge of the Golden Triangle, in a village controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Only Bridge Into Town

A Surreal Travel Experience

As we pull into the village, over a narrow bridge, I see a kid talking into a military-style radio. He’s announcing our arrival to the cartel. My heart begins to race.

Further down the road, we pass a group of men dressed in black, armed with assault rifles. I begin to sweat.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Fede notices my apprehension and assures me everything will be ok. I’m not the first tourist to visit this town.

Because the cartel doesn’t want to draw any attention to themselves, they’d never harm a tourist. That would force the military to intervene and ruin everything.

I check into my guesthouse, the only one in town, and we eat lunch at his friend’s place, which is basically a small restaurant run out of her home.

One of the Cartel’s Trucks

Keeping Tabs On Me…

Fede says his goodbyes and leaves town. He has to go back to work. So I’m on my own now. I walk around town. I visit some abandoned silver mines nearby.

I stop into the local museum and sign the guestbook (the last signature is over a month old).

I pass by the group of cartel members I saw earlier. We say hello to each other. While they certainly appear to fit the stereotype of hardened criminals, they seem friendly enough.

I still can’t quite believe this is happening.

My goal for the day is to visit an old Spanish Mission, located a few miles out of town. On the way, I run into a pickup truck with blacked-out windows on the side of the road. As I approach, the driver’s side window rolls down.

“¿A dónde vas?” says a large scary dude in a cowboy hat. There’s a beautiful woman half his age in the passenger seat.

“La misión Española” I reply. He nods, and the window slides back up. They’re keeping an eye on me. Making sure I don’t stumble into their fields of poppy or marijuana.

Friendly Mexican Drug Farmer

This Sack is Full of Weed…

Everyone Works For The Cartel

Over the next few days, I learn that basically the whole town is working for the cartel. They are the sole employer.

I’m not sure if it’s by choice, or by the threat of violence, but growing and trafficking drugs for the cartel is how this town survives.

And some of them are not afraid to talk about it. Growing marijuana is as normal as growing corn. It’s just another crop — only one that pays much better.

After chatting with one local farmer for a while, he takes me up to a small barn behind his house, pulls out a large sack, and offers me two giant handfuls of freshly picked marijuana buds!

I start laughing, thanking him for his generosity, but explain that there’s no way I can bring his gift back into the United States with me.

But because I’m a polite guy, I accept a few flowers so he isn’t offended.

This man isn’t some murderous cartel member, he’s just a friendly, impoverished farmer trying to make a living for his family with very limited opportunities.

Making Friends in Town

More & More Ridiculous

So while the whole cartel situation had me feeling pretty nervous, this next part was the scariest moment of the whole few days I was down there.

My comfort level had been improving. I was getting used to chatting with cartel members each day. Maybe too comfortable.

One evening, a young Mexican guy dressed like a rodeo cowboy walks into the home-based restaurant where I’m eating dinner.

He’s wearing a pair of beautiful, very fancy white-handled revolvers on his hip. Like right out of your typical Spaghetti Western movie.

A heavily armed bodyguard wearing a bullet-proof vest waits for him outside.

We happily chat for a minute in Spanish, asking how I like the food, before they both disappear into the darkness of night. This is seriously feeling like I’m caught in the middle of a movie.

On another occasion, I watch a team of five armed men loading blue 55-gallon drums of something from a truck into a guarded building.

Weed? Opium poppies? Human remains dissolving in acid? My imagination starts to run wild…

Sinaloa Cartel Members (Faces Censored for Safety)

Getting The Shot

I REALLY wanted a photo of one of these guys. No one would believe all this happened to me unless I had a photo!

So the next morning, I cut a small hole into the side of my backpack and tape a GoPro inside. My plan is to use “time-lapse” mode, quietly shooting photos automatically as I walk past them.

However as I approach, I decide to stop and chat. With my adrenaline pumping, I simply ask them directly. Pointing at the camera around my neck. What’s the worst that could happen?

“¿Puedo tomar tu retrato?” (Can I take your portrait?) – Me

“Jajaja… no.” – Cartel Dude #1

“Please? My American friends back home would love to see your big gun. I can leave your face out of it if you’d like.” – Me

“Jajaja… no. But you can get a photo of my amigo here.” – Cartel Dude #1

So, without thinking about the consequences, I aim my wide-angle lens at the truck driver sitting next to him. *CLICK*

Cartel Dude #1 is in the photo too, but just doesn’t realize it.

Immediately I start to panic — internally. What if he asks to see the photo? That was so dumb! I’m going to get myself killed. Maybe I can quickly use the zoom button before showing it to him…

Fortunatley he never asks — and just assumes the camera wasn’t aimed his way.

I try to act normal, end the conversation, and walk off down the road contemplating just how stupid that was.

I think it’s time for me to leave this town.

Patrolling the Village

Mexico’s Remote Golden Triangle

Cartel Wars In The Mountains

As someone who has spent almost 2 years of my life both living and traveling through Mexico, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s one of my favorite countries.

I certainly don’t want my story to scare you from visiting Mexico. This is NOT a typical Mexican vacation experience.

I specifically went out of my way to visit a remote area that isn’t very safe. Even for the Copper Canyon itself — if you stay on the normal tourist trail you’ll be fine.

However if you venture off-grid in this region, there’s a lot of sh*t going on.

Mexico is an amazing and beautiful destination, but like any country, it can also be a dangerous one if you go looking for danger.

Golden Triangle In Flames Again (Borderland Beat)

Extreme Race in the Shadow of Extreme Danger (New York Times)

Drug Gangs Delay Sierra Trail Riders (My San Antonio)

One particular story that shook me recently was the murder of North Carolina teacher Patrick Braxton-Andrew, who was visiting a similar remote village in the same region last year.

That one hit close to home. A curious traveler looking for adventure, trying to get off the beaten path, exploring a dangerous area on his own… mistaken for a DEA agent and shot.

When I first started traveling, I did many risky and stupid things seeking that addictive jolt of adrenaline. Hell, I haven’t completely cured myself of it even now!

Luckily everything has turned out ok so far, and I have some pretty incredible memories and stories to show for it.

But that isn’t always the case for everyone.

My Scariest Travel Story

I’m not sure if there is a lesson in this story. Maybe there are many.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes? Young people traveling with no responsibilities often take unnecessary risks for fun? Don’t be an idiot like me?

I’m sure I’ll be judged and ridiculed a bit for writing about this. That’s ok. It happened, and I have to live with it. I’m probably lucky to be living at all…

Have you ever done anything stupid like this while traveling? Taken on too much risk? Gotten yourself into a sticky situation that you regret later?

Frequent travelers have this insufferable tendency to “one-up” each other’s travel stories — and this one is mine. The one I share at bars after a few drinks.

Now it’s your turn to share.

Take a minute to quickly describe your scariest/dumb travel story.

If only to make me feel like I’m not the only one out there who’s done something stupid on the road…

Maybe we can turn it into a guide on “what-not-to-do while traveling.” ★

READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

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What’s your scariest travel story? Have you ever done something dangerous or stupid while traveling? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://expertvagabond.com/scary-travel-story-cartel/