Ingenious cartels: These cartel guys are really smart. Good concept to use American gangbangers to run drugs and people into the United States.
They speak the lingo and can cross the border with ease, unless the Border Patrol knows their identities and turns them over to the cops who're looking for them. That element was never explained in the article — how they manage this when they're wanted (like Smiley). But manage they must, since Smiley had no trouble going back and forth and has eluded authorities for years.
Illuminating story about how trafficking from Mexico works and about the violence among those who do it.
Robert Ortiz, Los Angeles
No tears for Smiley: Law enforcement [officers] had Smiley and they let him go? They have nothing to complain about as he luxuriates in his heinous depravity.
And thus his carnage continues unabated. Anyone — girly-men, tissue queens, leotard lawyers? — mind if he is shot dead on sight?
Bob Johnson, Los Angeles
What about all the good Hispanic Americans?: Why spend your [journalistic] resources on someone who chose such a violent and negative path?
Unlike Smiley, there are many Hispanic Americans who have overcome extremely impoverished circumstances through dedication and perseverance. Their stories need to be known!
Roy Lorenz, Tucson
Staggering cruelty: What a thrill-a-minute yarn about the cartel hit man! The cruelty this guy displayed is staggering.
The video you ran with the story is up close and personal. "Smiley," indeed — like the grin from a dead skull.
Danny Dormer, Phoenix
The feds have failed: This story [demonstrates] that even Mexican-Americans often are scum. Isn't it just perfect that this guy, Smiley, makes his fame and fortune south of the border?!
It's really scary that he and his, um, friend were hiding in plain sight in swanky digs and were well liked by the well-heeled (I assume, white) people who lived near them.
Interesting yarn, which further shows what the federal government's failed border policy has wrought. Because the feds have failed, gangsters have developed crime syndicates to take advantage of the situation. Shameful.
Terry Carlson, Phoenix
When you lie down with dogs . . .: As long as gang-bangers want to kill each other, I fully support it. Every one of them shot means one less in our society.
The killing of the girlfriend was sad, but when you lie down with dogs, you're going to get fleas.
C. Randall, Mesa
Dopey dwarfs us with his, um, wit: This guy Smiley is an American institution. Liberals love the guy!
They like to make guys like him famous, write articles about them, raise their prestige. This guy would be perfect to run the jails.
New Times supports all liberals. It's proud to do its part. With a name like Smiley, he can be on Barack Obama's cabinet. Go, smiley! Liberals love you.
Dopey, Phoenix
Legalize drugs: Deporting all the immigrants will not solve cartel-violence problems. The best thing to combat these mafias is to bring drugs under control through legalization and then tax the living daylights out of the stuff.
Then, educate everyone about the dangers of these products, as the government does with tobacco and alcohol. This problem will persist as long as the money stays lucrative and it is easy to get rich quick.
Name withheld
We're speechless: This story is why we should implant a surveillance chip in every Mexican — so we can track them by satellite.
If we find a Mexican without a chip, we shoot him. Racial profiling is necessary to wipe out these kinds of criminal syndicates.
Name withheld
Hang 'em all: When are we going to learn that a piece of shit will be just that? Damn, what has America come to?
We all have an obligation to stop paying for the criminals/illegals in the United States. Hang the motherfucking criminals. Bring capital punishment back, and stop wasting taxpayer money!
Name withheld
Kudos to Brewer: This article illustrates why Governor Brewer is taking action to prevent Arizona from becoming another California. Those yahoos on the L.A. council who are boycotting want more Mexicans to come here. Then what?
Another cesspool like L.A.?
Further, it was not the Mexicans who settled the Southwest. It was the Spaniards, as well as people from England, Germany, and France. There was no such thing as a Mexican.
Name withheld
Smiley's fate: Hopefully the Mexican police will find Smiley's dead body at the bottom of a pit.
Name withheld
Torres was a psychopath: What a sad story. With that said, Oscar Torres played the gangster life. In my world, he's just another player with a gun who failed his family.
The one good thing about his death [at Smiley's hands]: He is no longer harming anyone. He was a criminal psychopath. Nothing more and nothing less.
Name withheld
