Everyone sees neighborhood watch programs as good things. It seems silly not to know if crack cocaine is being cooked up in the house next door or if the home through the block is a hotbed of gang activity.

The problem is, on a larger scale, we keep our heads in the sand.

Right now, Mexico is fighting one of the most important battles in its history. President Felipe Calderon is determined to clean the Mexican gutters of drug lords and narco-terrorists. Drug trafficking has spilled into the United States to the point that our national security may depend on Mexico getting a handle on the situation.

But how many Americans are paying attention? How many know what's going on?

How many Americans know that the drug runners took the violence to a new level on Tuesday — targeting not only local police officers but agents of the Mexican federal government? Some 12 government agents investigating organized crime in the country were kidnapped, tortured, killed and left to rot beside a mountain highway earlier this week.

Imagine 12 FBI agents being kidnapped and killed by gangs in your neighborhood.

It would spur outrage.

But here's the kicker. Mexico is your national neighborhood, and its drug trade is fueled by huge demands from drug-addicted Americans.

The United States is funneling funds and technology to Mexico where needed. But unless American citizens become more informed about the consequences of the Mexican government losing control of the situation, they may wake up to find themselves living in some apocalyptic nightmare.

We encourage Americans to learn all they can about the goings on along the border and to weigh in with their elected officials to let them know they can't let the narco-war escalate and move north.

For now, many on this side of the river are content to say, "It's not our concern." But that's the same attitude that allows crack houses and prostitution to pop up in the middle of well-groomed neighborhoods.

It was once said that "As General Motors goes, so goes the United States." Today the expression might be "As Mexico goes, so goes the United States."

Learn what you can, help where you can and keep the light beamed on the cockroaches who are determined to not only ruin the lives of Mexicans, but ruin the lives of all Americans, as well.