It's a place where a bulletproof vest is part of a priest's wardrobe. This is Michoacan, Mexico.<br /> <br />Vigilantes are taking up arms as they attempt to fight off the Knights Templar drug cartel.<br /> <br />The drug ring has a firm grip on the state, which is an impoverished agricultural area -- and has a major port.<br /> <br />The vigilantes are creating roadblocks on highways with guns in hand -- refusing government orders to disarm.<br /> <br />They check the vehicles passing through for cartel members.<br /> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MASKED UNIDENTIFIED VIGILANTE SAYING:<br /> <br />"Not one bullet fired from any gun. Everything was done in peace."<br /> <br />A priest describes the extent of the violence caused by the drug rings.<br /> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FATHER GREGORIO LOPEZ SAYING:<br /> <br />"I am here to defend the poor for the thousands of orphans that we have. There are more than 1,000 people dead in this region. There have been some 300 and a fraction kidnappings, disappeared. We have ranches, more than 400
