As a Boomer, I long for the innocence and simplicity of the 1950s. Recently I wrote about how unfair it was for the State Department to issue a travel advisory for Mexico, have it broadcast on every major network and cable news program and plastered hourly on radio news on every channel. The warning stressed that 131 Americans were killed in Mexico last year. Of course they stopped right there.What they failed to report was that 130 of those Americans were dual citizenship Hispanics also tied to the drug trade. I railed on the unfairness of smearing Mexico with half a statement. This government seems to be hell bent on keeping Americans and American dollars out of Mexico.
I figured OK, it’s legitimate after all.
I was watching the news channels recently and everyone reported that 22 Americans were held up by gunpoint in, of all places, placid and mellow Puerto Vallarta. Those Americans were there on a Carnival Cruise Ship excursion.
Apparently it was a setup. The excursion guide took the passengers off the planned tour route and when the bus stopped for them to take a hike in the forests of the Sierra Madres, a masked gunman came out of nowhere and had everyone give up their money — everyone except the excursion guide.
No one was attacked and no one was hurt, much less killed. Nonetheless, front page news in America. Even Bill O’Reilly of Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” had a segment on it and again warned Americans about traveling to Mexico.
I’m just wondering if anyone heard of the 16 students who were held hostage and robbed while in their church group study in Gainesville Fla.? It happened March 1. I didn’t think so.
There’s a lot of stuff going on that us lowly citizens are not privy to. Something doesn’t smell right but the government-backed press did its job. It scared people from going to Mexico again and that’s what they want.
Believe me, I live part time in Puerto Vallarta and it is such a joy whenever I am there.
On a lighter note: I was golfing with my friend, Dr. Don Brooks, noted longtime dentist in La Jolla and Pacific Beach. We were just talking between shots at Shadowridge Country Club. Don said he was talking recently with Jake Perkheiser, famed starter at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Jake educated Don on the difference between Texas and California.
Apparently, in California (you, the taxpayer) spends a couple million dollars a year on environmental studies and reports about the negative effects of coyotes on humans. Then it spends a couple million more on the effect of humans on coyotes and together how to deal with the burgeoning population of the species.
No wonder we’re seeing an exodus of Californians and a surge of migration into Texas. It’s called common sense — enough with the bureaucracy, already. We’re sinking in red tape and we’re broke.
Just maybe I’ll be writing from that dastardly Puerto Vallarta next time while sipping on a margarita next to my palapa. I wonder if the beach T-shirt vendor will rob me. If so, I might be infamous as the event will likely end up on the network and cable nightly news. Sigh.
