It's the last straw. One tv show too many warning Americans about the dangers of Mexico.
Last night ... Greta Van Susteren, in her closing interview with a reporter from USNews, let the guy ramble on about gunfire, missing heads, grenades, murders, kidnappings and all the bloody things that will scare every tourist available away from Mexico.
Greta, Greta, Greta ... you are better than that. You could have asked him questions about specific crimes, the cause, are tourist areas in danger, is Cancun safe for spring break, comparison of Mexican crime vs. US crime.
Only at the last second did Greta ask him if the problems were all over Mexico. He had to admit that, no, many areas are safe.
Go tell that to your friends and neighbors. Many areas are safe. Yes, there is a US government advisory warning tourists of the dangers in Mexico. Yes, there is a narco vs. good guys war going on. But most of Mexico is not involved.
From our small, peaceful fishing village of San Pancho, on the Pacific, an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, the violence is far away, generally along the US/Mexico border. Generally among members of rival drug cartels or between the military and the cartels.
North of Puerto Vallarta there is a military checkpoint, where armed soldiers choose which cars and trucks to search for drugs or guns. Occasionally we see truckloads of soldiers heading north to the border, but otherwise we live without worrying about violence.
Every major city in the US has dangerous areas that you just don't go to and Mexico has areas that you just don't go to, if you use your common sense. Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Nuevo Laredo. Don't go there. And don't get involved in using drugs, or guns, in Mexico--both are illegal.
Remember these three things ... the guns and weapons used in this drug war are generally provided by illegal gun-runners in the US ... the drugs that are so incredibly valuable that cartels are fighting for control of the trade are destined for the US ... and, the Mexican president has declared war on the narcos, a laudable goal but a cause of additional violence.
Oh, yes, remember this fourth thing ... most of Mexico is a safe place to visit.