People constantly ask me if I felt safe living in Mexico and the response is always the same - 'If you use your natural common sense you have no need to worry'. It is sad to hear how often Mexico is slagged in the media as an unsafe place to visit, especially with so much of their economy based on our tourism dollars, when in reality the majority of people and places are warm and welcoming. The reporter Linda Ellerbee has a similar perspective living both in Vallarta and in New York:
'The U.S. media tend to lump all of Mexico into one big bad bowl. Talking about drug violence in Mexico without naming a state or city where this is taking place is rather like looking at the horror of Katrina and saying, "Damn. Did you know the U.S. is under water?" or reporting on the shootings at Columbine or the bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City by saying that kids all over the U.S. are shooting their classmates and all the grownups are blowing up buildings. The recent rise in violence in Mexico has mostly occurred in a few states, and especially along the border. It is real, but it does not describe an entire country.'
To read the whole article click here (and make Mexico your next vacation destination!).
