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Wild life

Down Mexico way

Aidan Hartley

Wednesday, 12th December 2007

Aidan Hartley heads to the US-Mexico border

Nogales, Mexico

After the purgatory of Arizona, I was so happy to cross the Mexico frontier I could have French-kissed the filthy streets. It was just like home in Africa. Meat tasted like meat and meals were eaten to a joyous soundtrack of buzzing bluebottles. Stray dogs basked in sunshine among wrecked cars as music cascaded down streets. Maidens had nice, healthy bottoms and men were encouraged to whistle their appreciation. We drank beers in Sonora’s desert air and Our Lady of Guadalupe stared down kindly on all her Catholic sinners. Oh happy, happy Mexico!

Arizona, by contrast, was beyond dreadful. ‘We’re the skin-cancer capital of the world,’ they said to me proudly. I asked, can boredom or American TV give you cancer? Or hormone-injected chicken? Or does American food let you off with just a pair of bitch tits and an involuntary sex change?

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graham

December 14th, 2007 6:07am

Let me get this right. America is awful - Mexico is great. Tell me again which way the human tide is flowing across the Rio Grande? Typical tereotyped b/s that could have been written by a pimply-faced student activist.

Patrick, Boston

December 15th, 2007 2:29am

"More people have entered the US from the desert than ever came through Staten Island." Immigrants came to the United States through ELLIS Island, not Staten Island. If you're going to unfairly disparage an entire country (or at least an entire State) you should at least get your facts straight. Also, is there no basic fact-checking at the Spectator? In any case, the narrow, corrupt, drug-dealing Mexican oligarchy, fresh from massacring thousands of students in 1968, and unwilling to give its people a "New Deal", is exporting its social problems north of the border. Why would you expect the primary victims of this strategy -- Americans living in border states -- to be supportive of this strategy? As a previous comment pointed out, if the land of stray dogs wandering the unpaved streets is so wonderful, why is the migrant flow all in one direction?

len chang

May 8th, 2008 10:26am

you love to tell how you enjoy the muck and mess of the third world. you also know that at any time you wish you can get away from it but not those who are trapped in the third world. stop posing as an african: you can't have the cake and eat it!

Grady St. Croix

August 15th, 2008 9:08pm

Usually I enjoy your writing because it paints a harsh but beautiful portrait of places that I have either never seen or not seen enough of. Your comments about Arizona and the people that live there belie a view that is both hateful and ignorant. I know it’s now fashionable for the Brits (or Colonists) to stereotype the U.S. and take shots at Americans whenever possible but I am disappointed to see you do it. In the last 20 years you and your countrymen have acquired this negative habit from the French, who have turned hating the United States into an art. Arizona and the other 49 states that make up this country – and its people -- are much more complex, beautiful, tragic and interesting than you have bothered to learn. Spend a little less time in our airports and resorts and discover the real America and the interesting people that live here. It will change your mind and challenge your stereotypes.