| Is the Press biased when it comes to reporting about | | | | stark contrast to this, Rosarito beach had ZERO |
| dangers in Mexico? In our opinion, yes, it is. There is | | | | persons killed over that same period and Tijuana had |
| no doubt that Mexico is having problems right now, | | | | THREE - all related to drug crimes. |
| but does that really affect the average student, | | | | While living in the United States we experienced the |
| tourist or investor? | | | | fear of going to McDonalds or the mall, or worrying |
| Recently there were shootings during Mardi Gras in | | | | that some deranged individual would take a gun to |
| New Orleans that were not widely reported in the | | | | school and start shooting innocent children. We lived |
| US media. Yet CNN on the same day ran a report of | | | | through "Freeway Rage" where innocent people |
| three drug dealers killed in Mexico. After that, more | | | | were shot and some were killed. We sat in front of |
| warnings were released advising tourists and | | | | the television in horror while the news reported |
| students to stay away from Mexico. Should there | | | | killings in high schools and government offices. In all of |
| have been warnings to the same groups to stay out | | | | these cases innocent people were hurt or killed. |
| of New Orleans? | | | | In Mexico, almost all of the shootings are taking place |
| The recent news has once again injured northern | | | | between drug dealers or between police and the |
| Baja's tourist trade by repeating old news that, in | | | | drug cartel. The U.S. also has its share of drug related |
| most cases, happened a year ago. At the same time, | | | | shootings but they are commonly referred to as |
| reporters are saying little to nothing about the | | | | "Drive bys." |
| shootings during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Why | | | | Obviously some of the news about Mexico is |
| didn't the shootings in New Orleans make a bigger | | | | accurate, and we are not going to deny that |
| splash in the US media? According to Bob Johnson, | | | | innocent people are killed in Mexico, but it is not to |
| general manager of the Ernest N. Morial Convention | | | | the extent the U.S. media makes it out to be. It is |
| Center-New Orleans, it would be an unfair tactic, | | | | upsetting and hurtful to watch what is presented by |
| because crime is a problem in most metropolitan | | | | the press, especially knowing that family and friends, |
| cities. "I'm not sure why New Orleans is picked on," | | | | in addition to the millions of other individuals watching |
| Johnson said. "Certainly New Orleans doesn't have a | | | | the news, may actually believe what they are |
| corner on the crime market. Other cities are as bad | | | | hearing. |
| or approaching as bad with street crime." | | | | We both live full time in the Rosarito/Ensenada area |
| Still, cities that compete with New Orleans convention | | | | and are not afraid to walk the streets, visit our |
| business and leisure travel may try to use the Mardi | | | | favorite restaurants, go shopping, go to the movies, |
| Gras incident and the city's other crime problems to | | | | or go to any government agency. We feel safe. We |
| try to persuade visitors not to visit. See the full story | | | | love both the United States and Mexico. It's like |
| at Many cities in Mexico, such as Rosarito, Ensenada | | | | having two very different children that you love the |
| and Tijuana are already suffering greatly from the | | | | same but for different reasons. We hope that no |
| exaggerated media reports. | | | | one ever encounters the horrors discussed above |
| A recent report in the Los Angeles Times stated | | | | and we invite you to visit our Mexico and enjoy the |
| that Los Angeles had 130 murders by gunshot over | | | | sun, the food and the wonderful people. |
| the period from January 1 to March 9, 2009 ( In | | | | |