At least they are legal...

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Posted by Jim S on March 03, 2009 at 18:43:16

Good for a laugh....

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/DN-sellingsouthside_01int.ART.State.Edition1.4acdc63.html#

Some Mexicans fear threat to way of life with rapid growth of American residents

12:00 AM CST on Sunday, March 1, 2009

Alfredo Corchado

Not everyone is rolling out the welcome mat to Americans. Many Mexicans complain about the rapid growth of the American population in their neighborhoods, the threat they see to Mexican culture and language, and the possible drain on Mexico's inexpensive health care.

In San Miguel de Allende, the group Basta Ya is protesting the erosion of the language and the rising cost of living generated by the infusion of dollars into the local economy.

"They think Mexico, especially San Miguel de Allende, is an extension of their country," group member Arturo Morales Tirado said of the Americans who call San Miguel home. "It's not and won't be, no way."

Others are fuming over what they consider to be the privatization of beach land. Under Mexican law, beaches are federal land and are open to the public.

A group of women in Nayarit state routinely demonstrates against posh hotels, some of which assign armed guards to keep all but guests away.

"We're not against Americans," said Marielza Izurieta Valery, president of United Women for the Banderas Bay. "We're against big corporations, many of them from the United States, taking our beaches away."

Some Americans, aware of the potential problems, are making an effort to participate more fully in their adopted country.

In San Pancho, Nicole Swedlow, a 34-year-old transplant from California and single mother of two, began a nonprofit organization aimed at building ties between Americans and Mexicans, with donations coming mostly from U.S. retirees.

"The last thing I want to see is an extension of California deep into Mexico, where Mexicans are priced out of their own communities," Ms. Swedlow said. "It's our obligation to ensure that we build bridges, learn their language and celebrate their culture. We need to learn to coexist."

Alfredo Corchado


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