Dear America,

 "Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship

with All Nations -- entangling alliances with none."

Thomas Jefferson

"Observe good faith and justice toward all nations.  Cultivate peace and harmony with all.  Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it?  It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant period, a great nation to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice an benevolence."
George Washington

"Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence, I conjure you to believe me, fellow citizens, the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.  But that jealousy, to be useful, must be impartial, else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided instead of a defense against it." Washington

"The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible.  So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith.  Here let us stop."  Washington

To yesterday,

"We can do so if we create a safer border, a border that will unite us instead of dividing us, uniting our people -- We can do so with a community that will promote a dignified life in an orderly way for both our countries."  Mexican President Felipe Calderon

The South Lawn was the scene, along with Mexican and U.S. flags flapping together like the mexican hat dance, with the props of cheering school children, waving the two Presidents on, for the moment of greatness and grandeur to poetically and politically ensue.

"I say to you and to the Mexican people: Let us stand together,"

Mexican--Muslim -African-American President

 Barrack Hussein [Jesus, pron. hay-suse] Obama

We have apparently skipped over securing the border to just tearing down the wall, what's left of it anyway.

Along with the recent escapades in China -- starring our very own U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Michael Posner -- discussing Arizona's law as a "troubling trend," ripe with "issues of discrimination" with a rogue dictator nation who gets it's kicks starving and murdering their own, atrocities in Tibet, and issues of forced abortion, if heaven forbid a woman has not conceived a boy, or for population control, along with the day to day reality that if anyone who might cross it's borders be subject to hard labor for life, or even immediate death -- we seem to be taking our foreign policy to a whole new level of kiss ass all around the world.

Did America slip into some kind of black hole? If we hadn't just emasculated our space program, I would have thought we had fallen into some kind of perverse universe, or something.  Or maybe I'm just getting dazed and confused by the nation's slip and slide into Margaritaville.

Hello?  Hola, anyone seen America?  I know she's around here somewhere.

You know, an American cannot buy any property in Mexico, ever.  The closest thing you can get to a stucco-ing your own mi casa es su casa is a 99 year lease -- and even that has it's own caveats and idiosyncrasies.  It's Mexico.

A gringo cannot go to Mexico, without perhaps an attorney these days -- just in case the Federales throw you in jail just for looking like a stupid American.  The police are renowned for just pulling you over and hauling you into jail -- oh unless, you have a handsome Benjamin  lying around.  Then, you may get lucky.

For years, Americans have crossed the border down south, crossing their fingers that everybody behaves and nobody looks at you funny...as minding your p's and q's is ratcheted up to a whole 'nother level.

If you go, you need to know Spanish and the current exchange rate; otherwise, you could be taken for a ride -- whether it is just in a taxi, dinner, or the ceramic Elvis you just had to have.

If you go, some may say, an American risks his life nowadays -- what with the drug wars and gang violence. 

The truth is, it was always a concern, even twenty years ago; as an American, you always had to be aware of your surroundings, know where you are going, and appear to blend in without causing any trouble.  That's just the way it was -- and is today, albeit worse, if it could ever really be. 

As crazy as it may sound, it was all about respect...the same sentiment of when in Rome, when in Rosarito -- if you come with respect, honoring the culture, and obeying the laws and your inherent responsibility of adhering to them at the very intersection of time crossing over the line, no worries.

My home-girls and I would venture down to an Americanized compound just south of Rosarito, called Las Gaviotas, buenos dias mucho.  Again, you could buy a homestead there, just never really own it.  The government could take it from you at any time -- and sometimes they did.  Even for people who had property south of the border for a generation, or two; even for people who spent years hand tiling their floors and mantels, searching out furnishings of leather and fine wood, hanging plates and art pieces to their freshly whitewashed walls.  It was just an understanding between communities; no harm was ever really meant, I think.
The best thing was just sitting on the deck catching the soft ocean breeze with tequila and lime, eating ceviche tostadas, basking in the abundance of sunshine on Mexican time, with not a care in the world.
 
The people of Mexico have actually loved Americans coming down -- and possibly still do, just I haven't crossed the border now in years.  But if my memory serves me well, and I truly believe it does, the taco stands were always a mix of gringos and the neighborhood, enjoying the same carne asada with cilantro, guacamole and lime together, in a unique blend of culture and camaraderie.  They needed us as much as we needed them, and there was no border line in-between us.
 
Calderon has called for us to basically "unite" our borders now -- as if asking, in some kind of off-beat way, to disregard there ever was one.  Ahh si, who needs a border...borders divide us...they stand for bad will....they discriminate...and offer no help to the Mexican people whatsoever. 
 
And then there goes our very own President of the United States of America, saying si, I agree, let us "stand together" as one nation, indivisible, under God, tell the clergy everyone -- uniting church and state now with every sense of the word, elevating another liberal universe where wonders never cease...but that which we will save for discussion for another day.
 
Our nation is becoming globalized and politicized with the rest of the world -- and I do believe, if Washington or Jefferson were sitting at the taco stand next to us today, they would muster their best Spanish and say, 'no comprende senior' at the top of their lungs -- or maybe, 'mi casa es mi casa immedioso' when you are ready to respect mi case, beinvenidos, until then, adios. 
 
For perhaps they knew then, what may be, far more than we know now -- the revelation that politics and tequila do not mix (just as politics with Saki; just as politics and Ouzo; just as politics and Vodka; just as politics with Limoncello; just as politics with Champagne; just as politics with a yummy Amber Ale -- which is ironically back to where we started.) 
 
Make it a Grande Bueno Day, G
 
You know what's funny, part of southern california's electricity may get cut off -- if you don't here from me for a few days, you will know why...  apparently, given the LA/SD Boycotts of Arizona, a place most notable in this moment to give us our lights and refrigeration among many other creature comforts and favorite things -- THEY may boycott business back.  Too funny.

And just to be clear -- I love Mexico -- adore the culture -- and for a little bit of TMI, was actually conceived in Mexico, as the romance is told.  I say viva la Mexico, but not at the exception of our very own America.  Yes we can secure our southern border, with the same level of adherence and discipline and regulation as every other nation -- of course with a whole lot more compassion and human rights thrown in, unlike China, or North Korea, or North Vietnam, or Iran...just saying.