As if they didn’t have anything better to do, yesterday Mexico’s federal police arrested two foreign journalist for public urination. NPR journalist John Burnett and CBC journalist Bruce Livesey were on their way back to Juárez to continue covering the ceaseless killing and violence and lawlessness when they allegedly stopped to partake in some of their own by peeing on the side of the highway. They were arrested.
The reporters, who said they hadn’t seen any police during their entire time in the region, explained to the officers that they were journalists, but the officers did not believe them and they were brought in for booking. They were freed hours later.
Good job, Mexico. Maybe after you’re done rounding up all the scofflaw journalists, you can start figuring out what happened to all the ones that are dead.
This is of course not a defense of the arrests, but I noticed quickly after arriving that anglos are much more casual about urinating in public than Mexicans. One of things people always complain about with the spring breakers is the pissing wherever they please. But even in a normal house party, if you were to walk over to an unoccupied tree because the line to the bathroom was long, if people saw you they’d be pretty horrified, I found. I was lucky enough to avoid offending anyone unintentionally, but I had a coworker who arrived with me who was socially ostracized because he peed on a wall during a party. It always made me think of the Pulp Fiction “little differences” speech.
That’s pretty funny. In Costa Rica (and Nicaragua, in my more limited experience) people piss where ever they want pretty much. Interesting that Mexico is different.
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As if they didn’t have anything better to do, yesterday Mexico’s federal police arrested two foreign journalist for public urination. NPR journalist John Burnett and CBC journalist Bruce Livesey were on their way back to Juárez to continue covering the ceaseless killing and violence and lawlessness when they allegedly stopped to partake in some of their own by peeing on the side of the highway. They were arrested.
The Nation has a long, wonky, wonderful article on Mexican maize cultivation, the effects of NAFTA, and the dangers of genetically-modified seeds. Author Peter Canby backs up his excellent writing with piles and piles of meticulous research. Not to be missed. [
Hitmen have assassinated the PRI candidate for governor of Tamaulipas State, Rodolfo Torre Cantú. Torre was gunned down along with six others at about 10:30 this morning on a highway on the way to a campaign event. Drug mafias are assumed to be responsible. [
2 Comments
This is of course not a defense of the arrests, but I noticed quickly after arriving that anglos are much more casual about urinating in public than Mexicans. One of things people always complain about with the spring breakers is the pissing wherever they please. But even in a normal house party, if you were to walk over to an unoccupied tree because the line to the bathroom was long, if people saw you they’d be pretty horrified, I found. I was lucky enough to avoid offending anyone unintentionally, but I had a coworker who arrived with me who was socially ostracized because he peed on a wall during a party. It always made me think of the Pulp Fiction “little differences” speech.
That’s pretty funny. In Costa Rica (and Nicaragua, in my more limited experience) people piss where ever they want pretty much. Interesting that Mexico is different.