Dear Sir,
Reporter headline: “Putting the record straight, Chapala expats debunk mass exodus myth: ‘We’re staying put.’”
Article summary: A few people including realtors put a happy face on matters based on narrow personal observations.
Facts and statistics cited, exodus or no exodus: None.
Lake Chapala Society spokesman: There’s violence in Seattle and Toronto, too, as well as in Jalisco.
Myth debunked?
None of us want to live in fear for ourselves or our Mexican neighbors. It’s understandable that we’re all hoping for better times to come for Lakeside communities, especially those of us who aren’t planning to move away, or can’t. So perhaps a feel-good article’s time has come.
However, considering the recent horrendous and tragic events at Lakeside that devastated Mexican families and horrified the rest of us – indeed bringing some expats to consider leaving the area – it seems especially callous for the LCS president to resort to that meaningless and inane “crime is everywhere” comment (as he did also in recent CNN coverage). As someone who is called on to speak for an expat organization, he would do well to prepare a more insightful comment for future interviews, one that speaks to the reality of our particular circumstances.
Thetis Reeves, Ajijic