How Bad is the Violence in Mexico?

Tony Horwitz Blogs From the Road

The International Banana Club: One Appealing Museum

France Mulls Breathalyzers at Late-Night Bars

Tony Horwitz: Rediscovering the New World

Ben Keene talks to the author of the new book “A Voyage Long and Strange” about travel, American myths and the importance of visiting places where “history happened”

In Patagonia, In Patagonia

Tim Patterson packs his fleece and long underwear, and enters the Twilight Zone where corporate branding meets the multilayered reality of place. 

Should I Quit Law School so I can Travel the World?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

‘The Worst Guidebook Writer Ever’?

Lonely Planet author Robert Reid reviews Thomas Kohnstamm’s “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” and weighs in on the controversy surrounding it

Have a Hockey Night in Canada

From Montreal to Sault Ste. Marie, the sport is the country’s greatest passion. Eva Holland explains where to go to indulge—and who you need to know.

Promised Land Closed

And other odd and unlikely signs from around the world. Aficionado Doug Lansky, editor of the book “Signspotting,” recounts his 10 favorites.

10 Sizzling Hot Travel Tips From Sir Francis Bacon

Rolf Potts repackages the 17th century philosopher’s ‘Of Travel’ essay in the manner of a 21st century magazine feature

Absolut on How to Lose Customers with Historical Maps

I guess people don’t know their own history.  We piss on people all over the world but I guess most people don’t know what to do when it hits them in the face.  It wasn’t an add meant for the US and since we stuck our nose where it wasn’t meant we got our panties up in a bunch.  WELL how you doin’?  Read up on a little history and find out how that part of what was Mexico now the US.  Here’s the doozy...don’t read an American history book or for that matter a Mexican history bopok either.  Read a history book from a nuetral country so everyone can find out the REAL truth.  How you doin’?

The last semi-literate comment notwithstanding, Americans have every right to be put off by this ad, as would any self-respecting citizens.  Nationalism, escpecially of the historical territorial-grievance variety, is a double edged sword, and to leverage it for advertising purposes is foolish in the extreme.  It sets a bad precedent (Absolut Kosovo in Greater Serbia?  Absolut Koenigsberg and Silesia in Greater Germany?  Absolut Vilnius in Poland?).  And if one objects that we don’t in fact see these type of advertisements, that begs the question - why is it ok to exclusively use the United States as the butt of such fanciful jests, but no other country?  IF anti-Americanism is to be used as a selling point, then it is indeed good that Americans know about it, and they are free to ignore, cheer (as many of our more deranged do), sneer at, or boycott the ad campaign and product in question.  Its not a question of ‘sticking our noses in some one else’s business’, but of taking advandage of the free flow of information and making our choices - the essence of liberal capitalism.

If you get your panties in a bunch over an ad for vodka that ran in a different country, you seriously need to lighten up.

This country seriously needs to quit taking itself so seriously.  It was a joke.  Not only that but as the first poster stated it was a joke that actually has some historical accuracy to it… that area of the U.S. really did used to belong to Mexico.

Let’s face it, it really would be an “Absolut World” for Mexico if they never lost that territory to the United States.  But they did.  We own it now.  They aren’t getting it back.  So quit getting so upset over a clever ad campaign.

I tell ya. We Americans need to lighten up. The ad was brilliant!!!!!!!!!!
ABSOLUT BRILLIANCE!
Once again, we as Americans have shown how ignorant we really are. The ad was not for the US market! Is anyone in the world entitled to their opinion???? Must everyone conform to the US way of thinking? To those who are offended pleas pick up a history book and have a good read. I think that ABSOLUT should LEAVE the AD RUNNING

Great info, i appreciate your creative way of writing

Three Facts for all Americans:

All people living in the American Continent ARE Americans.

All Mexicans are just as North Americans as the gringos who came much later in history.

And third, there is no such thing as “the Mexican American War” because, as everyone shall know, war can only be realized when BOTH countries in conflict declare war on each otner; Mexico NEVER did. So, the United States of America INVADED Mexico and took half of our country ILLEGALLY.

We are getting our land back!!! (little by little)…

Stop having tortilla chips and dip after work, lose weight, and learn the true US history.

Sincerely,

One of 30 million-plus Mexicans already in our northern territories.

Oh, please.  Mexico was a chaotic despotism throughout much of its history, and given its bordering a vital and expanding power like the United States the inevitable happened. In any case, Mexico owned the land in question for 15 years in the case of Texas, and 24 years for the rest, which does not constitute a claim in perpetuity, as any adult will tell you.  Or do you reconquista types claim that Mexico has a claim on the entire former Spanish Empire in the western hemisphere? 

I find it distasteful in the extreme that people who are enjoying the benefits of (presumably) living in the United States spout this ungrateful nonsense.  But in the end, these are the cries of spoiled children who have not the slightest historical or geopolitical sophistication. This is emotionally driven self-esteem as history, and no words can condemn it strongly enough.

As far as the ‘it’s just a vodka ad’ goes, it is a vodka ad that leverages anti-americanism and nationalistic territorial grievance.  How difficult is this to understand?

anti-americanism??

First, America is a continent, not a country!

The ad was run in Mexico, and we did own that territory at some point in our history, so, what is so anti-US about it?

If anything is pro-Mexico campaign run in Mexico! what’s wrong with that? 

And no, thankfully I do not live in your country(U.S.A. not America).

I’m a US citizen and this ad made me chuckle. I see nothing offensive in it, particularly as it wasn’t even marketed to my own country.

David siad: “Oh, please.  Mexico was a chaotic despotism throughout much of its history, and given its bordering a vital and expanding power like the United States the inevitable happened.”

Ah yes, Manifest Destiny. Substitute Shonaland for Mexico and South Africa for the United States. Or try China and Japan. The little brown or black or yellow people couldn’t govern themselves properly so, sigh, we will have to take over and civilize them.

Chill out, it’s an AD, not a historical polemic.