BY GUSTAVO ARELLANO
Dear Readers: So your presidential candidate lost (congratulations; McBama! Our condolences, O’Cain. Damn early deadlines …), and you can’t bear the thought of living under his reign for the next cuatro years. Fear not: the other side of America’s bullshit sandwich will save you! The Mexican hereby turns this column over to his Canadian fans — but first, a comment about my two-weeks-old column explaining Mexico’s love for Clamato:
It was true moment of bookending the United States with Mexico and Canada that I read that Mexicans enjoy Clamato the way Canadians do. The True North Strong and Free has a favoured drink (the Caesar) made with Clamato. It is similar to a Bloody Mary, but way, way better — and spicy, to boot! So don’t wonder so much that Mexicans love Clamato, but instead wonder why Americans do not love it as much as both of their neighbours.
Quebecois Cutie
Gracias, Hoser, for your comment. Now, on to la question:
Dear Mexican: Here in Canada, we have a huge problem with illegals coming up from the south, mainly to escape Bush or for our free health care. The solution is inspired by the same damned Yankees that we need to keep out: build a big wall. Problem is, we could never get enough people to build a wall like that. Do you think we can get some Mexicans to help us build this wall? Please make sure there are some single hotties in the group — I would love to have a Mexican novio.
Canadian Gringita
Dear Hoser: Por supuesto. And with your generous offer, I think Mexicans can finally get over their hatred of the proposed U.S.-Mexico border muro. Let’s wall those gabachos in, compañeros. Let’s deny them our cheap labor and chalupas and Canada’s affordable medicine. You betcha gabachos would make more incursions across both of our fences than a Sidney Crosby-shot hockey puck past a goalie.
There was a sports controversy in Australia (because here, sports rates above the drought). Cricket authorities banned the Mexican Wave (what Americans call “The Wave”) from major sporting events because apparently people would get hit by any stray object flying out of people’s hands while performing said Wave. I know the Wave first received international notice during the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, but Wikipedia says it might’ve been created in Vancouver for a marketing campaign for a soccer team called the Whitecaps. So, wouldn’t it be called the Canadian Wave? Because Wikipedia says the Commonwealth refer to it as the Mexican Wave. At least, that’s how I read it.
Confused and Nasally Congested
Dear Aussie: Finally, the Mexican has found a dumber race than Guatemalans! Relying on Wikipedia for your information is like relying on a Mexican to handle immigration policy. No one knows the true origins of the Wave, except that Mexico didn’t create the crowd-stretcher — the earliest reference I could find for it in the Nexis database was a June 1, 1986 Toronto Star dispatch from that year’s World Cup calling the Mexican wave an “odious North American import.” As to why the English-speaking world except the U.S. refers to this sporting phenomenon as the Mexican Wave … do I really have to answer that pregunta?
Being from Canada, most of our Mexican knowledge comes to us second-hand through the U.S. media. What we always hear about are the jobs that are refused by Americans, yet sought (or endured) by Mexicans. But are there any jobs Mexicans won’t touch, whether for cultural reasons or others? What jobs do Mexicans take that other Mexicans look down on them for?
Canuck Needs News
Dear CNN: Newspaper columnist.
Get all your Mexican fun at myspace.com/ocwab, youtube.com/askamexicano, or send your questions to themexican@askamexican.net!
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519