Maybe its me, but given the violence throughout Mexico with the Cartel wars and the fact that more deaths related to this war have occurred (28,228 since 2007) than in Iraq—is a gun to suck on really appropriate now? “Fun, guns, alcohol, liquor” are the actual search engine words for this product on-line. I understand that this is a commemorative limited edition tequila, meant to celebrate the 100th year of the Mexican Revolution, meant to sum up who we are as the children of that revolution–but, as represented here, is violence and aggression our only legacy?
I found other American blogs praising the coolness of this gun—“it’s even better than the titty mug”. Some posed for photographs with the rifle version, giving their most menacing sneer. I don’t know much about gun design, but this seems to be of a more contemporary style than of a 1910’s type. I know I am putting too much thought into this, but coming across a display of these Hijos de Villa Christmas gifts at Costco this week seemed downright insensitive to me. It feels as offensive as the Mexican sleeping under a sombrero—since after 100 years of struggle to stand on our feet and not live on our knees we are reminded in the news and through products like this that our machismo culture is destroying Mexico everyday. That this machismo violence is praised. To stick the dagger in deeper, this is not a product invented here, but is a creation right out of Jalisco, Mexico.
We are the commercial target of Hijos de Villa–because after 100 years of personal and social change we are perceived to crave fun, guns, alcohol, violence, combativeness, force, retaliation, and hostility. Whatever happen to Santa Clara Rompope for Christmas?
Santa Clara Rompope? What has done us more harm? The gun or the Catholic Church? Celebrate with neither this winter solstice !
True, FD. Probably many an indigenous mental f’ was planned by those priests and nuns as they toiled over a boiling pot of rompope.
“we are reminded in the news and through products like this that our machismo culture is destroying Mexico everyday.”
Wait until they start bottling corruption.
I always wonder what the United States’ role in the cartel wars is. Because I’m just not buying the oblivious, “let’s just keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn’t spill across the border” act. I believe our government is always paying attention to these things and seeing if there’s any political or even business ramifications to it. I seriously doubt some wealthy cartel guy sitting on mountains of U.S. and Mexican currency has no political agenda whatsoever. We don’t know anything about these cartels or their leaders, just that they’re evil and that they’re terrorists. (Where have we heard this before?) The only knowledge our government wants us to have of the cartels is that they are to be feared, period. Be very afraid. While I’m certainly afraid of any criminal organization that uses murder as a means of gaining control and making a profit, I also want to know who they are and what their ultimate goals are. I believe the United States’ primary goal right now where Mexico is concerned is to protect NAFTA, and to make sure Mexico doesn’t elect a Hugo Chavez. If there is a wealthy cartel leader out there who doesn’t share that agenda, I wouldn’t put it past the U.S. for one second to secretly fund his rivals.
Those types of bottles have been popular for some time now. It always just makes me think the tequilla sucks thus they have to get you with a gimmick. Pretty stupid.