The One Thing People All Over the World Now Have in Common

We absolutely love living in San Luis Potosí. Not “Oh this is nice” love. Not “we’ll try it for a year” love. I mean full blown, THIS IS THE BEST PLACE EVER!!! kinda love. And one of the best parts? SLP is not some expat echo chamber where Chad from Cincinnati is hosting taco night with Pace picante sauce while explaining why Mexico is a “third world country” to Mexicans who have made more money than he’ll ever dream of. No. This is real Mexico. Upscale Mexico. Middle class Mexico. Working class Mexico. Farmers in the Field Mexico. Which is precisely why we came here.

Because let’s be honest. There is nothing more frustrating than Americans who travel or even move to another country… and then loudly ask why nobody speaks English at the Ahorro Farmacia. We did not come here for that. We came here because Mexico is much better than the USA.

The people are warmer, kinder and completely devoid of Republican Karens yelling at strangers or threatening to call ICE on them, simply because they have accents.

There are Racists & Xenophobes Everywhere But…

Now yes, just like anywhere else on planet Earth, there are people here who do not love foreigners. Shocking, I know! Some of them are your garden variety xenophobes. Every country has them. Others have been treated to a steady diet of FOX-Like media telling them that the approximately microscopic percentage of immigrants here, are somehow single-handedly responsible for rising costs, falling skies, and possibly the extinction of the tortilla. Same movie, different language. Like I said, every country has them.

But here is the part that matters. The overwhelming majority of people in Mexico are incredibly warm, welcoming, and friendly. Not performative “Have a nice day” friendly. Not the “I have a friend who’s black! That proves I’m not a racist!” friendly. I mean genuine, smile with their eyes, invite you into their world (and homes!) kind of friendly. The kind that makes you realize how bizarrely transactional everyday interactions have become back in the States.

The Shirt That Breaks the Language Barrier

And then… there is my shirt.

Ah yes. THE shirt.

When I wear my FCUK TRUMP shirt, something magical happens. It is as if I have unlocked a secret level in a global video game called “Everyone Loves You!” Suddenly, smiles widen. Thumbs go up. Conversations start. People who were politely neutral become instantly warm. Some even ask for photos, as though they have just spotted a rare species: The Thinking American. I wore THE shirt to the chiropractor today and after I received my bi-weekly Back-Crackery and Neck-Twistery, he realized what was on my shirt. He burst out laughing and a short time later, the camera was clicking!

THE shirt has a remarkable effect on people here. You do not need fluent Spanish. You do not need cultural mastery. The message cuts through accents, borders, and backgrounds with the subtlety of a mariachi band and fireworks at midnight.

It loudly proclaims “This American is not a cult follower of the fat fascist pedophile!”

Because people all over the world have a shared disdain for a classless bully-wannabe (TACO!) who has done nothing but insult and threaten every ally the USA used to have. That is, until he needs to get on his knees and beg for their help in Iran.

It’s Not Like the Whole WORLD Hates Him! Oh Wait. It is.

Mexico and Latin America hate the Racist Rager. Europe hates the Epstein Emissary. Asia - especially Japan, hates the War-Mongering Molester.

So when I walk through the streets and someone smiles, nods, or says “Bienvenido,” or “Muy bien” I know it is not just about being an American in Mexico.

It is about being the right kind of American. The kind who learns the language, respects the culture, contributes to the economy and... when I wear this shirt, I am not just another immigrant but an ambassador! And my FCUK TRUMP t-shirt is the equivalent of the sash worn over suits by formal dignitaries at events of state!Viva Mexico!