A great debate is growing regarding the safety of Mexico due to the following occurrence: From the Associated Press: "A Mexican prosecutor says an Oregon tourist drowned in his own blood while in police custody. Sam Botner of Yancalla, Oregon, was arrested on Aug. 27 in the resort of San Jose del Cabo and was later found dead in a jail cell. Prosecutors say a surveillance video shows officers beating Botner. In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, state prosecutor Fernando Gonzalez said Botner suffered a ruptured spleen and then died of asphyxiation after internal bleeding blocked his airway. Six police officers are under house arrest as a result of the death. Prosecutors have two weeks to determine whether they will bring charges in the case."

From The Oregonian: "Nearly 19.5 million people visited Mexico in 2007, and spent about $10.3 billion dollars, according to G. Michael Brown, a U.S. Department of Commerce spokesman. Mexico Tourism Board officials say about 40,000 of those visitors flew to their country directly from Portland."

The truth is that this incident could have happened anywhere including the United States of America. In fact, accounts of police brutality can be found in past and present news reports. This is not a new subject.

When you travel to Los Cabos, Mexico, the area that includes Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, remember that you are a guest in a foreign country. Visiting a foreign country can be a very rich and rewarding experience. Unfortunately, sometimes ugliness settles in for periods of time and brutal acts occur within the country. No country and its people are perfect. If you know of a country that is perfect with perfect people, will you share the information with the rest of us?

Visit oregonlive.com/ for more information on the debate about tourism in Mexico. Draw your own conclusions before making up your mind. Mexico has a lot to offer guests. Try to look past this particular incident and focus on the beauty and culture of the country. It would be a shame to disregard Mexico because of one incident which can happen anywhere in the world. This includes your own backyard. Remember, "Judge ye not lest ye be judged!"