It looks like just an old map, when most of that land belonged to Mexico. The only exception is that the map shows Oregon and Washington as being part of the US, when it was still a part of Britain at that time, but that is probably just the artist being lazy and not bothering to check maps of the USA at that time.

Boycott.

Or, perhaps the message is: drink enough Absolut Vodka and your wildest geopolitical fantasies can come true?

It's just an ad, from a company known for its provocative advertising, not a foreign policy program. Sheesh, talk about an over-reaction.

Regards, C

Given that we redrew the map for real in the 1840s, in a pretty blatant land grab, I fail to see why Mexico shouldn't harbor some wistful resentment.

Would it have been outrageous for a French ad in 1888 to show France with Alsace and Lorraine restored?

Not only do we grab their territory, we have to act all self-righteous about it in 2008?

"We" grabbed their territory, Anderson? Who is "we"?

Seems to me I remember Texans (or "Texians" back then) fought for their independence against the dictator Santa Ana. Texas then became an independent republic, and only later did it decide to join the U.S.

So saying that Texas was a "grab" is like saying the American War of Independence was a "grab" from Britain. But you probably do think that.

Boycott.

I'll drink to that!

Oh, oh wait, probably not the response you were looking for.

Seems to me I remember Texans (or “Texians” back then) fought for their independence against the dictator Santa Ana. Texas then became an independent republic, and only later did it decide to join the U.S.

But most of the Texans were not Mexican, or even Spanish, were they? He's also likely referring to the fact that when Texas was annexed, the US actually claimed more land than was actually a part of the Republic of Texas.

I'm trying to think of a group of people more Pavlovian, more ridiculously easy to manipulate, more incapable of interjecting editorial control between stimulus and response then the new nativist (read racist) movement.

Nope not coming up with any.

God bless tancredo for giving them face time and an undeserved, but completely hilarious, sense of self importance.

Salud!

He’s also likely referring to the fact that when Texas was annexed, the US actually claimed more land than was actually a part of the Republic of Texas.

Bingo. We paid $18M for it, but it wasn't like Mexico had the option to decline the offer.

So long Absolut. I'd rather drink Tito's vodka anyway.

Bingo. We paid $18M for it, but it wasn’t like Mexico had the option to decline the offer.

Well that was the terms of ending the US-Mexico war, which isn't what I was talking about. When ending a war, the losing side usually ends of conceding territory, so I don't consider that a "land grab", especially since the US didn't really have to pay for it if they didn't want to. I was talking about the fact that the border of Mexican Texas was not the Rio Grande, but the Nueces.

And what I was talking about, Michael, was that U.S. participation in the Mexican war was bogus and a transparent effort to seize a goodly chunk of Mexico. Mission accomplished, as they say. Though the Mexicans continue to infiltrate ....

And what I was talking about, Michael, was that U.S. participation in the Mexican war was bogus and a transparent effort to seize a goodly chunk of Mexico.

The US entered into a war with Mexico because the Mexican army attacked Texas, which was a at that time a US State. While there were those who wanted the war as a means of acquiring more land, many efforts were made before hand to purchase the land, it was the attack itself that caused a majority in Congress to declare war on Mexico.

One picture, clearly, is worth a thousand words.
What's next from this pandering corporation's perspective: a Confederate map of the U.S. prior to the start of the Civil War? Both illustrate a backward-focused reluctance to let go of the past.

The land that Mexico consists of and consisted of prior to the U.S. annexing of territory was established by a European Nation. Spain established Mexico, which did not exist as a unified nation prior to Cortez. Aztecs controlled the land around what is now Mexico City, but their reach did not go as far as Arizona. The Apache's would have killed them, They did not reach Texas as the Commanche would have killed them. The native language of Mexico is that of a European nation. those that live south of our border have no legitimate claim to any land that was once Spanish territory. By the way, what great industries have been established in Mexico by Mexicans? I am not judging, I am just saying.

Okay, people, no one obviously knows history:

> But most of the Texans were not Mexican, or
> even Spanish, were they?

Soooo...what's your point? Most of the settlers in Texas were German. Can only certain ethnic groups can fight for indepedence? Or maybe that the few Mexican missionaries converting Indians in the Texas territory meant they somehow owned it in perpetuity?

> He’s also likely referring to the fact that
> when Texas was annexed, the US actually claimed
> more land than was actually a part of the
> Republic of Texas.

Wrong. The Republic of Texas was larger than the State that was annexed and included parts of Colorado, etc. (go look at an old Texas map). The U.S. was worried about having such a large state, so chopped in down. It also gave Texas the option to slit into four states.

What would be the reaction if Absolut did a Confederate States of America to market in the South?

Soooo…what’s your point? Most of the settlers in Texas were German. Can only certain ethnic groups can fight for indepedence?

My point was that immigrants from the USA made up the majority of those fighting for an independent Texas. This wasn't a Mexican rebellion.

Wrong. The Republic of Texas was larger than the State that was annexed and included parts of Colorado, etc. (go look at an old Texas map).

All of the Republic of Texas was annexed. My claim was that the annexed territory included land that was not a part of the Mexican state of Texas. Particularly, the land between the Rio Grande and the Nueces was not a part of Texas while Texas was a part of Mexico, and it was still disputed when the USA annexed the Republic.

Whatever the history, the territory is now US, and it will stay that way. Absolut nonsense.

Whatever the history, the territory is now US, and it will stay that way.

Borders are never absolute, if you'd stop disregarding history you'd know that.

>immigrants from the USA made up the majority of
> those fighting for an independent Texas.

So immigrants can't fight for independence? Or maybe white people can't? I still don't get your point.

As noted, most of Texas was settled by Germans. Like they came from Germany. On boats. Across the Atlantic. So most Texans were not not "Americans".

True the leadership of the Texas Republic were largely ex-Americans. Houston, Austin, Crocket. But then somehow we get names in there like like Seguin and de Zavala.

This was a April Fools joke that is making the rounds.. it was debunked yesterday.

Although borders have been redrawn throughout history, they've not been moved without strife and turmoil as a precedent.
Borders are demarcations of language and culture; for that reason alone this map is appalling.

This was a April Fools joke that is making the rounds.. it was debunked yesterday.

Uh...no. As noted above, this has been around since at least early March.

Looks good to me.

THIS border WILL remain fixed for the next century, or I misjudge the American people's willingness to defend it. To suggest that some of our states would be assimilated by Mexico because of the infiltration of illegals there is to misread the seriousness of such a situation and our people's reaction to it. To suggest that some politician would support such a move is to say that we have elected politicians that are not American, in which case, once they show their stripes, they should be banished to Antarctica.

This is one of the most misrepresented events in history. So much revisionist history. Look virtually no one lived in Texas so Mexico started what was called the "emprisario" program to bring in people for a tax base. Mexico invited them in! The only thing this illustrates is that contrary to suicidal white liberal thinking when enough folks of a completely different culture come in they dont contribute or assimilate, they take over! Which is precicely why you should be against the Mexicans doing it now. As far as the mexican war typically when you get bent over and reamed in every major engagement the winners can decide whatever terms they want and Mexico luckily(or unluckily) got to keep what they have now because there was actually a national debate as to whether to keep the entire country at the time. This war was more one sided than US vs. Iraq because of poor leadership and neopotism on the part of the Mexican military leadership. Mexico sucks then and it sucks now so its understandable why their rears are still so soar. They are a failed state and people and the US is the best thing that ever happened to them. We give them jobs.

I like french vodka better anyhow...wonder how much this little "miss judgement" in marketing is going to cost them.....in fact..own a big time bar...absolute will not be on the menu tonight....

Wrong. The Republic of Texas was larger than the State that was annexed and included parts of Colorado, etc. (go look at an old Texas map). The U.S. was worried about having such a large state, so chopped in down. It also gave Texas the option to
split into four states.

Look, I am a very proud Texan, and I love the map of which you speak. However, it represented a historically distorted view of what Texas, even post-independence Texas, had a legit claim to have. The Republic really consisted more of what is now central and east Texas.

Beyond that, it is silly to argue that the US had a legitimate claim (apart from simply being militarily superior) to take as much land as it did after the Mexican-American War is ridiculous. And I say that with no sympathies towards the reconquista idea.

All one has to do is look at what we paid for tha Gadsden Purchase to see what a literal "steal" it was for us to acquire, basically, the western US (and I am not even talking here of Texas, which is a different story, even if it was the catalyst of the whole thing).

And above all else, let's not forget: this is vodka ad, not a poster produced by the Mexican government.

I wont be drinking Absolut, but I will be helping to rid our sacred land of illegal hispanic immigrants. Its time to round them up, and our government should formally address Mexicos government about their intent to take over the USA. If it means going to war, then I say lets militarize the border, and hey while were at it KICK THEM ALL OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!! I would be dancing and singing if our government would begin to rid our country of these slimey low lives who only come here to break laws and do harm to our sacred land and people. Go here to help make a difference and FIGHT for FREEDOM, FIGHT FOR RIGHT! FIGHT FOR AMERICA! FIGHT TO PROTECT OUR LAND! http://www.noinvaders.org/home.shtml
http://www.numbersusa.com/index

Yup, time to boycott

THis poster may not have been produced by the Mexican government but it wouldn't have been produced if it didn't mimic a popular sentiment. It vailidates a history and a future Mexicans feel is theirs. The name for they give the US Southwest is Aztlan. Youtube and google that word. Absolut is whoring themselves out in a way that could find them in a ditch. It is dangerous to be a whore.

THIS border WILL remain fixed for the next century, or I misjudge the American people’s willingness to defend it.

Borders move both ways manning. It's not like we haven't occupied Mexico City before.

OK... "Super Nintendo"... why use the name of a japanese-designed game console? that's... ridiculous for you to come in such an outrage of red-neck nationalism...

Be things like you want... the USA abused their power to "own" California, Arizona, New Mexico, and so on... David Crocket died in that war too... and he became a "hero"... doesn't he? Santa Ana was as idiot... and is one of the most-hated characters in mexican history... he's seen as corrupt, thief, etc... at that time Mexico had a completely centralist government model that promoted the weakening of inter-state relations and gave the US the opportunity to grab, yes _to grab_ those lands.

Many of those americans, americans because they where inhabitants in those lands at that time, have spaniard and mexican roots... just look at your maps... you'll see a lot of spanish there... one things many -not generalizing- US-citizens don't really get is that you can't deny your heritage... it's not optional to have mexican, spaniard, or whatever roots you have... it's part of the history.

And no, I won't boycott Absolut... it's marketing... it's designed to provoke reactions like Mr. Super Nintendo's... I don't doubt this ad will be more successful than many many others because of all the fire it's causing :)

Boozy... Absolut was recently acquired by a french company...

Some Mexicans are so full of shit.

America stole California eh?

Well you stole it from the Spanish who stole it from the Indians.

C'mon, of course Mexico is complaining now...the United States actually did something with the land, actually turned it into productive land, now Mexico whines about it being stolen and wants it back to increase their wealth. In actuality, Texas was the only former Mexico territory that had any type of a legitimate population. California had less than 5,000 Mexican citizens there. Mexicans were terrified of the native tribes in North America. Actually Mexico requested in the contract transferring their northern territories to the United States was that the U.S. would take full responsibility to ensure that the native tribes would not attack Mexico, the U.S. took them up on the condition.

So many people use the racist word so much now, it has lost any credibility to me, but I can tell you all this much. Mexico is the most racist country in the world. Their native people, Oaxacans, Tlaxcalans, etc. are treated so disgustingly, it is awful. These people are uneducated and not cared about one bit by the small middle class and even smaller wealthy class that runs the country. The wealthy's solution to having to share space with these peons? Send them to America and maybe we can steal the wealth up there and not have to smell our natives....If anybody calls us on it? We'll call Americans racists so we can get away with it...disgusting.

"Borders are never absolute, if you’d stop disregarding history you’d know that."

Fine, then the US can invade Mexico and take the oil fields, while driving the Mexicans further south. If you outrageous I'll give it you.

The map is pretty close but Mexico should go a little further east and north. I live in Houston and it looks more like Juarez everyday...thousands of illegals come here every day and nothing is done to stop it. Just go to any Home Depot (especially SW Houston) and you will get swarmed by illegal immigrant day workers???? Literally a hundred or so gather there every day!

4 out of 7 classes in my daughters graduation last year were completely Mexican and Spanish was spoken through the entire 4 class sessions with English for the other three segregated classes of everyone else. McRoberts Elementary Katy TX, 5 years ago their was one small group, now better than 50% are all on free lunches and draining our school budget catering to an illegal immigrant population. Why???? Anyone else out their care??? I am sure other schools are even worse...come here speak English and pay taxes legally. We are loosing the battle without a shot being fired.

Who cares, its ours and their too weak to ever get it back. Just like when we kicked their little butts to get it.

Anthony;
The real question is.... Is the American government so weak [minded] as to give it to them, along with the rest of the country?

How much is the USA government paying bounty hunters for bringing in illegal aliens, per head? A bounty plan would still be cheaper than a fence, and 100% effective... a fence... 0% effective and a waste of money.

I think they should redo this map and make Mexico a lake that would be cool!

Maybe the truckers on strike could earn a decent living hunting illegal aliens.

VIVA BOUNTY HUNTERS!!

It would make more sense if they labeled mexico as SPAIN, after all, mexico was conquered like the pussies they are!!

God help us! Even if this is a joke, this is a serious matter all the same. There is certainly an initiative for a North American Union, so perhaps the map won't look quite like the one you see, but perhaps one giant blotch with some Spanish/English name. Stand tall against any communist front group or sellout who will sell this ideal as something grand!

If I remember my family history right Mexico once welcomed people to settle in their northern territories. Many did. Mexicans and Americans alike. Then there were stories of rules of what you could plant and raids and theft on some of the homesteads and pack trains
.
The United States came to help put a stop to the lawlessness. We ended up owning Mexico down to around Mexico City. We ended up with the treaty of Hidalgo. We returned much of the land we held and BOUGHT the disputed territory. They also agreed to not interfere any longer. They have violated that agreement. Their intervention into our affairs once again could set off a re-conquest of territory like they would never suspect.

First we will need a government on our side.

The Revolutionaries in the government have made it impossible to enforce the very laws they had agreed upon, enacted, and turned into law.

We are going to have to restore law and order in our government before we can restore law and order in our streets.

You can include western Kansas in the "New Mexico Map", because Dodge City and Garden City are predominately Hispanic..... yes even the famed old western town where Wyatt Earp worked as sheriff is now Mexician! The Mexicians have told everone "to get out of Dodge" and they have.

Why Michael, are you suggesting that we invade Mexico? Maybe Canada is next, huh? NAFTA by force!
How unliberal of you!

Yes, you are merely pointing out that borders can change over time, which is just a tad too obvious, but, somehow, I do not believe the US has aggressive tendencies towards its neighbors today, do you?

Ignoring history has both plusses and minuses. We know the penalties of ignoring the true lessons that history teaches, but seldom does anyone show how it can be a plus as well. It can be.

It really all relates back to the reckless birth rate that is tipical south of the border. From 40 million to 80 million in the last 20 years and now they are around 107 million not including the illegals that have flooded into the U.S. Our great Fathers in d.c.dont seem to give a damm whith all of the problems and diseases being brought upon us.California has been bankrupted due to this dilema and we seem to be too stupid to do some corections that are needed.

Has anyone forgotten that there is a movement within the USA itself by certain latinos to return California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to Mexico?

This movement is not just filled with illegal immigrants, but stupid liberal US citizens such as the former California Lt. Governor Bustamante.

We need more than just a fence. We need a fence with armed patrols willing to shoot to kill anyone trying to sneak into this country. Also, anyone found hiring illegal immigrants should be fined $250,000 and jailed for 2 years, mandatory. That would stop the flow right then and there. If there is no jobs, and no benefits, the illegals would be forced back to their own countries, and if they want a better life for themselves, they can start a revolution in their country and build it themselves. The USA didn't just magically appear, it took the hard work of LEGAL immigrants.

Yes, you are merely pointing out that borders can change over time, which is just a tad too obvious, but, somehow, I do not believe the US has aggressive tendencies towards its neighbors today, do you?

The last time our border with Mexico changes, there was no aggression involved. Please stop disregarding history.

Ignoring history has both plusses and minuses. We know the penalties of ignoring the true lessons that history teaches, but seldom does anyone show how it can be a plus as well. It can be.

Please, give me an example where ignorance of history was a good thing.

Absolut can do this because there will be no real reaction from the U.S. nor should there be. But if you drew Tibet as its own country in an Absolut ad, you would probably see an official denouncement from Beijing, a visit from a short guy named Li and probably a ban on Absolut sales in China.

Regardless of any "blatant land grab", California, governor Schwarzenegger, and relocated New Haven, Connecticut's Bush are well along in returning our ill-gotten gains back to Mexico.

What would Captain Kirk and the Starship Enterprise do in a case like this? Maybe have a new Star Trek Mug with the old North American Absolut map, and then have the Enterprise doing a fly by.

Well this is just one more example why Absolute vodka is complete crap!
That is why I drink SZAMBELAN Vodka it is the best vodka I have ever had.

They took our yobbs

Firstly, the map is incorrect, should have all the Democrap states as Spicish, that is where you find most of them.

Secondly, In the first Spanish American war, America should of forced the Mexicant's back all the way into Colombia. Turn the entire area of Central America into a nuclear garbage dump.

Mexican got their asses whipped many many times in military history. Mexico exists only because USA allows it to do so.

The map is rather accurate, if you take illegal immigration into account... we might as well not have a southern border.

To me this is a highly inappropriate ad because it aggravates an already tense political situation for profit. In doing so, it deliberately lends legitimacy in the eyes of its target audience to the idea of Mexican rights to what has long been American territory. It is immoral and unacceptable for any company to inflame an international situation for the sake of making money.

BRILLIANT IDEA!!!!!! round up all the illegal immigrants and ship them off to fight and rebuild Iraq... two birds with one stone!

Problem solved... Damn, I need to be elected president.

PS... Michael Savage, get well soon!

I like the idea of the border fence WITH shoot to kill orders. As far as i'm concerned, if you win a war against another country, you do with it what you wish, YOU WON! How is that stealing?

How about we do "Absolut Judaism" and show an image from Auschwitz? Or maybe "Absolut Iraq" and show a picture of a Blackwater contractor being decapitated? Here's one: "Absolut Berkeley" - we could show Code Pink burning the CONSTITUTION!

Are these people so cold, stupid and calloused that they think this is funny?

Good luck Absolut, I will exercise MY Constitutional right to never purchase your product again.

PS: All you who are arguing about the accuracy of the map need to rethink what is important to you.

I contacted their sales agent via e-mail and let them know I will not be buying their product any longer. I have one word, BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!

Spoonbender,
You're kind of missing their point, the ads are targetting to make the audience feel better, not worse.

So, in your example, "Absolut Judaism" would show ancient Israel, possibly before the north/south split. "Absolut Iraq" would show Iraq as it was when the early Caliph reigned in Baghdad, and "Absolut Berkeley" would probably have something to do with the early computer pioneers*.

PS: All you who are arguing about the accuracy of the map need to rethink what is important to you.

Why should being angry about Mexicans, longing for a time when they were a larger nation, be a priority for anybody?

(*) At least that's the only thing I could think of on the subject of Berkeley.

Michael, I do get your point. I don't normally make two posts to anything, but to set the record straight - I said what I said because on April 4th, 2008 America has borders that are recognized by the world. When I saw this ad, it said to me "Hey Mexicans, doesn't it piss you off that somebody took your land?". It almost seems to say, "Don't you long for the good old days before those American bastards robbed you? It's time to go get what's rightfully yours!" It is inflammatory language that serves no purpose other than to pit one culture against another. And you missed my point about Iraq and Berkleley for the same reasons. YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST! All you can do is try to EMPOWER the future. Spewing nationalist rhetoric like this serves nobody. Wouldn't it be more EMPOWERING to do something like "Absolut Brotherhood" and have people of all races, religions and politics all enjoying a toast together - rather than further splintering our political and religious ideologies?Heck, even a meat-eating White Atheist Republican like myself might respond to that!

Please email jennifer.mcdonald@absolut.com to explain how upset you are with this insane ad.

Here's my response.

Pass it on.

If Mexico still owned this land you all are crying about, CA, AZ, NM, OR, WA, ETC. would all be hellholes like the rest of Mexico. And all the migrants would still be coming to Estados Unidos to flee their corrupt Gov. and to get better jobs.
I cant beleive how much guilt all of you have for what has happened in the past. Did I invade mexico and take their land? No!
Its like me saying I am part russian, so I want the whole soviet block back under the control of mother Russia...simply ridiculous. All of you have this great guilt for being American. It is quite funny that you all ahte yourselves that much...why dont you go jump off the grand canyon or something?

This was an anti-American ad that was targeted to racist, Nationalist anti-American Mexicans who for some perplexing reason have a lust (or is it "envy") of America's Southwest and yearn for the 1840s when it was a largely unpopulated desert - which was, nonetheless, "owned" by Mexico, for what it was worth.

Absolut will deservedly lose mega business in the United States over this, not because (as some idiots above are implying) some stereotypical knuckle-dragging nativists will boycott a drink they never drank anyway, but because honest, hard-working Americans who genuinely, and rightly, fear the radical Reconquista agenda being touted by pro-illegal groups and taught as a "moral good" in our universities.

As nicely put above by another poster: Pandering to Mexican Nationalists is about as stupid as pandering to neo-Confederates with a map with the South colored gray and the North colored blue. That would be unacceptable, and so is this racist nonsense.

And for a history lesson: Only America (big-hearted, naive, fair-minded America) would decisively fight a war rather than pay $30 million for territory, then win the territory through warfare, PAY the losers $15 million for the territory, then a few years later pay ANOTHER $15 million for a tiny sliver more (Gadsden Purchase.) Let's have no more talk about "stealing" land, okay? Silly Leftists.

First of all, I've never seen a Mexican drink Vodka, and if they did they wouldn't buy Absolute because they couldn't afford it!!!! Secondly, any time they feel froggy, let em' jump, and we'll blast them all the way back to the southern most tip of South America!!! They should be careful not to bite the hand that feeds them. Ungrateful bunch of degenerates!

Absolut Map of Nazi Germany

It is just a way to persuade somebody to hurt themselves by dangling something they will never get in front of them. It's only in the dreams of the drunken or foolish, the belief that they will regain land that was never really theirs.
One day soon the page will turn and things around here are going back to the way things were before the invasion.

Go Home hombre and take your crime with you!!!

I will never buy Absolut again, no question.

Would the Norwegians like to see ads showing Sweden back in their land in a vodka ad under "Absolut Svenska"?

Would blacks like to see the Confederate States of America resurrected with the battle flag in a vodka ad under "Absolut Rebel"?

Would the French like to see themselves back under Nazi control in a vodka ad "Absolute Vichy"?

Would the only recently freed countries of Eastern Europe like to see their map back under Soviet control in an "Absolut Hammer and Sickle"?

This is disgusting.

Better version!

Absolut map of Nazi Germany, Sweden included. 8-)

Link

Actually in an absolute world, we should have just taken over Mexico completely and assimilated the people as Americans. Think of how much better off all of them would be today. Instead of the millions of Mexicans that want to come here Illegally, they would all ready be here. Currently what have Mexicans done to make Mexico a better place?............................almost nothing......except associated itself with the USA and our businesses.

This ad has brought out an even uglier side of US jingoism. Get over yourselves, Americans! It’s just an ad. You should be more offended about the REALITY of US Imperialism and Republican terrorism than the fantasy represented in a liquor ad. Grow a brain!

Hilarious! While a few people with no sense of humor (or brains, some may argue) will be switching to “Freedom Vodka”, I’ll continue to drink my Absolut.

Cheers!

While it is easy to cite cases where ignoring history is bad, it is not easy to discover its opposite: where ignoring history is beneficial.

One instance is rather dramatic. Alexander faced Darius at Issus. He had about 70,000 men and Darius had over 600,000. A prudent leader would have heeded the historic lessons of warfare, that to attack you need a superiority of 3 to 1, whereas Alexander was outnumbered by almost ten to one. Yet Alexander managed by superior tactics to rout Darius.

There was no historic precedent for this. Had Alexander heeded the lesson of military history, he would not have defeated Darius and the Persian Empire would have lasted far longer.

Yep, Cernig, you are absolut-ly right, it's just an ad; the companies right to place. Yet you call my right to never buy Absolut Vodka ever again an over reaction? Just wait till Absolut sales fall through the floor, they'll regret using the advertiser that created this ad. Whether you try to belittle us by calling us names, we've still the right to see the ad for what it is, a slap in the face to U.S. citizens who are currently being overrun by illegals who can't for whatever reason can't make it in their own country, they have to come up here and abuse a system that was set up for the poor among "us", not for the poor of the world! COBRA and EMTALA was designed for poor U.S. citizens who couldn't afford medical treatment, and now our whole medical system and welfare system is being destroyed by illegals. You are ignorant if you think it's an over reaction or a humorous ad!!!!

Glen, you're a moron! "U.S. Imperialism"? Did we take over Europe in WW1? Did we take over Germany or Japan, in WW2? Our goal is to spread Democracy not create an Empire. The claim of US Imperialism is just rhetoric from Socialist Liberals who haven't a clue that Socialism has not and will never work!!!!

I see the Eurotrash and other Lefties are weighing in, amused and befuddled that Americans are so upset that our borders are ridiculed as meaningless in an ad run in a nation that doesn't respect borders.

I would simply say that Europeans get incensed about things, too. Holocaust denial, for one example. I believe it's even ILLEGAL to even express that (admittedly foolish) view publicly in Europe.

I suspect, as others have said here, that if Absolut pandered to the "yearnings" of elderly Germans and drew a map that was "sensitive" to their feelings of the wistful past (say, in 1942 or so), you would be outraged. And of course, so would we Americans. So "grow a brain" and think this through.

Damn, I see Ishmael beat me to a re-draw of the Swedish map for a mock ad. He clearly knows that, of all Sweden's neighbors, it is Finland that the Swedes have the most disdain for.

Look, this is a global brand with sales--I would imagine--much larger in the U.S. than in Mexico. That said, why piss anyone off just to sell some vodka?

HAHAHA you retards sure do get riled up about absolutely nothing. Please kill yourselves now or soon :)

guess the majority of people posting about this topic are as sensitive about the map of their country as the islamic world is about the caricatures of mohammed.

the islamic world gave up their boycott of our products in less than two years. let's see how long you will last.

oh and by the way, you better print out a list of all the brands owned by pernod ricard because you're going to need it if you are serious about boycotting them, considering absolut is owned by pernod ricard, they will not really lose anything if you buy any of their other brands instead.

so far i'm counting a 107 succesful and common brands, among them stolichnaya and wild turkey. V&S, the group that absolut was part of that was bought by pernod ricard have 400 different brands all by itself so good luck with that boycott.

It occurred to me that ignoring history to achieve success is nowhere better illustrated than in the game of chess. In professional chess the first fifteen or twenty moves are straight out of the "book." That is, the collective wisdom of hundreds of masters, which represents the lessons of history. It is the exceptional master that turns his back on the "book" at a certain point and takes the game "off book" to his advantage. This is a quite standard tactic at all levels of play, if only because of ignorance of the book, but it is the master that makes it work for him to win.

(Please excuse the inevitable type-os).

Those who have posted here about the sometimes mentioned (though very rarely understood) "land-grab," or "conquest" of "Mexican" territory in the Mexican-American war, are being as foolish as humanly possible. That is, they are spouting flippantly about events which they know NOTHING about.
When I was doing my Masters in American History (which, BTW, believe me, was NOT in an atmosphere where tradititional American historical perspectives were encouraged), I chose the Mexican-American War as my forte.
I read hundreds-maybe thousands of original texts; books, diaries, journals, official documents-by Mexicans and Americans of every station and stripe. I dug deep into the grand and the minute details of all that surrounded that war, it's antecedents, it's conduct, it's military aspects, it's social impacts, etc., etc.
This is not textbook crap, or junk you'd peruse in TIME, or your average newspaper. You see, I looked for some TRUTH...without an angle.
OK, holier than-thou-or blaze' detractors of American & Western (read: white male) culture;

Mexico was barely a nation at all at the time of the war. Wracked by incessant, chaotic and extremely bloody civil war (fought by illegitimate dictators settling personal scores against eachother, and committing henious acts of barbarity in doing so (sounds like modern-day Mexico read: Nuevo Laredo, or the numerous other hotbeds of Mexican drug cartel mayhem).
The lands north of our present-day border were loosely held-make that sparsely populated and barely governed at all, except on paper, by that entity known as Mexico...which barely extended beyond Mexico City, as far as uniform government, community identity, or loyalty was concerned. The Mexicans, Spaniards, and other Europeans who moved north into what is present-day USA territory did so, precisely because they wanted to get the hell away from the nightmare that was Mexico (sounds like the present day, eh?).
There were millions of essentially ungoverned land, barely populated by essentially dissident Mexicans who wanted to live apart from Mexico, which held claim to "El Norte" with the mere force of a scroll of paper. That might as well have been Spanish land.
I give no contest whatever to the fact that Many in the US government-and a few of her subjects-wanted that land out west. Everybody saw it as a no-brainer, and easy to justify. I do not support wars of conquest, but, hey, I'm a product of the late 20th century. Wake up folks, we have a different value system now (especialy folks living cushy lives in San Francisco-oh, the irony).
Furthermore, the events leading up to our invasion of the lands held (on paper, but not in legitimate rule) by Mexico, were complex, and involved quite a lot of military incursions by Mexican forces onto US soil (again, like today).
We pushed, they pushed, and both sides were spoiling for war. It was dirty, as wars usually are. The US government lied, in part, and told the truth, in part. The Mexicans and the US volunteers and regulars fought hard, often gallantly. The whole world believed the US was in for a grand defeat at the hands of Mexico. We solidly trounced them, taking Mexico city itself. It was the first modern war, and despite all it's ragged edges (volunteers were lousy soldiers EXEPT when they were in battle), the US incursion was a smashing victory that i