Let’s Copy Xalapa, Mexico

morris
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We need a Morris in the UK. I would love it. People are the same all over the world. We are disillusioned with politicians. This has been a gradual process and now with constant stories of how politicians work with big business to run our lives and exploit us we are entering a new phase in our distrust of the people who are meant to manage our countries, districts and towns.

The people of the town of Xalapa in Eastern Mexico have come up with a brilliant idea to make a statement: put forward companion and domesticated animals as candidates for mayor of the town. The most high profile companion animal candidate is a cat – of course. His name is Morris, a black and white moggie.

The people who are supporting Morris’s candidacy have a cleaver slogan:

‘Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat’

Cats are effective rat catchers and rodent killers. Surely a cat would represent the people extremely well as he’d be able to get rid of all those rats in government.

Morris candidate for mayor
Morris the rat catcher!

The picture above is from the Morris FB page. See it here (opens new tab/window).

I get the feeling to that Morris is being well treated despite his celebrity, which, of course, I approve of. It is vital that his celebrity has no negative impact on his well being as corrupt and lazy politicians are a human problem.

Morris’s human caretaker is Sergio Chamorro. Morris is almost 2 years old. Chamorro says that Morris is a catalyst for the discontent of people with their politicians. We need something like that in England. There is a terrible disillusionment with our government in the UK. Previous governments were worse or no better. Constant failure over many years across many aspects of life have left us with little trust in government generally. They are all the same. We live in hope of something better. It never arrives.

Morris’s election campaign is particularly nice because donated money and money raised through sales of T-shirts etc. is given to an animal shelter.

Most of Morris’s election activity takes place on internet social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook where he is more active and more popular than many human mayoral candidates.  Surprisingly, I can’t find his FB page, though (update next day: Harvey – see comment – found it for me). This is probably because it will all be in Spanish. He has 115,000 “likes” apparently.

Stubbs, a dilute red tabby cat, is the mayor of an Alaskan town, I understand. This is a trend! You may remember that the Italians were enthusiastic in voting for a comedian in their recent general election. That, too, is a statement of discontent with the status quo. The cat candidate is the better idea.

Note: I wonder if Morris got his name from the UK Morris, a red tabby who represented 9 Lives cat food.

Location of Xalapa:


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12 thoughts on “Let’s Copy Xalapa, Mexico”

  1. Our mammies are always grumbling about the government, maybe we cats should follow Morris’s example and all get together and form ‘Cat Parliament’ and ‘The house of Cats’
    We’d soon sort out the country.

    Reply
    • lol – here here!

      I think it should become a regular thing – more and more towns should do this to enforce the message. Isn’t there a cat running for president in the US? I know there is a cat in eastern Canada somewhere also running for local government. He is concerned about shelter laws and in running and attracting the press his views on the TNR and shelters and feral cat management have been heard. Perfect!

      Reply
      • We do need more of this sort of thing. I really sends out a strong message in a nice and amusing way. I think it raises the profile of cats. I think it is beneficial for cats.

        Reply
      • We could easily form a ‘Grumpy Cat village’ Michael lol as I don’t know of one single person right now who isn’t sick to the back teeth of the way our out of touch government are ruling.

        Reply
        • Me neither. I don’t think the government realises how disillusioned the British people have become with governments and how sad we are about the decline of Great Britain.

          Reply
  2. Michael, a hilarious and thought provoking article.I have never visited Mexico but sadly read about the unbelievable “Drug wars’ in that Country.Human life seems passe in some regions of Mexico as per reports in the media. I have posted Tomcat Matata’s mugshot on Morris’s “F.B Page’ wishing him best of luck in the elections for Mayor of Xalapa.His “F.B” page is a hit and he is on the cover of “Time Magazine”! Humour is the best remedy for most of our human created problems.

    Reply
    • It is funny and pleasing. I agree that Mexico does seem horrendous. I am pleased Matata supports Morris. Matata is a wise cat with a wise human companion because you make the very wise comment that humour is one of the best ways to effect change. I am sure the politicians have got the point.

      Reply
  3. Hi Michael. here is one of Morris’ FB pages. https://www.facebook.com/elcandigatomorris.

    All you need to do is Google search.- ” Morris el candidato para alcalde para Xalapa, facebook ”
    Tongue in cheek, they use the word Candi-gato instead of Candidato, gato being the Spanish word for cat.
    There are a lot of references to Morris on the Internet. He seems to have struck a chord.

    He even appears in the Venezuelan news and opinion website Aporrea. http://www.aporrea.org/internacionales/n230885.html

    Reply
    • Thanks a hell of a lot for this Harvey. I’ll take a look right now and see if I can add something to the page today. Morris has struck a cord. Disillusionment with governments is a world issue. Turkey is a classic modern case in point. There are many others. Russia? Burma? Pakistan? China? Brazil? Britain? France? Greece etc. I could go on.

      Reply

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