A little note on geography

 Errors in obituaries are not often interesting, but the one in Cormac McCarthy’s obituary that placed El Paso in New Mexico, rather than in Texas, was fascinating.

It’s interesting that news organizations that claim to produce national products, rather than local products of the East Coast, would make that error.

But the more interesting thing about this “error” is that it’s arguably more true than false. You can, if you spend time in the Southwest, hear people in cafes and courthouses arguing about whether El Paso is properly a part of New Mexico or Texas.

Are the cultural ties of most people in El Paso stronger with the government in Santa Fe or in Austin?

I’d say Santa Fe.

McCarthy, who lived many years in El Paso, ended up in Santa Fe. He no doubt heard the argument many times.