Mexico is a beautiful country but it still has its problems. You've just kept to tourist areas if that's your view on it.
I spent last winter cycling the length of the peninsula, avoiding the highway. Didn't see a single touristy place until a month into the journey when I reached San Ignacio and Mulege. Then didn't see another touristy place again for weeks until La Paz.
On a previous trip to Mexico I cycled the length of the mainland from Mazatlan to the Guatemala border mainly on unpaved roads. I am well aware of the country's challenges and the need to ask about safety conditions. I stand by my assertion about Tijuana -- if safety in the city center were an issue for tourists and people passing through, local people would readily tell you that and elderly Americans wouldn't be strolling around carefree.
> The first thing you see driving in to TJ are decrepit and destroyed buildings
That describes a considerable portion of the world, including places where safety is not a concern.