"Taking California Seriously"

[twoblink]

One of my students asked me "You are from California right? How do you expect people to take the state seriously, when the taxes are so high, unemployment is so high, crime is so high, the Gov'ner is a joke, and they want to replace him with a B-rated actor who's most memorable moment is saying "I'll be back""?

Errr...

:banghead:

I'm at a lost for words...

All I could do was make apologies for the morons that consume air but give nothing in return but grief...

Ouch..

As far as crime.. Most people here in Taiwan still have an image of "drive by shootings in Downtown LA" kids not allowed to go to the park and play because of rampid drug dealers at every corner, stantaly clad women turning tricks on Hollywood and Vine, and not knowing which is more dangerous, getting beat up by thugs or beat up by the police if you do call the police... Double ouch.. A women hiding inside her home with a Saturday night special in hand, and telling her children to duck down and stay low as the spray of bullets from a Tek9 drive by riddle her house..

Yes, the images are straight from hollywood movies.. That said, it's still an image LA and the PRK have that they can't shake...

 

[tiberius]

LOL

I've spent a bit of time in Taiwan myself (made about a dozen trips in the past 10 years - spent most of my time in the Tai Chung area ,but have toured a bit, if you're interested)

While they are generally very pro-American (seeing as we protect them from the godless commies ) it seems that the over exposure of American culture floods them with silly stereotypes. When I meet someone new over there and inform them that I am from Texas, I'd guess that about fully 1/3 will stammer somthing like "oh yeah, Texas - Bang Bang" as they rise their hands in the air as mock pistols.

They get CNN international and other satellite networks so they only see the sensational news and assume that there are shootouts on every corner and homeless people laying in my yard. Whenever I get to show around someone from the R.O.C on their first trip to the U.S.A. they always comment on the same things: Its so clean, the streets are so wide, everyone drives trucks, your house is enormous, etc.

Most Americans know NOTHING about Taiwan so they do have an edge on us, it's too bad what they know is so distorted.