Hell No We Won't Go!

Now you know i love a good boycott. something i would think chinese people would be good at, but not having a lot of practice in. the collective society they all grow up in can bring them together in a moments notice. but would they come together for something important; the right time, correct ideals and organization. maybe now we have the buddings of something.
i am sure everyone knows about this ongoing tibet situation, that has brought out many different points of view of what should be done. many of the chinese do not really seem to care too much about those crazy tibetans. they do not really know why they are angry, and if they would like to be free from china, then they can be. but of course, leave the land, the land was rightfully annexed by china. "the chinese people have helped to build up that land and bring commerce and industry there. the tibet people need to be more patient, there are a lot of people in this country". well, this post is not about that it is about protesting.
the french government said some things about china and the olympics that upset many residents of the middle kingdom. including the torch passing through paris and all of the drama associated with that. many people are trying to organize and begin a nationwide boycott on may first, international labor day. apparently this has already begun throughout china. a giant french supermarket chain called carrefour is a main focal point of the protests. many people are not shopping there and protesting out front. some have even closed down. they are saying things like boycott france and france apologize. i find myself thinking, i hope they do not find a reason to boycott wal-mart. which is not right, since i boycotted wal-mart myself back in the states. it is different here, wal-mart is a necessary evil.
well, i am interested to see what will become of this. will the french even feel any effects? one thing i do know is china has way too many people. so at anytime, they could change the world's landscape.

you are from the countryside? get out of my way!

the class discrimination in this country is overwhelming. it is similar to the racial discrimination in america, but projecting some sort of greatness over someone because they are from the country or poor is new to me. living in chongqing i have met many educated people, especially since i work at a university. i have explained that where i come from some of the richest people live in the countryside. i suppose here, more often than not, most people from the country are poor and uneducated. even if that is the case, they are still good people with good hearts, right? let's state some examples: i don't like her, she is from the country. these country people are so stupid. carry my bags, but there is no need for us to have a conversation. move! i am driving! people who live there are very poor, you know they are not really even people.
granted, some of this may well be true, but don't act like something is wrong with me for wanting to talk with them. i say if these people are so messed up, then what is being done to bring them up to the level of the city folk. maybe that is why china has this huge disparity between the rich and the poor now. one thing strong about america is the middle class. china's middle class is very thin. you either have money or you don't, and if you don't then welcome to the life of servitude. i don't have any money in america, but you don't see me sweeping the streets. i wonder if racial discrimination would be prevalent in china if there were more minorites. china has 55 different minority groups but they represent only 7 percent of the population. the minorites are all neatly tucked away in their own little areas of china. i have met some, and i am very interested in them. so soon i will do a little traveling to get away from the majority chinese, whom for the most part all think alike. anyway, time to get a conversation going with that guy carrying heavy obects. hey, put that fridge down for a minute, let's talk. i am sure you have something interesting to say.