Those who have the greatest influence teach by example, not by words alone ....... ??

By Thomas F O'Neill

I bring up the US current events quite a bit in my classes and my students take great interest in the goings-on in America.

They bring up the political divide in the US quite a bit and they ask a lot of questions about the conflicting ideologies within our two-party system. Especially about America’s right to bear arms because citizens in China do not have that privilege.

One of my students asked, “Does everyone in America have guns?”

I said, “No not everyone.”

She then said, “I saw on TV that there are more guns than people in America.”

I replied, “that might be true.”

Her reply, “why are all those people so insecure,” she paused for a bit and then asked, “what are all those people afraid of?” I had to go in-depth about our constitutional rights one of which is America’s right to bear arms.

Another student then asked, “Can anyone buy a gun?”

I said, “if they don’t have a criminal record.”

His reply, “No wonder they are so insecure in America.”

I told them that America is not as bad as the Chinese media makes us out to be.    

The election was another hot topic on the minds of my students because many people in China have relatives living in the US and they were very much concerned about Trump getting reelected. Many people in China believe that racial unrest has increased since Trump took office, especially against Asians due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese media aired stories that were picked up from news networks in the US about hostilities directed at Asians after the pandemic outbreak. The racial unrest and protests in the streets were continuously being aired on China’s television networks. Many in China believe Trump was using the political division in America for his political gain.

China, in general, is happy with the outcome of the election; Trump, like in America has been lampooned on China’s social media. The Chinese government has never viewed Trump as a polished politician. Some of the things he has said to Chinese officials were not just unpolished but rather insulting. For instance, calling COVID-19 the Chinese virus and he said to a Chinese official over the phone, “it’s the Kung Flu virus from China,” his statement went viral on social media. The television networks in China have also broadcast other world leaders’ criticisms of Donald Trump’s foreign policies. 

The Chinese government's general attitude is to slowly build better relations with President-elect Biden. They would like to pursue that relationship with caution but moving toward common global interests.

On the other hand, the average Chinese person loves America, and they admire our system of government and our freedoms. Especially, our freedom to criticize our government leaders through political satire which is illegal in China. 

The social unrest in America also comes up quite a bit in my classes. The students can see it playing out on the streets of America on China’s television networks. It gives them the perception that the US has become a dark and dangerous place to live.  

My students were excited about the election because I was excited about it. They kept coming to my office in between classes to tell me the numbers every time the electoral vote numbers changed. The long wait for the states to count the votes was frustrating not just for me but for my students. 

When Biden’s vote tallies were trickling in and being announced sporadically some of my students were wondering why it was taking so long.

One student came to my office and asked, “Mr. Tom, don’t they have computers to count the votes?”

I said, “It is more complicated than that” I then explained to him that the vote counters were counting thousands and thousands of ballots.

He looked at me with a bewildered expression on his face, and asked, “by hand?!!!” he then asked, “is that the American way of doing things?”

The Election was a great way for my students to learn about the differences between the electoral college votes and the popular votes. The electoral process was also playing out live for them.

I asked the students jokingly if there was an election for world leader between Donald Trump and their President who would they vote for?

One student raised his hand and asked, “you mean to elect one to rule the whole world?”

I said “yes.”

He paused for a bit to regain his composure then asked calmly, “is leaving our planet an option for us?”        

When Donald Trump began campaigning for the 2016 election most in China believed his actions and remarks were simply an act due to him being a television personality. Most people in China believed Trump was acting and talking in bombastic ways to win over the common people for their votes as a Chinese coworker expressed it. They were entertained by him, but since then they became extremely turned off by his personality and his harsh rhetoric toward China. They believe he was using china as a distraction against his failed policies.

They are glad Joe Biden will be the next president, but they are worried he might continue the tariffs on Chinese goods. When I talk to my Chinese coworkers, I remind them that President Obama declared China the most favored nation. Perhaps Biden will continue to build those diplomatic relations with China as Obama did when he was in office.

The Chinese people in general love America and they loved Obama. They are hoping that Joe Biden will continue where Obama left off after serving 8 years in office. In the hopes of bringing about an even greater comprehensive foreign policy. 

Trump is lampooned on social media, and my students pretty much get caught up with the political satire directed at him. They make satirical comments about him in my classes as well. Our President is not taken seriously in China and he has not been taken seriously throughout the world either, especially now, with his refusal to concede to the fact that he lost the 2020 election.

A Korean satirist wrote, “in America, Donald Trump is like the diaper that needs changing due to his substance in the diaper,” his comment went viral on social media.   

Update about the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus infection numbers and virus deaths in the US are brought up daily on China’s news stations. Trump is not blamed here for the spread of the virus in the US. They view it as a lack of discipline on the part of the general population. China got the virus under control quickly by shutting the entire country down for 10 weeks. 

They also view the virus spread in America as a lack of coordinated efforts among the states. One news commentator here in China stated in Chinese that, “if all the governors in the US were on the same page and unified their response measures; the virus infections there would be dropping rather than increasing in severity.” 

I get disappointed when some of my students tell me they do not want to come to the US to study due to their fears. Their fears are being generated by what is being broadcast both in the US and in China. I remind them that America is not as dangerous as the media makes it out to be.

I also let my students know that I am extremely proud to be an American citizen. I’m also truly thankful for having them in my life they give me a sense of purpose.

I believe that every person that comes into my life is for a reason. I like to tell others; we are not just human beings on a spiritual journey. We are also spiritual beings on a human journey. There are truly deeper dimensions to life than meets the eye. 

I am an American citizen, amid the pandemic, and during this year’s general election; I must take this time to acknowledge the vote counters. They were truly the unsung heroes and the hands and eyes of our democracy. The votes they counted are also the lifeblood of our democracy. They served their fellow citizens with a gallant effort, to determine who will serve in the Senate, the House, and who will be our next President of the United States. 

With due diligence, they performed their civic duty under immense pressure from protesters, while at the same time, protected by law enforcement. The eyes of America were upon their momentous task and I as a citizen of this great land owe them a debt of gratitude. 

I am proud to be an American and let us hope our country comes together on January 20th, 2021 not as blue states or red states but as the united states of America because the soul of America is counting on it.

Always with love from Suzhou, China

Thomas F O'Neill

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