How come you NEVER hear stories of westeners being charged in China?

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by Alinestra Covelia
Part of this may be racial deference - I've heard other situations where foreigners can get away with a slightly greater amount of presumptive behavior than Asians in China.

But part of this also seems to be racial aversion - almost like you can't trust westerners to behave themselves so just treat them with kid gloves until they buzz off or wise up.

It's all a muddle, true enough.

I have a little bit different take based on our three weeks in China this past summer. The impression I got was that any kind of dealings with foreigners were well above the pay grade of the local constabulary, who in most cases were not far removed from the rice fields or army. I think "let the embassies sort it out" is a more apt description. You get that kind of reaction to some extent from the police here in Washington DC.

Put a different way, the police we encountered in China were deferential toward foreigners. The bureaucrats we dealt with were not.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Oh yeah, Adam Smith, I remember a few years ago we had a debate about whether Beijing had more surveillance than Washington D.C.

You'd written a challenging post saying something like "How can you comment if you haven't lived in D.C.?"

Now, six years later, I've lived in D.C. and Silver Spring. I'd have to say the Americans have the Chinese beat on surveillance, for technological reasons if nothing else

[SlowwHand]

Peeping Toms are abundant.

[Alinestra Covelia]

They are? Where?

*grabs lingerie*

Point me at 'em!

[SlowwHand]

Why do you think Adam Smith is trying to divert your attention?

"Why, of course not. No spying here. Nope. Nuh uh."