For an American to accuse Taiwanese people of being defensive is pretty hilarious. It’s true that people around the world are defensive regarding own countries, but Americans are totally amongst the worst offenders.
China is obviously on another level of butthurt, but that’s to be expected.
My point is, the whole “criticizing other countries or cultures” thing is uncalled for.
Sure, that woman can say whatever she wants to say on the stage, because the US is a free country where even the dumbest and most offensive remarks are allowed.
But it doesn’t change the fact that she is abusing the commencement speech.
It’s like a Muslim graduate talk about how bad Islam is on a commencement speech, which is improper on many levels.
And other Chinese students are being over-reactive and over-sensitive to make a big deal out of nothing. They’re like the Muslim protesters in Europe who care too much about what irrelevant people say or think about them.
That said, American people will still get mad when outsiders criticize the US, so, all in all, I guess we can all agree on one thing, which is humans are all pretty much a-holes to one another.
Why is it uncalled for? China does have horrible air. WHO estimates that more than 1 million people die from poor air quality in china each year. More than any other country. If their own government won’t address it, who will?
FTA
Beijinger Lucy Gao, a student at Washington University in St Louis, said the incident confirmed to Chinese people back home their perception that international students “don’t love their country”.
This is bollocks. People who love their country want to improve it and make it better. Criticizing bad things about their country is because they want to get rid of the bad things and improve it.
[quote=“Mr.Lin, post:22, topic:160595”]
My point is, the whole “criticizing other countries or cultures” thing is uncalled for.[/quote]
Why, are they above criticism? It’s her culture anyway.
Why, was there some limit on the content I’m not aware of?
It’s like a Muslim graduate talk about how bad Islam is on a commencement speech, which is improper on many levels.
Why, is a religion above criticism now too?
That said, American people will still get mad when outsiders criticize the US, so, all in all, I guess we can all agree on one thing, which is humans are all pretty much a-holes to one another.
Ummm not really. If we got that mad every time someone said something bad about the US, we wouldn’t have time to think about anything else 
To a degree maybe. There’s always a bunch of malcontents online ready to comment about something, that’s for sure. My guess is it will have more legs in her cultural context however.
She said she loved the air and the feeling of freedom in the US, she probably thinks of the US as her adopted country.
What’s controversial about that?
Butthurt Chinese storm in a teacup if you ask me!
From what I can tell, these commencement speeches have become a bully pulpit and racket in recent years; universities paying anyone famous they can think of, and then said celebrities often veer off-topic into their own agendas. In a sense she’s basically following the script.
Things like this remind me why I do not miss the Mainland.
The girl conducted herself with humility and class; a foreign student taking a prestigious spot at an American university and repaying the country that honoured her with generous praise.
Shame that the girl felt forced in to an apology. What should have been a high point in her life will now be forever tainted thanks to brainwashed, envious idiots.
Online culture is particularly toxic in China. Almost as toxic as the air they breathe!