散沙受人欺 [Loose sand ~ much insults] (#197, Topic A)

My entry yesterday is entitled 弱國無外交(#196), dealing with matters at the state level. Another entry I very much like to do for a long time -- this one -- deals with similar matters at the personal level. Thus, the two entries are parallel; it would be nice if, as title to this entry, I could find a saying in Chinese to parallel yesterday's in content and in word construction. I could not find one in Chinese (only the first two words are ok), but my concoction in the English version is much better (all five words are in parallel form); the latter may be translated as "loose sand invites much insults." A couple of days ago, a well known movie producer, when detained for driving under the influence in LA, assuming that the arresting police was of Jewish ancestry, uttered words uncomplimentary to Jews. This was duly reported, arousing complaints by Jewish-American groups around the country, which are both well organized and influential. This outcry forced the producer to apologize, and apologize again (when the first one was deemed inadequate), and apologize yet again (when the second one was also deemed inadequate). Earlier this year, an editor in a Danish newspaper published a dozen cartoons uncomplimentary to people of the Islamic faith. This was duly reported, arousing complaints by people of the Islamic faith, first in Denmark, then in Europe and Middle East. With the editor refusing to apologize (invoking "freedom of the press"), people of Islamic faith countered with boycott, refusing to buy goods produced in Denmark (Danish cheese had/has? a commanding presence in Middle East). With the editor refusing to budge (he was, however, asked to take a paid leave of absence), it was Danish prime minister who apologized. A few years ago, Weekly Standard, an influential political publication headquartered in DC and edited by a staff well known for their neoconservative leanings, published, on its cover, a carton uncomplimentary to people of Chinese ancestry. Was there a similar reaction among Chinese Americans? Of course not. There was no reporting, no outcry, no reaction of any kind. This is not so in China. Not long ago, VW (which held the #1 position in sales in China in 2005) had a TV ad which made fun of people taking the public transportation; complaints by the local citizenry forced the company to drop the ad. KFC (one of the very first western companies setting up shop in China) had a TV ad depicting a young man failing a college entrance examination, while two others, munching fried chicken, fared much better. Complaints forced the company to change the ending -- the young man also did well despite his not being fed fried chicken. The moral of the stories? Loose sand invites much insults. Strong response forces apologies and remedies.