Monday, August 9, 2010

American Perceptions

I always get a good laugh at people who get fearful whenever they hear someone is going abroad. "Oh, be careful" they tell their friend traveling. Somehow life outside of the US is dangerous and chaotic. You never know what might happen while abroad. But after being gone for so long, I find America scary. Yesterday, I was outside getting ready to go for a bike ride when a helicopter flew over. The police were making the following announcement via a loudspeaker, "Attention Seminole County residents. If you see a white male wearing an orange shirt and beige pants please call the Sheriff's office immediately." I don't know. How's that for making me feel peaceful?

Come to find out the man was not a criminal. He was just someone who suffered from memory loss. I guess he just didn't know how to get home.

5 comments:

heidileanne said...

America is pretty scary. There are so many other countries that, based on crime rates, maternal death rates, infant mortality rates, high test scores, etc. etc. make me want to live there instead of here.

Of course the first thing I think of when you say helicopter and searching for a man, in Florida, is it must be a serial killer ala Dexter. I think I watch too much of that show. But knowing its a man that can't find his own home makes me very sad and makes me think of my grandpa's (both of them).

Ginger said...

Wow, yeah. I find the U.S. more scary than being abroad, as well. There are a lot more people running around with concealed weapons, and drinking and driving, etc. over here.

jc said...

Heidi: Yeah, I know a man lost because of his memory does make me think of grandpa. (Your other grandpa has/had memory loss?) I kind of wondered if the helicopter thing helped. Wouldn't that have just scared the guy? Btw, they found him at a Burlington Coat Factory store.

Ginger: I sometimes wonder if is partially to do with language. In Thailand I couldn't read about the local crimes so I felt, well, safe. Here, I get my daily dose of horrible news and it makes me nervous.

heidileanne said...

Yea, both of my Grandfathers had dementia. :( My Grandpa Shull actually wandered away from their house (or, okay - made a full-on escape, pushing my grandma away when she tried to stop him), and got lost in the L.A. area. Scary stuff.
And I too hate how the media tries to terrify us at every possible opportunity.

Marlise said...

:-) Funny post!
You're right, not knowing the language probably keeps us from hearing scary news!