[anamax]

> As an outsider looking in, the thing that really shocks me about American schools is the consistent, persistent denigration of teachers and implication that so many are only there because their greedy, too-strong unions are protecting them in spite of incompetence and laziness while demanding outrageous salaries and pensions.

As an "insider", the thing that really shocks me about outsiders' comments is their assumption that they know enough to comment intelligently about what's going on in the US.

Actually, it doesn't shock me at all because it's SOP.

We get that you watch US media, but don't confuse that with information.

Helpful tip - don't expect warm water at LA's beaches, let alone SF's. Yes, we know that bay watch suggests otherwise, but ....

[Muzza]

How exceedingly condescending. You honestly believe that no foreigner knows more than what's on the news?

[anamax]

> How exceedingly condescending.

Yes, I was rude, but correct. Since you didn't complain about the foreigner who was just as condescending yet wrong, I've got an unknown.

Do you only complain about condescending when it's from a foreigner or when it's by someone who is correct?

> You honestly believe that no foreigner knows more than what's on the news?

I'm sure that there are some foreigners who knows things about the US that aren't in the mass media.

That's why I wait until after a foreigner demonstrates that she isn't in that group before I do my rant.

[Muzza]

> Since you didn't complain about the foreigner who was just as condescending yet wrong, I've got an unknown.

There is absolutely no condescension in eftpotrm's post. He (she) only talks about the impression he's gotten. He doesn't mention how he came about this impression. You assume it comes solely from the media; I on the other hand know that it's perfectly possible to form an impression about America by conversing with Americans, visiting America, etc.

> Do you only complain about condescending when it's from a foreigner or when it's by someone who is correct?

I dunno, mu? "Foreign" and "correct" are not mutually exclusive. (My best guess is that you're trying to expose me as an evil hypocrite, but I seriously don't understand the question.)

> I'm sure that there are some foreigners who knows things about the US that aren't in the mass media.

"Some" foreigners? Good gracious. Foreigners who've participated in discussions with Americans on the internet know things about America which aren't in the mass media. The same goes for foreigners who've visited America. Etc etc. It's an awful lot of foreigners, not just some.

> That's why I wait until after a foreigner demonstrates that she isn't in that group before I do my rant.

But how did you decide that eftpotrm belonged to the group of foreigners who only get their impressions of America from the media? Because eftpotrm certainly didn't WRITE that. You just assumed it and went on a condescending rant.

[anamax]

> But how did you decide that eftpotrm belonged to the group of foreigners who only get their impressions of America from the media?

I used "got their impressions from mass media" as shorthand for "don't know what they're talking about". I waited until eftpotrm demonstrated that property.