The Kind Taxi Driver and the Israeli

I get in a taxi to head back home. The ride will take about 25 minutes, so I pull out a book that I can study on the way there. The driver is in early 50s and says to me, "Is it okay if I chat with you?" (可以聊天吗?) I put down my book and I say, "Of course!" with a smile.

The first question that any taxi driver (or most anybody) in China will ask you is where you are from. These days, I tell them all I am Israeli (that's where my parents are from). I'm just tired of the typical response I get from people when I say I am from the States that goes like this:

Chinese Man: Where are you from?
Me: I'm from the States.
Chinese Man: [Pauses. Rubs his chin. Looks to the left.] Oh, the U.S. is a good country.

You know, if I ask you if you love your boyfriend and you start rubbing your chin and looking away before you answer, I think the answer is clear.

Of course, who can blame them? The behavior and actions of the United States in the last eight years have been those of a drunken frat boy. Relations with the rest of the world have gone down the drain.

So, I'm Israeli.

Taxi drivers (and most other Chinese people) always then respond in the same way. "Oh, Jewish people. The world's smartest people!"

Today, this driver responds this way and asks if I can tell him more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He says ever since he was a kid, he's always read news about the conflict, and it seems never-ending. He'd like me to help him understand why it's so difficult for both sides to work it out.

I, of course, have been thinking about this question for the last twenty years of my life, so I give him my hit on it. We talk for a while about my take on the conflict and he is very thankful.

I tell him that I think every country has their difficult problems. Take you guys here in China. You have Tibet and Taiwan. I tell him that he can now be my teacher and help me understand.

He is a very humble and respectful man. He says he wouldn't dare call himself anyone's teacher. He is wise and doesn't want to get too deep into those difficult issues. But he asks me another question.

"Do you think that democracy, like they have in Thailand and Taiwan, are really good for the people? I mean look at what is happening in the news," he says.

I tell him that although it may look messy to a Chinese person, I sincerely believe that it's a necessary process. If you look at the modern, free countries of the world you see that they've all gone through this messy process.

However, I want him to know that understand where he and all the other bajillion Chinese people are coming from.

I tell him that I am different from most foreigners. Whereas many foreigners just write off China's government as an evil authoritarian dictatorship that ignores human rights, I understand that they are trying to keep China stable. And above all, above freedom and democracy, Chinese people want stability. I tell him that I would like to communicate this to more foreigners, so they understand where Chinese people are coming from. He is very moved and he thanks me in a very sincere way.

I tell him that I hope one day, maybe not tomorrow, but maybe in fifty years, China will become a democracy. He says it might take longer and says a hundred years aren't enough.

We reach my apartment and he wishes his new Israeli friend well and says that he hopes to give me a ride home again some day. I hope so, too, and warmly say goodbye to him.