We've all heard it "Youth in Asia".
I wouldn't believe it until I did my own investigation into the allegation of this supposedly very anti-American part of the Health Care Reform legislation sizzling its way through our House and Senate. After all I needed this information before my Congressman's town hall next week so I, too, could add my indignation to the hue and cry of those patriotic Americans shouting out about "death panels" and the "Youth in Asia" movement even though I didn't understand the connection between those two things.
Some of what I found when you open this diary to get the facts.
First, in the interest of full disclosure: during a business trip to Japan years ago I took my son with me. As a result I had my own "Youth in Asia" which I could observe first hand. As I promised his Mom, I watched him very closely- that experience is helping me describe in detail some of the accurate "Youth in Asia" fears espoused by journalists like Beck, Hannity, Limbaugh, Malkin, Dobbs, and a host of others.
I currently work at a private high school so I am uniquely qualified to report on youth. Since this school has many exchange students from Korea, China, Japan, and other places from the far east I also have access to "Youth" from "Asia". So, logically, when they are home they are "Youth in Asia".
Putting on my best rumpled raincoat, grabbing a notebook, and my #2 yellow pencil I ventured out into the areas where these "youth" gathered. Our cafeteria and rec rooms.
What I found out will astound you...
The "Youth from Asia" were well adjusted, spoke English, studied hard, and have aspirations to be able to graduate and go to a US Ivy League College.
Obviously, nothing to report there.
Then I met Shannon B. She had spent the summer with one of the other students who lived in Japan. She was an honest to goodness American "Youth in Asia". I immediately sat her down, turned on a high intensity desklamp, and asked about her summer vacation. To net it down, she had a great time. She did say that, while there, she got sick. Her Japanese "family" took her to a health clinic where she was promptly diagnosed, given medicine, and released - no waiting, no cost even though not a citizen of Japan. A week later she went for a follow up and everything was deemed ok. Hmmmmmm, no story here.
I was running out of leads to discover what all this "Youth in Asia" fuss and furor was about.
Then I found this...
Jobs in Asia for Youths
Ah-ha!! There they are - the very same jobs that were shipped overseas over the last several years dangling like Eve's apple tempting our youth to move to Asia to find a job. American YOUTH IN ASIA!!!! Companies like IBM, JP Morgan, SAP, and scores of others looking for YOUTH to come INto ASIA to find a job and get off unemployment. After a quick google I found dozens of companies looking for recruits to go to Asia to take the very same jobs that were offshored earlier.
President Obama has NOT said anything about sending our YOUTH over to work IN ASIA. I can only surmise that the silence on this issue is support for our YOUTH to go INto ASIA.
Where does our President stand on this very important issue? I will ask my Congressman this question at his upcoming town hall meeting and I suggest you all do the same.
UPDATE: I let my wife read this - she explained the difference between "Youth in Asia" and Euthanasia.
Never mind............