Tough town.
So two of my coworkers today saw me printing out my application to UC Riverside. Turns out they were undergrads at Riverside, and they started laughing about it, saying things like "Don't EVER be out on University Ave after 10 PM" and "When you get robbed, say hi to [police officer] for me". This went on for a while, implications of drug dealing, gangs, glue-sniffing, etc.
Eventually I had to say something. "OK, so you're making Riverside sound pretty sketchy. Would you say it's worse than Fresno?"
Silence, raised eyebrows.
"I'm from Fresno", I clarify.
Finally one of them says, rather emphatically, "No. Definitely not."
The other looks puzzled.
"Dude," says the first guy, "Fresno has Asian gangs."
I LOL'd.
Apparently gangs are one thing, but Asian gangs are, at least to Angelenos, just a sign of complete cultural depravity.
Eventually I had to say something. "OK, so you're making Riverside sound pretty sketchy. Would you say it's worse than Fresno?"
Silence, raised eyebrows.
"I'm from Fresno", I clarify.
Finally one of them says, rather emphatically, "No. Definitely not."
The other looks puzzled.
"Dude," says the first guy, "Fresno has Asian gangs."
I LOL'd.
Apparently gangs are one thing, but Asian gangs are, at least to Angelenos, just a sign of complete cultural depravity.