HLM -Chapter 1422 The Overlooked Problem

Upon hearing the last sentence, Wang Bo was a little angry.

He looked at the Argentinian who had spoken and said, “Posso, your name is Posso, and you drive a Honda Accord, right?”

“Yes, Mayor,” the Argentinian who had been named replied.

Wang Bo nodded. “Good. You know, Sunset Town is a world-class small town. Every resident has an obligation to maintain that standard. But a Honda Accord is not a vehicle befitting a resident of a world-class town—it lowers the town’s overall style. I suggest you get a new car; something like a Mercedes S-Class would be good.”

Hearing this, the Ted couple laughed.

Posso looked embarrassed. “But Mayor, everyone drives modest cars. George even drives a second-hand car.”

“Damn, this idiot,” someone rolled their eyes helplessly.

Wang Bo said, “Yes. If you want to continue living in a world-class town, then you need to change your car.”

“That’s not right, Mayor. We have the freedom to drive whatever car we like.”

Wang Bo pointed at the Teds. “They also have the freedom to decorate their yard according to their tastes.”

Someone else was unwilling to give up. “Our community has a residents’ association. This is the will of the association. You know, Mayor, the residents’ association is like a legal entity, and we have always acted according to rules to protect all residents.”

Wang Bo smiled. “I know. You residents’ association was established with my approval.”

“Then you should understand what powers we have.”

“I understand even more clearly what obligations you have. Since the residents’ association exists to serve the interests of all residents, there are still many unresolved community problems: garbage from construction projects, blocked sewage systems, and so on. Honestly, it’s questionable whether your residents’ association is fulfilling its duties.”

The confrontation drew a crowd from the community. New Zealanders, as always, loved to watch a spectacle.

After hearing Wang Bo’s words, some people started clapping. “Well said, Mayor! The residents’ association is overstepping its bounds!”

“These tires are not garbage.”

“Maybe they’re garbage to some, but to others, they’re treasures. As long as they’re used properly, what’s the problem?”

“If she bought the tires already painted from a gardening store, would that be okay?”

“What is garbage? Useless things discarded by people. There’s no doubt that these tires are not useless—they are works of art.”

The residents’ association and the protesters showed no fear and started confronting each other, directly arguing in front of the onlookers.

“Tires are toxic. Their decomposition releases toxins that affect nearby houses.”

“I would hate living in a neighborhood with people who think old tires are acceptable. Maybe some places are fine, but not where I live!”

“Tires release toxic substances into the soil. Never use them in gardens. These upgraded tires are still discarded old tires, essentially garbage wrapped in paint.”

Wang Bo looked at the two groups arguing and suddenly noticed a pattern.

Most of those opposing the tires were people of color: Asians, South American immigrants, African immigrants, and some Europeans.

Those supporting the Ted family were not all the same color either, but Wang Bo noticed that several were Americans.

In other words, this had turned into something like an international conflict disguised as a dispute over tires: the Americans were playing the role of Germany in World War II, facing attacks from most of the international community.

He stepped into the middle of the crowd, pushing aside people trying to squeeze together, and raised his badge sharply. “You all bored with living in this town and want a tour of the jail, is that it?”

“Mayor, this is bullying!” Ted said angrily.

Immediately, someone retorted: “You Americans afraid of being bullied? Ha! You start wars all over the world, you stir up conflicts in every region—you are damn war mongers!”

“War mongers, get out of Sunset Town!”

Now the situation was clear. Wang Bo had been puzzled—residents’ associations and locals had always lived peacefully. How could such a big conflict break out over some tires?

In reality, this conflict had nothing to do with the tires. What people wanted to complain about was the Americans’ identity, not what the Americans had done.

Understanding this, Wang Bo realized he had to take it seriously. This was a racial issue. If handled poorly, it could create many future community problems.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Hey, you never really considered yourselves residents of Sunset Town, right?”

The group looked surprised. Someone said, “Of course we did! We’re happy to live here.”

Wang Bo shook his head. “No. You treat this place as a tourist spot. Your nationalities haven’t changed—you’re Argentinian, you’re Mexican, you’re Egyptian, you’re Iraqi—and you even consider yourselves Americans, right?”

“No,” some denied, but more people realized the point he was making and fell silent.

Wang Bo said, “What the government does has nothing to do with ordinary citizens. We are just common people. Why blame Mr. Ted for the actions of the U.S. government? Is that fair? Perhaps you want to educate your children this way—passing down hatred onto them?”

“If so, you’ll see soon enough. In schools, German children will only play with Germans, American children only with Americans, Chinese children only with Chinese. Is that fun?”

Wang Bo patted the shoulders of the people standing at the front of the confrontation. “Think about your children. Stop being so narrow-minded.”

To make sure they took him seriously, he added: “Remember, I’m the same as you—I’m Chinese. The Eight-Nation Alliance once invaded us. East Asian countries still boycott us. If I were to act like you, you know there would be no place for you here!”

This silenced everyone. Nothing could carry more weight than this.

The crowd gradually dispersed. Wang Bo called over several members of the residents’ association: “If I find your organization doing this again—using public affairs for private gain or revenge—then this organization doesn’t need to exist anymore.”

“Yes, Mayor, we understand,” several people said, heads hanging low.

After resolving this issue, Wang Bo realized that he had been neglecting the racial dynamics of the town’s residents.

Racial discrimination and incompatibility exist everywhere. Unless someone’s status and ability command universal respect, conflicts over race will always arise.