The American Arrogance and Ambika’s Prescription
The Shah Rukh Khan Story has hit the front pages of all Sunday newspapers. It is really outrageous how the US authorities are implementing their security procedures. One can understand that the local staff may not 
be well trained, and may go by procedure mechanically. But the way it responds to public fury is even more outrageous.
Continental Airlines frisked our ex-President Abdul Kalam and was even ruder in its first response to the hue and cry. It gave a politically more correct statement later but the arrogant attitude of the airline was obvious.
In the Shah Rukh case the US Ambassador Timothy Roemer tried to contain damage by issuing a statement. But does he see a repetitive pattern of misidentification and arrogance of US officials?
Ambika Soni, the Union I&B Minister has denounced the behaviour and has called for a ‘Tit-for Tat’. “I have always felt – even when I was frisked there – that the way they frisk us we should do the same for them here,” she said. There are several thousands who share that feeling. But what separates Ambika Soni from us is that she is in a position to do something about it. Let us watch her, or is that yet another playing on public opinion by political leaders?
Vivek
If 'Tit-for-Tat' is applied it will be called as Law or What ?
My brother went to Dubia to meet the woman he later married. Upon his return, he was given a lot of questions as to what he did, why did he go there, who did he see, what did he do, etc. He said it was a bit excessive and he's an American.
When Greg and I took a flight to Maryland, Greg lost the sticker on the back of his driver's lics that proved it wasn't expired. He had to go through a sniffer machine and they tested his shoes, which had chemicals on it, because… hello.. he is a chemical engineer! He was given a line of questions and thankfully he had his business card and airport badge to prove his line of work, etc.
I'm sorry that people go through this and at the same time… I understand it IF it's handled professionally and not as if it's the Spanish Inquisition.
Is it arrogance or fear or government that has to make up for not being more guarded in the past and hence Sept 11th and now is going the opposite way with too much regulation..
One of the amazing things they do in Security at American airports, is single you out if you dont remove your jewellery like mangalsutra and ordinary bangles. (I dont remove them (at least bangles) because they dont come out easily unless I use some soap water. And I dont see anyone else being asked to remove necklaces so I do not agree to removing the mangalsutra.)
While removing footwear and loading it along with your carry-on baggage for checking goes on automatically thru x-ray vision or whatever, you (with your worn jewellery) are made to stand separately from others (who are just kind of checked with a probe that beeps).
They call out loudly for "special assistance", make you stand on some foot marks, make you turn this way and that,(kind of feels like ballet in slow motion), and basically run the same probe all over you. Its a laborious thing for someone to do, and the person doing this check sometimes even apologizes for frisking you. How this tells them whether my jewellery is especially dangerous I have never understood.
Its the same probe and the same me. But I am sure 10% of the people watching this , probably feel thankful that a dangerous type has been detected ….:-).
But this doesnt happen in Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul etc. Maybe because they are more clued in, to Asian social customs etc.