SRK arrest

The detention and questioning of Shahrukh Khan (SRK) at Newark, NJ last weekend has generated quite a lot of hot feelings in India.

The incidents of Indian Nationals being treated suspiciously in the US upon landing has gone up (recently an Indian Ex-prez was frisked) and the senstivity among indians has proved to be quite high.

Commentary here ranges from outright revenge (“We should strip search every american coming into india!” screams one woman into the camera,) to more thoughtful discussions on the increase of religious fears in the United States and cultural differences between the two countries.

It’s a little discomforting to hear such anger about americans but it’s also enlightening to experience the situation from the viewpoint of the indian nation. It’s clear that this is not just about their Brad Pitt being treated in this manner; it’s that the United States genuinely didn’t recognize their Brad Pitt and they would have recognized ours. It’s as much cultural pride as it is the politically incorrect behaviors played out by the individual few.

I have to wince a little when I hear people expound on racial profiling. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t what occurred here, especially on a flight coming from Mumbai where most of the persons disembarking were Indian. I have gone through customs multiple times this year between Europe/Asia/USA and what I can say, as I’ve judged internationals coming into the states and being questioned, is that while racial profiling might have been part of the issue, SRK’s attitude probably didn’t help. I’m of course making a significant assumption here but I find it hard to believe that if he wasn’t carrying anything or he wasn’t brandishing a weapon he wouldn’t have sailed through security. Instead he probably popped an attitude, maybe was even so condescending that it was a matter of pride not to detain him. ("I told them I am a movie star," Press Trust quoted Khan as saying. – You can see where this is going, right?) Yes, I’m giving the customs official the benefit of the doubt. But frankly, US customs officials need a few people on their side these days.

I don’t know the answer on how to make customs/security screening any more fair. I don’t think wearing a burqua (hard to screen security wise) or a T-shirt with arabic writing about the ‘paradise of death’ on it, or as I presume in the above case - acting like a total dickhead - is the best way to get through security/customs undisturbed. I also don’t know if India has any right to judge America on it’s security techniques. I’d be interested to see how India would react if the 2008 Mumbai bombings were carrier out by white guys in Texan hats. Perhaps they would be more tolerant than we appear to be. However, I hope no one will ever have the opportunity to judge the differences in our security protcols in the face of our culture clashing.