Since Thursday, The government, the media and the people here have started showing their displeasure over the arrest and barbaric treatment of India’s diplomat in Newyork. The news headlines suggest, she was strip-searched, kept in cell with drug addicts. Being a leading country of the world, no one expects such behavior from its officials. By any means, it does not set a good example in front of the world. Now this has somehow generated anger in most of us Indians. If people of my country are capable of protesting against injustice for women in India, then also they are capable of doing it when something similar happens anywhere in this planet.
None of us enjoy when we hear the idol of our generation, who is a scientist and also ex-president of India, was frisked on board the aircraft, and had his jacket and shoes briefly taken away at a New York airport in the year 2009.
There is a long list of famous Indians of various fields who were detained at various airports in US for no reason. We justifies most of those cases, by saying, it’s fine if US is doing so to protect its people. The celebrity and VIP culture is so deeply rooted in India that, the actors, singers sometimes expect the same celebrity treatment across the globe. But that argument surely falls short when we consider cases like what happened with a women diplomat last Thursday, or like what happened with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam long back in 2009.
Somehow I feel episodes like these, send a wrong message about US. Today while we were having a chat, one of my close friends asked me , why the hell people go to US, if these things happen. His question was simple, yet it opens a whole new argument. I did not argue. But my personal experience with people living in this country is just wonderful. I find those people honest, hardworking, and straight forward. But people who have never gone there or have never met any person who belongs to that country create their own perceptions with instances like these. Just like there are many misconceptions about us Indians. Instances like these give birth to a general perception on the arrogance of US officials; which is a wrong thing for sure as they represent the people living in that country too.
Most of my blog readers belong to this country; so I know I am risking my readership by writing this. But I also have lots of faith on intelligence and humanity of people living in that country as I feel they can judge if this was right or wrong keeping their nationality aside. I am sure their heart and conscience would surely tell them to not appreciate this behavior of officials which hurts sentiment of so many people living in another country.
Being Arindam.. 
Deborah the Closet Monster
December 18, 2013
I hadn’t even heard of this until now. I just read TIME’s piece dated today and . . . this treatment strikes me as barbaric regardless of diplomatic status.
Arindam
December 19, 2013
Yes, it was completely uncalled for; considering the relationship between both these countries are so good since a decade.
2e0mca
December 18, 2013
I hear your anger in the broken sentences my friend. Sometimes the US acts like a police state of the worst sort and this is just such an example. We’re talking about a fraud case here… How does that justify a strip search? In fact, it probably doesn’t even justify handcuffs – a polite ‘please come with us’ should have been adequate.
Arindam
December 19, 2013
Yes, I did not like what happened a couple of days earlier. And I believe many of us do not appreciate it either. Yes just as you very rightly gave the solution, that would have been very adequate considering she is a diplomat of another country.
earthriderjudyberman
December 18, 2013
I saw this news just as I was signing on the Internet. Arindam, I share your outrage in how the U.S. government handled this suspected fraud case. She should not have been strip searched. That type of degrading action should be reserved for those accused of violent crimes. That certainly was not the case here and that’s regrettable.
Arindam
December 19, 2013
Yes Judy, my point is also that only. She should not have been strip searched. We do not have any issue, with a fair trial or if anyone punished who is a culprit of doing something wrong. But there should be a limit to what extent officials can go to make sure the trail is fair and not inhuman.
Elyse
December 18, 2013
So sorry to hear about this incident, Arindam. How awful. Wish I could do something to make it right,
Arindam
December 19, 2013
I wish event like this must not occur in future. If we people living in both these countries share such wonderful bond; then why to create unnecessary trouble or hurt each others if the issue can be resolve in a much better way with dignity and humanity. Thanks a lot for not taking the post the other way; which I feared would hurt many people’s emotions over there.
Littlesundog
December 18, 2013
Arindam, I have been away for the past week and had not heard of this case. I agree that it was not handled well at all, and to me it would not matter if it were a dignitary or a common traveler – this type of treatment is uncalled for and does not represent the common people of the US. I am so sorry this happened, Arindam.
belasbrightideas
December 18, 2013
Sorry to hear, but not really surprised. We live a separate existence, here in Hawai’i – which is, and yet is not, part of the U.S. We do not watch television, largely because it would be too depressing.
However trust me, there are MANY U.S. citizens right now who are exposing this kind of corruption in our government, largely begun during George W. Bush’s reign of fear around terrorism – in which he was somehow able, in the middle of the night, to change our very Bill of Rights to initiate “The Patriot Act,” of all things. Too bad we became terrorists, ourselves as a result.
This kind of action is not representative of the majority of Americans, who want simply to live, work, and be happy – just like most people in the world. Shameful, shameful behavior.
Aloha, Arindam.
renxkyoko iglesias
December 18, 2013
Americans are kind of bipolar. That’s all I can say.
Maxi
December 18, 2013
One thing I have learned about all countries Arindam … we must separate the people from the government and its officials.
We, the American people, are just as outraged as your people over this incident. We ask ourselves “Why? This is such an injustice.”
blessings ~ maxi
Arindam
December 19, 2013
Yes Maxi, you are like always completely right. I always believe the same. We the people must stop drawing conclusion about people living in another part of the planet, considering the differences in how our governments and officials works. All this creates unnecessary misunderstandings among us.
Thanks for your blessings. Have a great day!!
Take care!! 🙂
georgettesullinsg
December 18, 2013
Thomas Jefferson drafted “”Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. The phrase gives examples of the various “unalienable rights” which the Declaration says all human beings have been given by their Creator and for the protection of which they institute governments. I’m dismayed to hear about this and no, this is not what our founding fathers had in mind. Thank you for putting this on our radar…we cannot stand for it.
georgettesullinsg
December 18, 2013
Okay…fyi The story has arrived to the US and various news stories are telling it today Dec. 18.
Angelia Sims
December 18, 2013
Outrage or not, I doubt the government will back down. They like to stand by their decisions, even the worst of them…… I am sorry this happened and I am sorry you feel Indians are targets. I don’t think it is any one particular people or culture. It’s just another part of the system. 😦
Arindam
December 19, 2013
No Angelia, you know I do not believe in stereotyping people. So I am not believing Indian’s are targeted there. I know many Indians who live there happily and comfortably.
It just hurts all of us, when we come across something which shows arrogance of the official and government of a leading country.
rangewriter
December 19, 2013
I just heard about this incident this morning. My first thought was outrage…but then I also thought there’s probably more to the story. I suspect that this event has stoked hyperbole from all fronts. I don’t know the facts, so I’m withholding judgement for now. But it is remarkable that Indians can be so upset about this, yet respect for women within their own country still leaves much to be desired. We all need to keep breathing, to look beyond the headlines and the Tweets, and think about how we, as individuals, can make the world a better place for everyone.
Arindam
December 19, 2013
Yes Linda, I am also not trying to be judgmental. But like many others, I too believe the officials should have resolve the issue in a much better way. And it’s not just an issue related to a woman. There are so many events in past, which showed arrogance of officials in US. And as you very rightly asked how Indian can be so upset about this, when women here still wait for due respect. But honestly I am telling you, majority of us respect women. And we stand together and protest, when we find something is inhuman. Unfortunately the population here is on higher side. So although a minority of people living here do not respect the women; still they are too many apparently when some one looks from another place. I hope you know, how much I respect the women and I guarantee you at least I know hundreds of people around me who thing just as I do. 🙂
rangewriter
December 20, 2013
Yes, I do know that Arindam. And I also know that Americans (quite rightly) have a world-wide reputation for being arrogant, wasteful, and fat. Its sad how we’ve squandered our once honored reputation.
daisy
December 21, 2013
Arindam, as always your post is a thoughtful reflection on the world. And I couldn’t agree more — right and wrong have no borders. Thank you for standing up and voicing your feelings.
Arindam
December 25, 2013
Thanks Melissa. Honestly, while writing this I feared what if my words would hurt anyone’s sentiment. I am glad my post could reach you the way I wanted it to be interpreted.
And Merry Christmas to you and your family!! 🙂
greenlightlady
December 23, 2013
Arindam, I admire how you have chosen not to judge all people of a country by the actions of a few. It would be wise for everyone to act as you have. As a Canadian living next door to the USA, I have respect for my neighbors as I do for all other countries. We must never judge a barrel of apples by the condition of a few.
Christmas Blessings ~ Wendy
Arindam
February 14, 2014
No Wendy, I can never do that. I am always against stereotyping. We just can blame people of special region, country, religion for behavior of very few people living in the same geographical location on following the same rules or tradition. I apologize for the late reply. 🙂
Audrey
September 8, 2016
These events trade to a daily pattern and we see orchestrated selling happen one hundred% of the time at
options expiry, contract rollover, non-farm payrolls (irrespective
of if the information is bullish or bearish), and in a lesser way on the daily silver repair.