Shahrukh Khan and Security
I feel bad for Shahrukh Khan. I really do. When I get a off a flight all I want to do is just get the hell out of the airport. To be detained for two hours, questioned and not allowed to make a phone call, it must be painful. But at the same time I have to say that in the terror filled world that we live in, sometimes, each and every one of us has to go through this. Even beloved Bollywood superstars.
I don't have an issue with SRK's anger, I would be fuming too. I don't have an issue with the media coverage of the event. SRK is a huge celebrity and press coverage was expected. The area that I have an issue with is when people say what happened to SRK was wrong. I firmly believe that superstar or no superstar, each person has to go through the same random checks as we all do. Today it is SRK and so people are upset. What if tomorrow it is some random celebrity from some obscure country that no one knows? At that point we would all say, what is the big deal, he should have been checked. The minute we start making exceptions in security, that is when the next terror attack is going to slap us in the face.
Before I go on, I just want to mention that I do not agree with the way President Kalam was treated. Heads of state have a different security protocol around the world. But a mistake was admitted here and we can move on.
Anyway, back to the SRK issue. My thought on security is that if we want it to work and if we need it to do the job that it is supposed to do then it must be non-negotiable. The minute we put it in the minds of the security personnel that it is alright not to check someone out since they are known celebrity or global businessman, then we have a problem. The chain reaction and long term impact of these exceptions cannot be quantified.
Let us say for example if this particular officer in the U.S. was severely reprimanded for pursuing the SRK questioning. Do you think for one second there wouldn't be a doubt in his mind the next time he faces someone who objects and claims to be a celebrity? Naturally there would be a doubt in his mind on whether he should go ahead with the interrogation, because the last time he did, he got in to trouble. And the one thing that I definitely do not want, is a security personnel who is in two minds about whether he should check someone out or not. When in doubt, check them out.
This is more so a problem in India. A number of times some of my friends have managed to get away from a security check at a hotel, movie theatre or similar places because it is crowded or they just managed to sneak by. I have seen the security person repeatedly call out to them (to get checked), but my friends have ignored this call and proceeded in to the movie theatre or hotel. The security person eventually gives up the chase because he has to go back to his post and check other people entering. While this does raise questions about how good the security is in these places it also shows a lot about how pathetic we are as citizens.
We have felt the force of terror in our backyard and yet we don't respect the people who are trying to prevent another attack? What this does is create an attitude among the security team that there is nothing we can do so it is not a big deal if one of these people get through. It creates the old 'chalta hai, main kya kar sakta hoon, yay log bade aadme hai' attitude. They look like regular Mumbaikars anyway, think the security guards. Might I remind you that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai looked like regular boys too. I have seen how helpless these security guards look when people just pass them by without any respect. Frankly this attitude of people disgusts me. Don't demoralize a person who is doing a job to protect you.
The next time you manage to pass by hotel security, or security at a movie theatre, the next time you ignore the call of a security personnel or manage to get in to a place without your bag being checked, think about this- What if a terrorist managed to do that? And what if he managed to do that because over time you created a situation for the security guard that he is hopeless in stopping you and thus encouraged weakness in security.
At the same time all these places need to tighten their security to prevent careless citizens and terrorists from exploiting any weakness. Because let us be honest here, the terrorists are not dumb, if they find a weakness, they will exploit it. So lets not encourage it.
As far as random checks go, I am all for it. If security does 10,000 random checks (which also include, celebs, business tycoons, sports personalities etc.) and manage to find even 1 terrorist or uncover even a clue that leads us to find one. Then I think the random checks are worth it. So while I do feel for you SRK, unfortunately, like it or not, this is the world we live in. Better safe than sorry.
As far as Ambika Soni's 'tit for tat' statement goes, she sounds like a childish, petty school girl.
Photo Credit- AP Photo/Gautam Singh http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/bollywood/article6797998.ece
Agree with you 100% PRG. Although unlike you, I love SRK, but security is top priority..
ReplyDeleteWell put, who does he think he is? All of us have to go through with it, so why him. Also I don't believe that the immigration officer in New Jersey new who the hell he is. How can people say he was targeted. Ambika soni is an idiot...Well put PRG..
ReplyDeleteAgreed, but the US does take security to the next level....But I guess that uis why they have nt had an attack since 9/11
ReplyDeleteDude, you write such shit. Sharukh is a world known celebrity. Anyone who confuses him to be a terrorist must be drunk. The US are rascist against all individuals who are not American. I don't even think this is a Muslim thing, it is a thing against brown people...
ReplyDeleteAgree with you 100%. Security is # 1, over anyone in the world...
ReplyDeleteOh and Ambika Soni is a moron...
ReplyDeleteSorry Pranav, but I dont agree with you. This is a clear case of racial profiling. He was simply detained for having a surname like 'Khan'. I bigger issue here is if SRK can get treated like this for no apparent reason then can you imagine what a dadhi-topi wala Muslim gentlemen would face? US has the best technology and top of the line info - if by now they cant tell the difference between a regular muslim guy and a terrorist then God save us.
ReplyDeleteSomething also has to be said about the process. If the guard was concerned about SRK, why is a 2 hour interrogation required?
Check it out and move on - no one is saying that celebrities shoule be able to skip the process - but there has to be some reasonable level of bahaviour and reason for doubt.
This reeks of US high handed behaviour. In the absence of a Guantanamo Bay, their 'I can do anything' attitude has moved into the mainstream as well.
Sorry dude, the SRK thing is a complete farce....as for your friends who like to skip out on security checks - that is quite sad man.
Still love your blogs though....
It is racial profiling and it is no secret. Every muslim (fro certain countries including Pakistan) and within a certain age group has to go through this. I have a ton of friend who even plan their connecting flights accordingly because they are stopped not randomly but each time.
ReplyDeleteQuestion here I think is that is this a bad thing.
One point of view is that all muslims are not terrorists but most terrorists are muslim. Rather cause a little bit of discomfort but ensure security...testimony to that is that there has been no significant terrorist attack post 9/11....
Other point of view is that doing things like this radicalizes the moderate muslim...moderate muslims with no strong communal feelings begin to feel differently...wouldn't you if you were checked at the airport just because of your religion....
both valid arguments...not sure there is a right answer
How about Michael Vick huh. :):) LOL
ReplyDeletehmmm...prg...interesting thoughts....i guess arguments on both sides are really good...but lets everyone remember that at one time Sanjay Dutt was held for a connection with the Mumbai bomb blasts....so celeberities should not be above the law...
ReplyDeleteas far as racial profiling goes....America definately does it....it sucks....the fuck up is that they get away with it...so that is a completely different issue than SRK's detainment.
This is more of a publicity stunt as I see it. A couple of yers back on national TV when SRK was asked "what do you do when your rating goes down?" His asnwer was "I spread rumors like Karan and I are having an affair!!!". Besides US rightly takes security as a serious concern. Sen Edward Kennedy was not allowed to board a flight from his hometown where everyone knew who he was just because he did not carry his ID. What did he do?? He simply obeyed the orders. Went home ,got the ID and boarded the next flight. On one hand we say everyone should be treated equally and on the other such exceptions !!
ReplyDeleteThere is racial profiling however the Americans may spin it. Although they have prevented another 9/11 it has been at the expense of many travelers. So when you weigh a terrorist attack against a few people who have been made to feel disparaged because of their skin, nationality, religion, race, etc. the logical conclusion is that its probably a small price to pay.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day I guess whats really bothering people is lack of balance. Was it right to right to pick out SRK because he fit the criteria outlined to security? Definitely. Did it warrant detaining him for 1 - 2 hrs before clearing him? Probably not. Maybe their hands are tied? I don't know, but it sounds like they took more time than was needed. I guess if they were able to clear him in 15-20 min (which is probably all thats needed for someone with a clean record in a normal situation) then it'd be an easier pill to swallow.
DOnt think it is racial profiling. I have been stopped a number of times and I have a very non muslim name...Big deal if he was stopped.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it is or isnt racial profiling. Either way, I am for racial profiling and I don't think that makes me a racist. In fact my best friend is a Muslim and he agrees with me on this one.
ReplyDeleteWhether we admit it or not, most terrorist in the world today are Muslims. That is the reality. That doesnt make Muslims or Islam bad, I have nothing against the religion what so ever. However, if it means more people with Khan as last name get stopped, so be it.
Sorry, I don't think this was the intention of the post. Just bought it up since few of the comments were made above.
Frankly I agree with this Pradeep Chinai dude...it is prob for promotion of his film...
I think it's terrible that anyone can even condemn the Security guard for just doing his job. Celebrity, or not, no-one is above the law. Shah Rukh can create whatever issues he wants in the Indian Media, but at the end of the day, besides having starred in a bunch of
ReplyDelete(pretty terrible) movies, he is just a regular person. There is no reason on earth, that should prevent him from being checked, just like any other "regular person" would be. As for racial profiling, let's face it, the majority of terrorist attacks that have been orchestrated, have lead us to this so called "racial profiling." And in saying so, I am not at all "profiling" Muslims as terrorists, but only stating that there must be no exceptions to the rule, least of all, a "Bollywood Superstar" who has his head so far up his own arse anyway. Kudos to the Security Officer.
Hmmm....interesting. The first question I ask is, would SRK have been detained if his luggage wasn't lost? Probably not. Second question, apparently there were other people who were detained too - were they also all Muslims? Thirdly, do I see a disturbingly nauseating connection between the movie he was shooting in America 'my name is khan' which is about a Muslim man travelling through America and racial profiling? Most definitely.
ReplyDeleteFood for thought.
On a separate note, I'm disgusted by the government. They will now take up their issues with US detention policies. Why now? Because SRK was detained? Why not do it when an ordinary citizen of india is detained?
It's so sad!!
My rant for the day. Pranav loving the blog, keep em coming!
On
The secondary screening process usually takes 30 mins to an hour. You can be selected for a variety of reasons, if you name is similar to that on a hit list, if you didnt surrender your I-94 card when you left the US the previous time or if you have a new visa and it needs to be verified. They take you to a room to keep the immigration lines moving and run their checks. It seems that he was detained as his name came close to the hit list and because his bags were lost.... look, its unfortunate that his name is close to that of a terrorist, but is that something you can control? No. Okay, then deal with it. is that profiling? No.
ReplyDeleteAlso, no one is begging him to come to the US... if you want to go there, you gotta go by their procedures. If you arent happy with it, dont. You have the power, you can make the choice.
Also, i think that we are a sorry group of people that are making such a hangama over this... We think that just because he is "world known celebrity" he should be given special treatment? Why is our self worth so low? Why do we think that it is okay for a celebrity to be given special treatment just cause they are well known, have money and make movies? they are a person just like everyone else. Heads of state are a totally different catagory.
and, if the tables were reversed and Julia Roberts objected to being screened behind those dirty curtains at the indian ariports i am sure the indian media would be all up in arms about how she thinks that she is better than us...
either way, kudos to you PG for writing about this... keep up the great posts.
Good post - but PG you also need to address the issue from the religion point of view - SRK the ass says he was detained because his name is Khan. Then how was I detained? And how were other non-Khans we know detained? As others pointed out on this blog its clear it was a movie promo.
ReplyDeleteAs far as detaining goes - frankly until SRK blew the issue out of proportion - I never even felt I had been detained or might have been humiliated - too think of it other than the fact I spent an extra hour - the immigration officer was polite.
SRK should point out what exactly did someone say to him that he was humiliated - did some immigration officer tell him you bastard you are a Muslim - NO - did someone beat him - NO - all he had to do was wait for 30 to 45 mts for his turn - by most standards and definitely Indian standards that is not deemed to be humiliation.
And he thinks of condeming US - and its so easy to do that because the US is a democracy - but being amongst the world's most popular muslims he will not write a letter to osmama baba asking him to allow the world to be a more peaceful place for all of us - because he knows osmama baba is not democratic - and he might have SRK put on the hit list.
As far as the celebrity argument goes - its complete crap - in the Indian context - while we have not heard too many incidents this decade - just until the previous decade we all know how many of our celebrities had links with the underworld - so on what basis does one exempt a movie star - it cant be subjective - and since it cant be subjective until then SRK need not visit America - since we all want him to go through a secondary immigration check if his name is randomly selected.
I went though US immigration last month. I had a thick beard at the time, was a young brown male, and was on my way back from traveling through a couple of hotspots including Iran and Burma. The guy flipped through my passport, asked me what Iran was like, chatted with me about college football and waved me through.
ReplyDeleteOn other occasions, I've been randomly detained and my bags emptied and searched, for no apparent reason. This usually happens when I have a tight flight connection to make. Murphy's law in action. It can be a little nerve wracking. When I was pulled out of line and saw the big black guy walking towards me and pulling on latex gloves, I reflexively clenched my ass cheeks...
(turns out he just wanted to look through my bags)
I'm not muslim.
Also, I think most racists of the kind I've encountered in the american south aren't smart enough to make it into the customs and immigration service. They're more like the "sit at home drink beer and masturbate while thinking of their sister" kind of racists. I don't think it was racially motivated. Most people don't respond well to being yelled at, and it sounds like this actor was yelling at them. In a case like that, they're not going to be cowed, they're going to give him a hard time.
I think its all luck of the draw. Most immigration and homeland security officials are courteous and professional, and can make reasonable judgements on whether the people they are processing need further scrutiny. Some are arrogant pricks on a power trip, and get off on ordering you around. Either way, maybe we should keep our overblown sense of entitlement in check. The US doesn't owe us a thing, Life's not fair, get used to it. Best just go through it politely as you can, and accept you might be late for your flight. There will be other flights. And bring anal lube. Just in case.
How can you guys claim it is a promotion stunt? You think SRK or Karan Johar would go to this extent? What nonsense you guys talk.
ReplyDeleteThe way he was treated was wrong.
Vineet- you sound like someone who does not know what they are talking about with the "write a letter to Osama line"
ReplyDelete1980"s- Every sceond Bollywood Star is hangs out with Dawood Ibrahim
ReplyDelete1990's- Dawood causes Mumbai blasts and god knows how many other problems
1990's- Every second bollywood film is financed by the underworld. Many people who work in the industry are shot and killed by the underworld.
1990-2000's- Our Bollywood Hero Sanjay Dutt found GUILTY and goes to Jail
2000's- Dominated by terrorists with a huge number of attacks.
2009- SRK stopped at the airport for 45 mins. BIG FREAKING DEAL....
Last night on NDTV, the former Mumbai commissioner of Police, Julio Riberio, said that he goes to the US only if it really required. On most occassions he avoids going there. He went on to add that should anyone have a problem with the security measures, they have an option of not going!
ReplyDeleteHis was the most sensible statement made on this ridiculous issue.
I see no problem with Ambika Soni's statement. Why not a tit for tat approach? After 9/11 when all inbound passengers in the US were made to give finger print impressions, Brazil reacted in the same way and introduced this for all inbound Americans!
Let's not be naive by assuming that terrorism is an Asian monopoly!
@Harshita- What is wrong with racial profiling. Can you deny that the past 10 years have been dominated by Muslim terrorists? Oh and btw, I am a Muslim
ReplyDelete@VIneet- Agreed. I have been detained too, not a big deal
@hoopy- Anal Lube?? Lil aggressive dont you think?
@ Anonymous- Agreed that we should tighten security too. But a 'tit for tat" statement makes it sound like we will do it just cause you do it. That is why it is a stupid statement.
Nice write up PRG. Good comments from everyone too.
This discussion has gone all over the place. My contention is not that Shahrukh was detained, my contention with regards to assumptions with cause. My concern, again, is for the regular Muslim chap sporting a beard and wearing his cap who is simply being pulled out for being Muslim or for having a name close to that of a potential terrorist. Whilst I agree that we now live in a dangerous world, basic human rights cannot be denied - especially by a country that plays hard and loose with the political setup of several countries on the basis of their religion and affiliations.
ReplyDeleteRacial Profiling does happen but that does not make it right. Young, intelligent people such as yourselves saying that 'most terrorists are muslim' really make me wonder what path we are going down. maybe Jinnah was right, India is not tolerant of muslims and all our political posturing and secular ambitions are all for nought.
Being detained or discriminated in any way for being who you are is not correct. We are okay with getting our cars checked for bombs and sniffed by dogs before entering malls as they dont take inordinately long and they check every single car and every single person.
I prefer thinking and believing that we are still human beings at the end of it all - episodes of brutality against indians in Australia, racial disrimination against the North eastern asians in India, hindu-muslim discrimination and all other kinds of divisions based on one's beliefs is for me unbearable. And hence my strong reaction to what has happened.
SRK can handle it - he will get his apology, his moment in the press etc and I couldn't give a flying fig for that. However it points to a very derogatory and unfair policy adapted by that keeper of the peace - the Great United States of America.
Has anyone thought how much the US benefits from the repeated terrorist attacks in various parts of the world? Just give it a thought.
I have really enjoyed this discussion. Thank you all for your comments and views and most of all you Pranav - my little brother - well done. I love your blog. You have finally sucked me into it.
What I find amazing about this whole episode isn't the noise created, the lengthy discussions, the media coverage, the fanfare, the political angle, the PR gimmick! Why are we still discussing it and wasting our precious time??? So SRK was questioned and let off! Fine, it was newsworthy for a couple of days but are we so shallow and deprived of adequate substance to do something meaningful with our day??? I don't recall the last time someone made a huge deal about the more important issue in the SRK story - is Indian domestic security improving???
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-august-19-2009/shah-rukh-khan-detained-at-newark
ReplyDeleteSRK thinks he is God, why the hell should one be aware of his demi God status here in India, elsewhere & for me he is still a prick.
ReplyDeletethe US gets more visitors in Vegas than our entire country - can we afford to alienate visitors in the land of Athithi Devo Bhava ? - security we should have but these unwise statements from Ambika whatever - pisses people off- what a cow!!!!
Harshita - grow up. Don't even bring up the point of racial screening. Wonder if you even understand this blog. The guy was attending fucntions organised by goons. For you even if Dawood were to be detained it would amount to racial indiscrimination. Get a life, dont go to the US.
ReplyDeleteSRK probably got a dick in his rear orifice & now making a hue & cry hahaha - he deserves it
ReplyDelete