crazyghoda
10-16 11:38 AM
A lot of EB2 folks are getting excited about getting the spillover from EB1 and EB2 ROW but has anyone contemplated that lots of EB3 ROWs will now start at looking at porting their dates to EB2 just as most people from EB3 India are?
Boy, I sure wish I was a lawyer! If this system remains as screwed up for another 20 years, I am surely sending my kid to law school :D
Boy, I sure wish I was a lawyer! If this system remains as screwed up for another 20 years, I am surely sending my kid to law school :D
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snathan
08-15 10:33 PM
Bollywood should first pay taxes, none of these icons, pay taxes legimately in India, remember them dancing in the partys of mafia, which is tied to terrorists, I think the agent did a great job in nabbing this guy. The VVIP mentality should end in India. Stupid illeterate politicians are over playing this, Ambika Soni should do what she is supossed to do in her office.
Then India would become a well developed country and will rule the world. :D
Then India would become a well developed country and will rule the world. :D
rsdang
07-16 01:22 AM
So gurus,
The progress has been better than this analysis - so where does this leave us?
Any more thoughts?
The progress has been better than this analysis - so where does this leave us?
Any more thoughts?
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nixstor
07-03 08:35 PM
Can IV try for a Bridge Legislation ...................
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Bridge Legislation Update
HLG is still actively seeking Bridge Legislation. The purpose of the bridge is to provide a short-term fix to the current retrogression problem for Schedule A occupations. As many readers are aware we are one of the founding members of the Coalition to Improve Healthcare Staffing. The CTIHS is pleased to announce that in June it retained two prominent Washington lobbyists and consultants. The lobbyists are working 24/7, along with the AHA, to seek this goal.
If any immigration attorneys and/or healthcare stakeholders wish to participate in this effort and contribute funds to the effort, they should contact Chris Musillo (cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com).
The biggest hurdle we have right now is general �immigration malaise� in Congress; no one wants to talk immigration at this point. Congress is on a short break for the American Independence Day. Many of the staffing companies and hospitals that make up the CTIHS have meetings set up with their Congressmen and Senators this week.
Lobbyists are working 24/7. Are you kidding me?
My ideal solution for this is to make this a hot button issue in the media and then try for legislation to recapture visa numbers and allow forwarding of visa numbers. That will help us go a long way.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Bridge Legislation Update
HLG is still actively seeking Bridge Legislation. The purpose of the bridge is to provide a short-term fix to the current retrogression problem for Schedule A occupations. As many readers are aware we are one of the founding members of the Coalition to Improve Healthcare Staffing. The CTIHS is pleased to announce that in June it retained two prominent Washington lobbyists and consultants. The lobbyists are working 24/7, along with the AHA, to seek this goal.
If any immigration attorneys and/or healthcare stakeholders wish to participate in this effort and contribute funds to the effort, they should contact Chris Musillo (cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com).
The biggest hurdle we have right now is general �immigration malaise� in Congress; no one wants to talk immigration at this point. Congress is on a short break for the American Independence Day. Many of the staffing companies and hospitals that make up the CTIHS have meetings set up with their Congressmen and Senators this week.
Lobbyists are working 24/7. Are you kidding me?
My ideal solution for this is to make this a hot button issue in the media and then try for legislation to recapture visa numbers and allow forwarding of visa numbers. That will help us go a long way.
more...
okuzmin
07-13 05:18 PM
Okuzmin,
All I meant was - TN is again just a visa after all and is just another version of the H1B hell. You ought to do better than just working for some one to pursue your American Dream right? What use it is to keep looking for an employer, extending your visas - is that not just a glorified version of H1B? True freedom is when you could quit an ass of any employer and come back home with your head held high :)
To qualify for TN status you need to become a Canadian citizen first, and that's what I'm going to do. It'll take about 4 years, maybe a little longer (3 year cumulative presence over the last 4 years + bureaucratic process of switching from PR to citizenship). With my Canadian passport I'll have many more options than with my current one. Working in TN status in the USA is just one of these options. It's mostly appealing to those who can get a better paying job in the USA. If I'm not happy with that job, I can always go back home -- to Canada.
Your concept of "true freedom" is rather limited, if you think about it. :) To me true freedom is when you can choose on any given day what you want to do: work, travel, sleep all day, have fun, etc. It requires much more than having a green card or even a US citizenship.
All I meant was - TN is again just a visa after all and is just another version of the H1B hell. You ought to do better than just working for some one to pursue your American Dream right? What use it is to keep looking for an employer, extending your visas - is that not just a glorified version of H1B? True freedom is when you could quit an ass of any employer and come back home with your head held high :)
To qualify for TN status you need to become a Canadian citizen first, and that's what I'm going to do. It'll take about 4 years, maybe a little longer (3 year cumulative presence over the last 4 years + bureaucratic process of switching from PR to citizenship). With my Canadian passport I'll have many more options than with my current one. Working in TN status in the USA is just one of these options. It's mostly appealing to those who can get a better paying job in the USA. If I'm not happy with that job, I can always go back home -- to Canada.
Your concept of "true freedom" is rather limited, if you think about it. :) To me true freedom is when you can choose on any given day what you want to do: work, travel, sleep all day, have fun, etc. It requires much more than having a green card or even a US citizenship.
sachug22
09-17 11:06 AM
When it took about 2 years spill over visas (2008 and 2009) for the EB2 India dates to move from April 2004 to Jan 2005, I am sure you could estimate how long it would take to cross a year.
In 2008 the spillover was distributed evenly between 2004/2005/2006. It was 2009 spillover that clean most of the cases in 2003 and 2004. As of 1st Oct there are next to nothing cases from 2003, very few from 2004.
Plus in 2008/2009 CIS had EB2-ROW applications that they can approve, this year they do not have the EB2-ROW cushion.
In 2008 the spillover was distributed evenly between 2004/2005/2006. It was 2009 spillover that clean most of the cases in 2003 and 2004. As of 1st Oct there are next to nothing cases from 2003, very few from 2004.
Plus in 2008/2009 CIS had EB2-ROW applications that they can approve, this year they do not have the EB2-ROW cushion.
more...
eb3_nepa
06-27 11:40 PM
Yes. Agreed. But what this means is that if they approve too many cases then they may issue August bulletin with retrogressed dates. And that's fine because they can do that and everyone expects dates to retrogress either in August bulletin or in subsequent bulletin.
Which portion of the Ombudsman report says that "In the middle of the month for which bulletin is already out there with current dates, they can just stop accepting applications and sort of "REVISE" an already issued bulletin".
WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT ???
And I am still looking for source of information where in the middle of the month for which a bulletin was already issued in preceding month, USCIS chose to stop accepting petitions and not honor the bulletin issued by DOS with current dates.
I am seeing a lot of copy-paste from lawyers websites but NONE, I repeat, NONE has a government website URL or any official source.
Those who still want to believe can choose to believe this. It will make people file on July 1st, if its in their hands. If its in the hands of HR department and company lawyers, it will make them raise their blood pressure until the lawyer sends them an email on July 25th that the Fedex went out today.
I believe that regardless of what August bulletin shows, July bulletin on DOS website applies to month of July all the way thru July 31st and as long as you file before July 31st, you are fine.
I made myself look like an idiot by asking such questions to my lawyer, who is already going nuts over the suddenly sky-rocketing workload of 485 petitions. There is another guy who made a fool of himself by asking the lawyer this question.
And people keep posting new updates and baseless sources to add credence to this baseless rumor. Suit yourself.
Logiclife,
I agree with what you say. However I dont see any evidence on the USCIS/DOS website that says that USCIS/DOS CANNOT change the dates mid-month either. THAT part is worrying me (and everyone).
Which portion of the Ombudsman report says that "In the middle of the month for which bulletin is already out there with current dates, they can just stop accepting applications and sort of "REVISE" an already issued bulletin".
WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT ???
And I am still looking for source of information where in the middle of the month for which a bulletin was already issued in preceding month, USCIS chose to stop accepting petitions and not honor the bulletin issued by DOS with current dates.
I am seeing a lot of copy-paste from lawyers websites but NONE, I repeat, NONE has a government website URL or any official source.
Those who still want to believe can choose to believe this. It will make people file on July 1st, if its in their hands. If its in the hands of HR department and company lawyers, it will make them raise their blood pressure until the lawyer sends them an email on July 25th that the Fedex went out today.
I believe that regardless of what August bulletin shows, July bulletin on DOS website applies to month of July all the way thru July 31st and as long as you file before July 31st, you are fine.
I made myself look like an idiot by asking such questions to my lawyer, who is already going nuts over the suddenly sky-rocketing workload of 485 petitions. There is another guy who made a fool of himself by asking the lawyer this question.
And people keep posting new updates and baseless sources to add credence to this baseless rumor. Suit yourself.
Logiclife,
I agree with what you say. However I dont see any evidence on the USCIS/DOS website that says that USCIS/DOS CANNOT change the dates mid-month either. THAT part is worrying me (and everyone).
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priderock
03-27 02:13 PM
Please do not use offensive language. Despite our disagreements we must be mature in our language. I request you to please edit your post.
.........................
Why don't you tell us how much you bought your labor for? Show us a proof that you have not bought it.
...............................
........................
It is with such mentaility they are brought up with in their country- Currption and getting things done with money. ........................................... In my country people contribute only when they fear god in temples, for medical treatment or to astrologers!!
........................whenever someone is diagnosed with a substitute labor cancer. Yes it is a cancer that is worsening retrogression further.
..................................
Now if someone argues with me on this post, then it will mean that either that person has himself bought a substitute labor or is looking for one.............
:confused:
.........................
Why don't you tell us how much you bought your labor for? Show us a proof that you have not bought it.
...............................
........................
It is with such mentaility they are brought up with in their country- Currption and getting things done with money. ........................................... In my country people contribute only when they fear god in temples, for medical treatment or to astrologers!!
........................whenever someone is diagnosed with a substitute labor cancer. Yes it is a cancer that is worsening retrogression further.
..................................
Now if someone argues with me on this post, then it will mean that either that person has himself bought a substitute labor or is looking for one.............
:confused:
more...
ragz4u
02-06 02:07 PM
I dont think that you HAVE TO file I-140 within 60 days after labor is approved.
--logiclife.
I had read when this was proposed last time that if this is implemented, the employer will have 45 days from the date of labor approval to file for the I-140. What this prevents is sale of labors (illegaly obviously). A lot of labors from 2001/2002 were on sale till sometime ago (2005) on Sulekha. If/When this law is implemented, buying a labor will get you ahead of the queue by a max of 45 days instead of the 3/4 years today.
--logiclife.
I had read when this was proposed last time that if this is implemented, the employer will have 45 days from the date of labor approval to file for the I-140. What this prevents is sale of labors (illegaly obviously). A lot of labors from 2001/2002 were on sale till sometime ago (2005) on Sulekha. If/When this law is implemented, buying a labor will get you ahead of the queue by a max of 45 days instead of the 3/4 years today.
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krishmunn
07-27 06:11 PM
Oh yeahhh..."1099-int" was a rhetorical statement as you mentioned it.
Don't worry I have already done my homework with law offices or CIS, as I had to show all incomes during interviews. Keep on squeaking.
One somewhat unrelated question --- Why did you have to attend an interview with CIS (and show your income) ?
AFAIK CIS interviews only during adjudication of 485 (for some cases) .. never heard of CIS interviewing for extension of H1 or other matters. If they are interviewing EB 3 2006 cases it is a good sign
Don't worry I have already done my homework with law offices or CIS, as I had to show all incomes during interviews. Keep on squeaking.
One somewhat unrelated question --- Why did you have to attend an interview with CIS (and show your income) ?
AFAIK CIS interviews only during adjudication of 485 (for some cases) .. never heard of CIS interviewing for extension of H1 or other matters. If they are interviewing EB 3 2006 cases it is a good sign
more...
ItIsNotFunny
06-15 09:33 AM
To be honest, I do agree that the US needs qualified people with skillsets. The real question is "Are the people from the desi consulting companies the real qualified lot ? " Just to get my background details out of the way. I am a new member, from India ofcourse, and I have recently applied for my citizenship. Now with this huge deluge of immigrants, especially from the desi consulting companies, I feel that my quality of life is getting adversely impacted. Do not rush to conclusions that I am anti Indian or anti immigrant. 12 years back when I first got my H1 visa, the requirements to qualify were strict. Staffing companies to a decent extent followed rules and tried to get the best and the brightest. Once the dot com boom started, people from all walks of life entered IT. This was true of not just the Indians but also of people in the US. Soon after the bust, the value proposition from these staffing companies was simply low cost. This is not to blame the staffing companies. They behaved in an economically rational way.
Consider this scenario. If you run a consulting company, wouldn't you try to maximize your profits by staffing people in projects at the least cost ? This is econmically rational. You wouldn't worry much about the quality of the deliverables and all you would care is to dump as many bodies as possible at the client site or offshore and get the maximum bang for the buck.
In this scenario, how is it feasible to expect immigrational justice when the bodies themselves dont provide exceptional talent and skills but simply offer low cost ? Now you would be tempted to bring in the analogous case of illegal low skilled immigrants. Remember they are just that - low skilled workers. They dont "steal" the jobs of high skilled workers. But this dumping of IT workforce has completely brought down the standard of living of the IT workers here. To be honest, those who get green cards today would feel the same way five years from now when the next wave of so called "skilled IT immigrants" offer even lower wages and destroy the quality of life.
In summary, this retrogression is good in a way. The truly best and the brightest would still be employed until their turn for adjournment comes in. Only the weak are currently scared of the delays. I went through the same torrid GC phase after the tech meltdown in 2001. I was not worried of my job then but many people whom I knew got clobbered and were forced to leave. This is the darwinian flush and it will take its toll. Trust me this the bitter truth. If you people still consider that all the people on H1/L1 are part of the best and the brightest, they are WRONG. Only a small % (probably 20%) are the true best and the brightest and a good 50% will be flushed out. Sorry to say this and hey give me the red dots.
Just because you got lucky and got your GC sooner doesn't mean others are idiot.
Consider this scenario. If you run a consulting company, wouldn't you try to maximize your profits by staffing people in projects at the least cost ? This is econmically rational. You wouldn't worry much about the quality of the deliverables and all you would care is to dump as many bodies as possible at the client site or offshore and get the maximum bang for the buck.
In this scenario, how is it feasible to expect immigrational justice when the bodies themselves dont provide exceptional talent and skills but simply offer low cost ? Now you would be tempted to bring in the analogous case of illegal low skilled immigrants. Remember they are just that - low skilled workers. They dont "steal" the jobs of high skilled workers. But this dumping of IT workforce has completely brought down the standard of living of the IT workers here. To be honest, those who get green cards today would feel the same way five years from now when the next wave of so called "skilled IT immigrants" offer even lower wages and destroy the quality of life.
In summary, this retrogression is good in a way. The truly best and the brightest would still be employed until their turn for adjournment comes in. Only the weak are currently scared of the delays. I went through the same torrid GC phase after the tech meltdown in 2001. I was not worried of my job then but many people whom I knew got clobbered and were forced to leave. This is the darwinian flush and it will take its toll. Trust me this the bitter truth. If you people still consider that all the people on H1/L1 are part of the best and the brightest, they are WRONG. Only a small % (probably 20%) are the true best and the brightest and a good 50% will be flushed out. Sorry to say this and hey give me the red dots.
Just because you got lucky and got your GC sooner doesn't mean others are idiot.
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caydee
01-15 09:44 PM
The topic is USCIS's memo. Why are fellow IVans discussing H1 versus L1 versus outsourcing. For some reason, a few people here think that all issues are caused by either big Indian companies or small desi companies. Some believe that getting rid of the consulting business model will accelerate their PR application. Wonder what is being achieved from these "lively" debates other than feeding the other side with enough ammo to decimate all of us. I still believe that our focus is immigration reform. Macaca is right about "self inflicted wound".
Hope folks here watch this masterpiece on Youtube and learn from wild buffaloes - YouTube - Battle at Kruger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM)
Nature will never cease to amaze us.
Peace!
Hope folks here watch this masterpiece on Youtube and learn from wild buffaloes - YouTube - Battle at Kruger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM)
Nature will never cease to amaze us.
Peace!
more...
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snram4
01-15 08:40 PM
USA was like that for past 100 years. Many times Protectionist bills were passed and many times they were relaxed in past. There will be impacts but it will not bring down the country just because they block a few thousand H1bs. If USA needs to go down there should be some other alternative country should come up relative to that level. India and china have a potential but nowhere near to that for now as they so much dependent on USA and dollar.
Then USA become USSR and go down the toilet....
Then USA become USSR and go down the toilet....
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Desichakit
07-17 12:33 PM
As per USCIS VISA Bulletin of July 2008. If there is spillover from EB2 to EB3 the it will benefit EB3 India as Visas have to be allocated to more retrogessed country first. Even if that is not that case and numbers are evenly spread even then EB3 India stands to be at advantage. I think EB3 India will benefit from this intrepretation eventually.
EB2 India 2008
EB2 India 2008
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eb3India
10-23 02:02 PM
as name suggests, you find a company with a already approved labour, they will apply your 1-140 with that labour, if you I-140 is approved you get to keep his PD and get a free ride,
while myself, has to wait 2 years for labour and another few years till my PD becomes current
in labor sub case, if one can find approved labour before 2001 (if you happen to be from India). you can get 1140 approval and apply for 485 if you everthing goes well you have your GC in 6-12 months
and did I mention this perfectly legal.
lot of guys cry sour grape about labour sub. if you ask me, if you have opporunity use it, I would
while myself, has to wait 2 years for labour and another few years till my PD becomes current
in labor sub case, if one can find approved labour before 2001 (if you happen to be from India). you can get 1140 approval and apply for 485 if you everthing goes well you have your GC in 6-12 months
and did I mention this perfectly legal.
lot of guys cry sour grape about labour sub. if you ask me, if you have opporunity use it, I would
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Refugee_New
02-12 12:43 PM
EB2 India is screwed again. My wait continues.................
more...
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bazuka6
09-25 09:52 AM
Nixtor, this idea is worth trying. If people who are buyinh house can be exempted from the VB quota, this will free up extra visas and will help those people who will not buy a house.
Yes... if you have house closing statement and have been here legally and paid taxes(last X years... you are exempt from VISA cap)
Now that makes sense for a senator looking for a predictable way to solve mortgage crisis
Yes... if you have house closing statement and have been here legally and paid taxes(last X years... you are exempt from VISA cap)
Now that makes sense for a senator looking for a predictable way to solve mortgage crisis
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shukla77
05-29 04:07 PM
All those people who are saying let us inform USCIS, if 50% of them go home today and draft letter and post or email it, then that will be significant achievement for today. Emotional exchanges without any concrete plan after a bad news is norm here. Look at the past few bulletins. Let us do gandhigiri, let us do flower campaign, let us do rally, questiion is WHAT WE REALLY DO not "LET US".
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belmontboy
05-29 06:37 PM
I have been saying this for the past one year, let us forget everything else, let us not come up with new rules or ideas or suggestions (new quotas, fraud detection, sue USCIS fund, exteneded APs etc). Focus all our energies on the one issue that will help everyone from all affected countries....Recapture of Unused Visas.
Recapture campaign will not divide us in EB 1 Vs 2 Vs 3 or countries. Over the past year a number of people have quit because of the bickering.
Recapture has a precedent because it was approved by Clinton earlier.
Recapture is free of country caps and it does not affect the existing visas. Murthy's article mentions that 120k are stuck in limbo and we know that there are around 400k visas available...i dont know what more motivation people need to fight for this issues.
On our own each one of us can do the following:
a) Try to arrange a meeting with your congressman and senators
b) write a letter to all members of the Judicary committee
after that do whatever IV tells you to do
If its recapture, then so be it.
BTW, 120k is just indians. What about chinese, mexicans??
instead of try on our own, why don't we group ourselves - as someone suggested 100-150 should be good enough.
Lets group and mail president, chief of staff, your local senator, and few others (who favor legal immigration).
can some good english pundits draw a sample letter highlighting our cause and need for visa recapture?
Also lets have a poll and get list of participants.
The plan shall be mail one letter to each every week. All it would cost you is a printout, an envelope, a 42cents stamp and 5 minutes. Its not too much asking though
Any body has better suggestions?
Recapture campaign will not divide us in EB 1 Vs 2 Vs 3 or countries. Over the past year a number of people have quit because of the bickering.
Recapture has a precedent because it was approved by Clinton earlier.
Recapture is free of country caps and it does not affect the existing visas. Murthy's article mentions that 120k are stuck in limbo and we know that there are around 400k visas available...i dont know what more motivation people need to fight for this issues.
On our own each one of us can do the following:
a) Try to arrange a meeting with your congressman and senators
b) write a letter to all members of the Judicary committee
after that do whatever IV tells you to do
If its recapture, then so be it.
BTW, 120k is just indians. What about chinese, mexicans??
instead of try on our own, why don't we group ourselves - as someone suggested 100-150 should be good enough.
Lets group and mail president, chief of staff, your local senator, and few others (who favor legal immigration).
can some good english pundits draw a sample letter highlighting our cause and need for visa recapture?
Also lets have a poll and get list of participants.
The plan shall be mail one letter to each every week. All it would cost you is a printout, an envelope, a 42cents stamp and 5 minutes. Its not too much asking though
Any body has better suggestions?
mallu
02-16 12:14 PM
.......Even if I had said that there is fraud and corruption in India, it would not be considered as a racist comment. Every year Transparency International generates a list of most corrupt nations. Ever wonder why India is on that list. Ever wonder why out of all places only in India US visa officers are instructed to do technical interview for IT visa applicants? You are living in complete denial and trying to play the race card whenever you get an opportunity.
There may be truth in it. But not completely so. There are are lot of well qualified and experienced people. But there may be frauds too.
Fraud and corruption is prevalent everywhere incuding India and a prepondernece of the bodyshops are nothing but a factory of producing overnight "IT Talents". Accept this is as one of the problem of this retrogression.
Again it is a mixture of all kind of types coming through the consultants.
So, the issue is that there are lot of qualified and experienced people in India that are willing to come to USA to seek better opportunities ( although these says , the students from top universities of India may not want to come here ) and i believe it is not that the consultant companies dump 'all who can walk' into USA. There may be a certain percentage that are 'deficient'.
So, my main point is that , by virtue of larger population, India has larger number of graduates/employable folks. Plus many of them learn English ( if i need to communicate with people in other parts of India, i use English ) , may be with thick accent.
There may be truth in it. But not completely so. There are are lot of well qualified and experienced people. But there may be frauds too.
Fraud and corruption is prevalent everywhere incuding India and a prepondernece of the bodyshops are nothing but a factory of producing overnight "IT Talents". Accept this is as one of the problem of this retrogression.
Again it is a mixture of all kind of types coming through the consultants.
So, the issue is that there are lot of qualified and experienced people in India that are willing to come to USA to seek better opportunities ( although these says , the students from top universities of India may not want to come here ) and i believe it is not that the consultant companies dump 'all who can walk' into USA. There may be a certain percentage that are 'deficient'.
So, my main point is that , by virtue of larger population, India has larger number of graduates/employable folks. Plus many of them learn English ( if i need to communicate with people in other parts of India, i use English ) , may be with thick accent.
go_guy123
08-16 01:24 AM
Don’t make a big deal of Shah Rukh’s detention:One For The Road:Anand Soondas's blog-The Times Of India (http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/onefortheroad/entry/don-t-make-a-big)
One For The RoadDon�t make a big deal of Shah Rukh�s detention
After a long time actor Salman Khan has come up with a real gem. On hearing about Shah Rukh Khan being questioned by US security at Newark, New Jersey, he said it�s good that the country has such a tight set-up. And that ``there has been no attack after 9/11 because of this.��
Salman has a point. SRK might be an icon to Indians and many in the subcontinent, even to the desi diaspora spread across the globe, but to America he�s just a visitor. We may be convinced he cannot be involved in anything that�s remotely violent, but the guard given the responsibility of stopping something like 9/11 from happening in his country again will want to take no chances. And what is the possibility that he�s a die hard fan of the Khan and Bollywood? Very slim.
Interestingly, the same day that SRK was detained in Newark, there came news that the great Bob Dylan, who was wandering around Long Branch, near New York City, sometime back, was asked for an ID by two cops too young to know who he really was. When he couldn�t furnish one, he was taken right back to the resort where he was putting up and staff there vouched for him. And America is Dylan�s own country.
Was there a furore? Not that I know of. Not even a little blowin' in the wind.
SRK says he�s ``upset and angry�� because it was his Muslim name that caused all this. Thousands of Muslims are made to go through extra security checks everyday in America and a host of Western countries. Is he equally upset at that? He's probably just pissed that it happened to him, India's mega star. We all know how a lot of Muslims have been subjected to prejudice around the world because many countries see terrorism as an Islamic phenomenon. Yes, it is uncalled for, unjust and maybe wrong. But America is a country that takes the killings of its people with the seriousness it deserves, unlike India whose record on this is shameful, to say the least.
Also, because most of the perpetrators of 9/11 were Muslims, America thinks it has to be doubly careful where they are concerned. Had the terrorists been Jews, perhaps it would have looked at Jews with similar suspicion. I was much more aggrieved at President Kalam being frisked. But that�s a dated debate.
There are two layers to the SRK incident and we must peel them off with care. One, it is quite ridiculous that Indians feel their icons and superstars are everybody�s icons and superstars. What the heck? If Jet Li came to India tomorrow, the man on the street here would probably call him �`Chinky�� and not give a second look. For that matter, what if G�rard Depardieu came travelling. How many would know him? Matt Damon was here recently and there wasn�t a traffic jam in Delhi. These guys are huge back home.
Moreover, America doesn�t have a culture of fawning the way India has. Mike Tyson was treated like a common rapist and spent most part of his youth in the slammer. Winona Ryder was sentenced to a three-year probation for shoplifting. Chinese born Hollywood actress Bai Ling was fined US 200 dollars for petty theft.
More importantly, we are actually aggrieved because we are ``not like them��. Well, guess what. It isn�t a virtue. We should be like them and take the security of our country and its people with solemn, no-nonsense professionalism. Frisk Brad Pitt when he lands in India next. Give Tom Cruise the same dose. Don�t spare Bill Clinton either. Isn�t he an ex-prez just like Kalam? Who�s stopping you and what�s stopping you? Colonial hangover? Or is it plain lethargy and callousness. Looks like both.
We are just whimpering over here like hurt puppies because we feel, ``Oh, but we don�t do it to them��. Oh no, we don�t. And it�s a scandal. We should. I�ve seen white men � and women � get away in India with murder. Indian women can�t get into some discos wearing a sari. And bouncers will frown at you if you are dressed in a kurta. Have you seen what some of these firangs have on them? No one bats a eyelid.
So instead of making SRK�s detention an issue, we should think of upgrading our own security set-up.
There�s a lesson in this. And it is a positive one. A day after our own 26/11, there was hardly any security at CST in Mumbai. It can�t get worse than that. The bottom line: Stop fawning, shed the colonial hangover and make no compromise where the country�s safety is concerned. Can we do that or is it too much to ask from a country that�s been free for 62 years but was ruled by white sahibs for 200?
Well said and perfect....in India there is a culture of babu where VIPs are not checked at all....otherwise the wrath of the high officer will strike on the junior officer.
One For The RoadDon�t make a big deal of Shah Rukh�s detention
After a long time actor Salman Khan has come up with a real gem. On hearing about Shah Rukh Khan being questioned by US security at Newark, New Jersey, he said it�s good that the country has such a tight set-up. And that ``there has been no attack after 9/11 because of this.��
Salman has a point. SRK might be an icon to Indians and many in the subcontinent, even to the desi diaspora spread across the globe, but to America he�s just a visitor. We may be convinced he cannot be involved in anything that�s remotely violent, but the guard given the responsibility of stopping something like 9/11 from happening in his country again will want to take no chances. And what is the possibility that he�s a die hard fan of the Khan and Bollywood? Very slim.
Interestingly, the same day that SRK was detained in Newark, there came news that the great Bob Dylan, who was wandering around Long Branch, near New York City, sometime back, was asked for an ID by two cops too young to know who he really was. When he couldn�t furnish one, he was taken right back to the resort where he was putting up and staff there vouched for him. And America is Dylan�s own country.
Was there a furore? Not that I know of. Not even a little blowin' in the wind.
SRK says he�s ``upset and angry�� because it was his Muslim name that caused all this. Thousands of Muslims are made to go through extra security checks everyday in America and a host of Western countries. Is he equally upset at that? He's probably just pissed that it happened to him, India's mega star. We all know how a lot of Muslims have been subjected to prejudice around the world because many countries see terrorism as an Islamic phenomenon. Yes, it is uncalled for, unjust and maybe wrong. But America is a country that takes the killings of its people with the seriousness it deserves, unlike India whose record on this is shameful, to say the least.
Also, because most of the perpetrators of 9/11 were Muslims, America thinks it has to be doubly careful where they are concerned. Had the terrorists been Jews, perhaps it would have looked at Jews with similar suspicion. I was much more aggrieved at President Kalam being frisked. But that�s a dated debate.
There are two layers to the SRK incident and we must peel them off with care. One, it is quite ridiculous that Indians feel their icons and superstars are everybody�s icons and superstars. What the heck? If Jet Li came to India tomorrow, the man on the street here would probably call him �`Chinky�� and not give a second look. For that matter, what if G�rard Depardieu came travelling. How many would know him? Matt Damon was here recently and there wasn�t a traffic jam in Delhi. These guys are huge back home.
Moreover, America doesn�t have a culture of fawning the way India has. Mike Tyson was treated like a common rapist and spent most part of his youth in the slammer. Winona Ryder was sentenced to a three-year probation for shoplifting. Chinese born Hollywood actress Bai Ling was fined US 200 dollars for petty theft.
More importantly, we are actually aggrieved because we are ``not like them��. Well, guess what. It isn�t a virtue. We should be like them and take the security of our country and its people with solemn, no-nonsense professionalism. Frisk Brad Pitt when he lands in India next. Give Tom Cruise the same dose. Don�t spare Bill Clinton either. Isn�t he an ex-prez just like Kalam? Who�s stopping you and what�s stopping you? Colonial hangover? Or is it plain lethargy and callousness. Looks like both.
We are just whimpering over here like hurt puppies because we feel, ``Oh, but we don�t do it to them��. Oh no, we don�t. And it�s a scandal. We should. I�ve seen white men � and women � get away in India with murder. Indian women can�t get into some discos wearing a sari. And bouncers will frown at you if you are dressed in a kurta. Have you seen what some of these firangs have on them? No one bats a eyelid.
So instead of making SRK�s detention an issue, we should think of upgrading our own security set-up.
There�s a lesson in this. And it is a positive one. A day after our own 26/11, there was hardly any security at CST in Mumbai. It can�t get worse than that. The bottom line: Stop fawning, shed the colonial hangover and make no compromise where the country�s safety is concerned. Can we do that or is it too much to ask from a country that�s been free for 62 years but was ruled by white sahibs for 200?
Well said and perfect....in India there is a culture of babu where VIPs are not checked at all....otherwise the wrath of the high officer will strike on the junior officer.
