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Bollywood star's detention at U.S. airport prompts outrage in India

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get real is right, some of these stars have the capacity to public opinion to the tune of billions. Wake up america and be nice.

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And yet again, these actors, actresses, tarentos, celebrities, stars, whatever; think that they are a separate species and deserve special attention.

Without their make-up artists, scriptwriters, producers, directors, lighting techs, gaffers and the rest of the theatrical ensemble, they would be unrecognisable from the rest of humanity, and have to queue up and be checked like the rest of us...

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I guess being questioned for 66 minutes really threw Khan's status symbol out the ol door. Poor poor hurt feelings of all his fans but to go as far as burning a US flag that is just childish. Hope they feel better now that it's all out.

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This must be incredible publicity for a movie about racial profiling. Go USA! Ha Haaaaa!

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The actor is in the U.S. to promote a new film, “My Name is Khan,” which is about racial profiling of Muslims after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks.

In other words, the movie is not about racial profiling.

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And don't forget, the US authorities detained a white British comedian called Paul O'Grady. His only crime - he had a northern accent. They thought he was an illegal alien or communist from Cuba. Do these security guys at US airports sit IQ tests? If they don't, then they should. They might want to get some 'manner' training too.

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Do these security guys at US airports sit IQ tests? If they don't, then they should. They might want to get some 'manner' training too.

Some of them can hardly speak English. I have been questioned by a man who had such a heavy chinese accent that I could hardly understand him.

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America's best and brightest protecting our borders.

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A blunder. However, if Khan (who can be legitimately termed a superstar) expects Americans to recognize him then he is gravely mistaken.

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The story was front-page news in India, where the ability to avoid being frisked at airports is seen as a status symbol. Politicians, sports celebrities and film stars often claim VIP status to avoid security checks.

This passage in itself is a bit of a worry.

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Great attempt at PR for a movie that would otherwise never be heard of.

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However, if Khan (who can be legitimately termed a superstar) expects Americans to recognize him then he is gravely mistaken.

Really, who knows who this guy is, outside the Bollywood-fan community? 66 minutes (including waiting for his bag) is hardly onerous and worthy of international protests.

It's good to see India has solved all of their problems so that everyone can get in a tizzy about a silly movie star's slight inconveniencing halfway around the world.

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U.S. customs officials told The Associated Press that Khan was questioned as part of a routine process that took 66 minutes. Spokesman Elmer Camacho said Khan was not detained, “but it took a little longer because his bag was lost by the airline.”

And most of that 66 minutes was probably waiting for paperwork to be completed with maybe 10 minutes tops of actual questioning. Sounds like this was blown out of proportion for the purposes of advertising the guy's new movie.

“Shocking, disturbing n downright disgraceful. It’s such behavior that fuels hatred and racism. SRK’s a world figure for God’s sake. Get real!” actress Priyanka Chopra said on her Twitter feed.

Unless the immigration officials are afficionadoes on Indian film I highly doubt they would share Miss Chopra's sentiments. To them he was just another foreign guy who's name came up on an alert list, so they did their job and got him on his way.

get real is right, some of these stars have the capacity to public opinion to the tune of billions. Wake up america and be nice.

pfft, most people could care less if this sort of thing happened to any other actor and they certainly wouldn't burn the flag of whatever country detained them. And FYI, the guy's name was flagged so the gentlemen from immigration were obligated to check him.

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stop crying you big baby!!!! what did you expect people throwing rose pettles at your feet, not bloody india you know. Any indian, pakistani, middle eastern looking travelling through USA is subjected to this sort of treatment.So why you any different....little puff... I hate Bollywood...does it show.

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Come on India. Grow up.

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first of all, why was he on the list? You should blame the people at Newark Airport. You need to blame who ever or what ever got him on the list in the first place. there have been non-Muslims on the list, including the great actor Mike Cain on said list.

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Angry fans in the northern city of Allahabad shouted anti-U.S. slogans and burned an American flag.

Jeez. How long before people start getting killed over this.

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Hate on America flick's usually get one intentionally targeted .

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No reason to think he should get special treatment. That goes without saying. Not sure what the current situation in the US is, but it used to be that vice Presidents and Senators got wanded. Didn't Bill Clinton get wanded? Anyway, if treatment is unequal, it is unsupportable. That should be the policy in the US. If he gets huffy, he gets delayed. I have heard of that hundreds of times.

And uh, by the way, wasn't India a target if Islamic terrorism more recently than the US? Why all the outrage? It could be said that maybe India could learn a thing or two. I won't say it, but someone could.

And the most unlikely comment of all was that screeners should have high IQs. I have encountered well (unflattering epithet here) of all kinds in the ranks of TSA. They are not hired for intelligence. As far as I can tell, loyalty and consistency are their stock in trade.

Does the incident show TSA for what it is? YOU BETCHA! Unfortunately, it also shows us what Bollywood and India are all about.

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India is brainwashed by bollywood stars/bollywood industry and so is USA,brainwashed by hollywood fiction/hollywood industry.

It is not surprising if many more movie stars become political leaders of India and USA ,instead of just being entertainment leaders. The lines between leadership and entertainment is now thin.

Hollywood rockstardom or bollywood rockstardom not is considered as better than the boring stuff, the the present leaders of the world have.

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corrections-Hollywood rockstardom or Bollywood rockstardom,is now considered better than the boring stuff,the present leaders of the world have.

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the US authorities detained a white British comedian called Paul O'Grady. His only crime - he had a northern accent

What, like Bostonian?

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Honesly, who cares?

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i don't give a damn either.

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first of all, why was he on the list?

Probably had a name that resembled a terrorist.

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So, those of you that are angry over this, let me ask, should there be no such list? Should everyone just simply arrive with no check? And, if checked, and you are offended, an apology isn't going to cut it because its the US? I've been accused of bouncing a check, the company was wrong. I accepted the apology. I've been stop many times, I accepted apologies. I've been checked up and down going in and out of many other countries' airports. I haven't complained. Oh and for Nessie, you are aware that your countrymen killed a person with my complexion because they thought he was a bomb (he was from Brazil); get a life

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"an actress tweeted her outrage"

She must have taw a puddy tat.

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The over zealous security at airports after 911.."please step over here miss while we scan through your clothes..." and forcing little kids and granny's to be detained and searched is all very humiliating to Americans as well. Some have chosen not to fly as a result. With a porous southern border, terrorists don't need to fly to get in the US, they can just walk or drive across, which points up the absurdity of post 911 airport security.

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and forcing little kids and granny's to be detained and searched is all very humiliating to Americans as well.

Who cares? I would rather be searched along with everyone else on the plane and be a little bit uncomortable than end up sitting next to a crazy that brought a plastic explosive onboard the plane.

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Thanks 3006. Succinctly put. The poster immediately after you feels that a search of everyone and their belongings will find a crazy person and plastic explosives.

Of course, it would find neither, but hey, land of the brave, support the troops, prevent terruh, evil doers, wave the flag, etc. etc.

As I said before: TSA, meet Bollywood... you deserve each other. Maybe they can implode in a vortex of mutual insult and indignation.

And Sarge, you probably know this, but TWEET is being used increasingly to represent making a post to a TWITTER BLOG. So when the actress TWEETED, she was using that product to make whatever statement it was. The article was written by a person a third of my age, probably, who assumes that everyone has a Facebook page, likes the Jonas brothers and Ashton Kutcher, or whatever. TWEET and TWITTER will be trademarked one of these days, and editors will be sued for using the brand name, but until then, we have to put up with people assuming that everyone knows these inane products and wants their jargon to be included in the English language.

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Oh and for Nessie, you are aware that your countrymen killed a person with my complexion because they thought he was a bomb (he was from Brazil); get a life

I'm not sure how you can make this statement, since I've never disclosed my nationality on JT.

I'm also wondering about the relevance of your comment. Are you saying that Islam is a race? Becuase that's what the author of this article is ascribing to Khan, and it's what I'm taking issue with.

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Lmao, good one Sarge. Honestly though, this is pathetic, some US celeberties get set aside in other countries too, but we don't go freaking out about it. He was set aside for a bit, and his luggage was lost. Its not like his visa was revoked, he got in trouble with INS and was deported. Indian society needs to get real with the world, not freak out over fantasy land.

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Rajakumar

I for one really like boring politicians. I really do. If one accepts that the world is a complicated place, then boring and self-effacing is the way to go. I have the impression that good dancers are easily distracted, if you know what I mean.

Even among movie stars and the like, I would rather be led by Al Franken than say, Arnie Schwarzen. David Letterman would be better than Jay Leno. Show business obviously has face people and brain people. The face people are utter wastes of time. Arnold has presence, money, and connections, so he gets the job done, but he is no mental giant.

Just to attempt to be topical... Nessie remembers, but I wonder if anyone else remembers when A. Schwarzenegger was let into Japan without even a passport years and years ago? Now THERE is VIP treatment. That kind of stuff irritates me much more... special treatment for celebrities is unfair. If there is no standard for "celebrity", then admission into Japan is on a buddy system? Is that right?

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relax guys..

can't you see this is all a promotional stunt!

LOL

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US Customs said . . . US Immigration denied . . . Name 'came up' on a computer. Yeah, yeah, just like that. A routine procedure? Looks like harassment to me.

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"The actor is in the U.S. to promote a new film, “My Name is Khan,” which is about racial profiling of Muslims after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks."

What, no Wrath of Khan comments? Anyway if the above it true they couldn't have asked for better promotion of the movie. If it weren't so typical of US immigration, I'd swear they set this up.

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The racism deeply ingrained in America rears its ugly head again.

Poor geezerk upset by institunianal racism.

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UpTheHammers

The racism deeply ingrained in America rears its ugly head again.

Last I checked America had a Black president, woman Secretary of State, Jewish White House Chief of Staff, Hispanic Supreme Court justice, and on and on.... Time to lose the tired argument of American racism, though not easy for the left who need to perpetuate it.

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A routine procedure? Looks like harassment to me.

Hmm... being interviewed after your name gets tagged on a watch list database, not unlikely. Having your luggage lost at the New Jersey international airport, almost guaranteed. Looks like another day in New Jersey to me.

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I disagree Helter, racism is still alive and well in the US just a lot more subtle and in a smaller scale in the US thanks to our civil rights laws.

The airport was only doing their job according to their standards and the rules in place. I agree, because Khan is a foreign national not an American citizen, plus he is only a celebrity known only in India and maybe a few other nations. Can't expect the airport to know that he was famous... in INDIA. Heck, the cops even stopped a US celebrity and still had to verify his ID and run background checks to make sure he wasn't lying to them. Thems the breaks and so there was nothing racist about them pulling this guy aside.

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Your a guest in that country. The airport security has every right to enforce the immigration law and they are doing their job. If you don't like it, don't visit U.S. Nobody is forcing you.

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The racism deeply ingrained in America rears its ugly head again.

In Japan, they really don't understand the meaning of casual or blatent racism because you rarely have friends who are outside of your own race. They still have to be in their own group to be comfortable. If you had a personal experience in understanding why certain issues or subjects are considered derogatory and hurtful to other cultures, you develop a wider awareness and you become sensitive to the steps you take to improve race relations. In U.S., most educated people understand the fine lines being what is acceptable and what is not. Athough, U.S. still has the race problem, but over the last 30 years, they have changed in a positive direction. U.S. is more based on individual capability and race is of less factor. Obama is a good example of minorities or blacks who can achieve top position.

Moderator: Back on topic please.

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famous in india, relatively unknown in the rest of the world...and a non-entity in the US

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