Instances at the immigration counter

For the exercises in my imitation (as in learning the writing craft through imitating six masterful writers) class, I chose to write about my January 6th experience of landing in Detroit from Singapore and having my photo and fingerprints taken (I was also nursing a fever and desperately missing home). How interesting then, to read in The Straits Times online edition this evening about the second American who has been arrested this month for flicking his middle finger while having his photograph taken. Earlier, I was very tickled about this move Brazil made in response to America implementing its photo and fingerprint system to monitor incoming foreigners.

I'm less amused by how different the responses are to such systems. The rest of the world, it appears, has taken in stride America's new, rigid systems and immigration laws. I don't recall seeing anyone complaining about the extra length of time spent in queues at the immigration counters because of photo-taking and fingerprint-recording. Everyone waited their turn, then stood still for the camera and let the immigration officer take our fingers and press them deeply into the scanner.

I wonder what these two American men (the first was an American Airlines pilot no less!) were rebelling against (for certainly, their rude gestures are a feeble sort of rebellion): the principles behind the system itself, or the fact that Brazil was responding to America's decision to have the system? The only result is that they encourage popular belief that Americans are frivolous in the face of other nation's rules. Those familiar with Michael Fay will immediately think so. I don't believe most Americans would behave as these two men would (or perhaps they'd think along the same lines, but they wouldn't have showed their thoughts so), but with many nations around the world quick to find fault with Americans, these two really diminish the already tarnished image of America.

Go here to see the offending shot of the American tourist in Sao Paolo.