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Blog Entryamerican prejudiceApr 20, '08 1:06 PM
for everyone
in the middle of february, the peak of winter. i was at the lansing airport en route back to singapore. my flight heading to cincinnati was 30 minutes away when i felt taking a leak. so men's room i went to.

nobody's around and i just dropped my bulky backpack on the clean floor and took the position before an urinoir. a few seconds later, a mid-aged male caucassian wrapped by thick leather jacket entered straight to urinoir at the other end. after finishing my natural call, i moved to the washing sink without picking up my backpack. i saw the man took a suspicious gaze at my backpack lying idly on the floor. he then rushed out and didnt even bother to wash his wet hands. suddenly i felt unconformtable with his gesture.

i picked up my heavy backpack and got off wondering if he's waiting outside. i was right. i saw him standing there looking at me. seeing me carrying my backpack, he seemed relieved and then turned around to disappear around the corner leaving me with a thought of being a victim of american prejudice. with a southasian/middle east look, it's almost common to find that kind of situation in the post-911 america.  as they say, "you can't be too careful".
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26 CommentsChronological   Reverse   Threaded
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fitoriobowoleksono wrote on Apr 20
hahahahahaha
i have a similiar experience when first time i arrived in singapore
i took mrt to meet my friend, i carry 2 bulky bag, i'm wearing a cap and a jacket
all people staring at me.... and then i realized the reason when i saw the advertisement of the terrorist bomber whose wearing a cap and bring a bulky bag.. damn
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nadnuts wrote on Apr 20
those americans should learn that not all backpacks carry bombs...ck!
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kupple wrote on Apr 20
makanya so, pake carrier (ransel besaar) :), ironis juga ceritanya
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tkmaia wrote on Apr 20
maybe you can put this sign on your backpack:
NO EXPLOSIVES HERE (I usually carry those in my other backpack).
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refleksiman wrote on Apr 20
So kalo gue mah sekarang, malah perut yang disangka isinya bom, apalagi kalo masuk kedutaan
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merlyna wrote on Apr 20
mustinya begitu ngeliat dia nunggu, elu merogoh ransel terus dengan gerakan kejut elu keluarin pisang dari ransel..."surprise surprise!!!!!!!!!!"
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kucingkembar wrote on Apr 20
kalau gue.... setahun terakhir ini persentasi gue "terpilih secara random" untuk cek fisik di OAK adalah 100%!! Ngeselin deh.... bandara lain santai2 saja, tapi OAK... selalu gue terpilih jadi tamu kehormatan untuk 'body search'.
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merlyna wrote on Apr 20
kucing: itu org2 di OAK lagi tersepona atas kerandoman elu... hihi.... gue juga pernah tuh perjalanan ke Oz setiap titik gue kena random cek.... ternyata usut punya usut gara2 tiket gue udah ditandain.... jadi bukan random beneran. selective random.
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rasti812 wrote on Apr 20
Whoaa..you should give him a wet tissue, and tell him to wipe his hand harharhahr...Mister jorok ih takut bom gak cuci tangan...yikes!
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moyas wrote on Apr 20
I wouldn't call it a prejudice. It was more of a paranoid. And I like Mer's suggestion. You could also say, "Gotcha!"
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tegepboots wrote on Apr 20
Siap2 juga deh sekarang untuk "DITELANJANGI" di bandara, karena Amerika sekarang udah milai pake Body Scanner yang bisa melihat tubuh manusia tanpa penghalang apapun....! (gw baca di koran Tempo pagi ini).
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republic wrote on Apr 20
fitoriobowoleksono said
hahahahahaha
i have a similiar experience when first time i arrived in singapore
i took mrt to meet my friend, i carry 2 bulky bag, i'm wearing a cap and a jacket
all people staring at me.... and then i realized the reason when i saw the advertisement of the terrorist bomber whose wearing a cap and bring a bulky bag.. damn
they might think you as mas selamat's little brother...hahahaha
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republic wrote on Apr 20
nadnuts said
those americans should learn that not all backpacks carry bombs...ck!
well, they think reversely: all bombs are carried in a backpack
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republic wrote on Apr 20
kupple said
makanya so, pake carrier (ransel besaar) :), ironis juga ceritanya
justru semakin curiga aja..bomnya lebih gede..hehehe
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republic wrote on Apr 20
tkmaia said
maybe you can put this sign on your backpack:
NO EXPLOSIVES HERE (I usually carry those in my other backpack).
ditambah: i left my other backpack in the plane...
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republic wrote on Apr 20
merlyna said
mustinya begitu ngeliat dia nunggu, elu merogoh ransel terus dengan gerakan kejut elu keluarin pisang dari ransel..."surprise surprise!!!!!!!!!!"
actually i was going to ask him...but then forgot about it....dont care. it's his and other americans problem
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republic wrote on Apr 20
kucingkembar said
selalu gue terpilih jadi tamu kehormatan untuk 'body search'.
well, kayaknya perlu semakin ketat dong diet dan workoutnya...:)
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republic wrote on Apr 20
rasti812 said
Whoaa..you should give him a wet tissue, and tell him to wipe his hand harharhahr...Mister jorok ih takut bom gak cuci tangan...yikes!
i think his pants got wet as well....hehehe
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republic wrote on Apr 20
moyas said
I wouldn't call it a prejudice. It was more of a paranoid. And I like Mer's suggestion. You could also say, "Gotcha!"
you might be right. but paranoid doesnt come with skin colors or face look. if i were white, he wouldnt do that. so it's not my backpack that drew him like that, but rather my look and skin color.
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republic wrote on Apr 20
tegepboots said
Siap2 juga deh sekarang untuk "DITELANJANGI" di bandara, karena Amerika sekarang udah milai pake Body Scanner yang bisa melihat tubuh manusia tanpa penghalang apapun....! (gw baca di koran Tempo pagi ini).
bener. kayak gini hasilnya

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fitoriobowoleksono wrote on Apr 20
republic said
they might think you as mas selamat's little brother...hahahaha
hahahahahahahhahahahaha

they won't catch him, due to his name hahahahaha

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republic wrote on Apr 21
refleksiman said
So kalo gue mah sekarang, malah perut yang disangka isinya bom, apalagi kalo masuk kedutaan
elu mah yang bahaya bukan perutnya. tapi yang dibawahnya...hahahaha
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kucingkembar wrote on Apr 21
republic said
well, kayaknya perlu semakin ketat dong diet dan workoutnya...:)
*pentung rekiplik*
lo mainnya fisik melulu siiih! :P

you need to experience more literature to poles and polish your wit...... "Much Ado About Nothing" could be start. Get the video (a delight esp. with Brannagh and Thompson at their romantic peak) or audio (get the arkangel one).
Comment deleted at the request of the author.
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republic wrote on Apr 21
kucingkembar said
*pentung rekiplik*
lo mainnya fisik melulu siiih! :P

you need to experience more literature to poles and polish your wit...... "Much Ado About Nothing" could be start. Get the video (a delight esp. with Brannagh and Thompson at their romantic peak) or audio (get the arkangel one).
sori cing...didnt mean to offend you. will get those masterpieces one day. at least after i got free from this exam season.....hhrrgggg
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kucingkembar wrote on Apr 21
rekiplik: :) gue nggak tersinggung, cuman demen aja mentung2in elo! heheheheheee....
audio reply video reply
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