I just returned home to the U.S. after a nonstop 15 hr flight from New Delhi.
Tired. Jet lagged. A tad disoriented. Happy to be back to my beloved America! We are such a great country, respected the world over for our freedom, democracy, enlightened power, friendliness and generosity.
Where we fail miserably in customer service is at our border control and immigration controls at the airports, where millions of passengers are coming to the U.S. for the first time. First impressions of this great country begin there. The experience can be bitter.
The disrespect to travelers of other cultures by border control personnel is ludicrous. Please don’t treat travelers as terrorists. Please don’t have a condescending attitude as if they are criminals based on their color, creed, and ethnicity. And one more thing — certainly don’t treat them like cattle. We Americans believe in the innocence of people unless proven guilty. Let us practice what we preach.
A little power, to the wrong people, can be a dangerous thing. A lack of cultural training magnifies the problem. These officials should treat people with respect, courtesy and a welcoming attitude. We make a big deal about human rights. Let’s start with human dignity.
About Rohini Rustogi
Welcome back Rohini! Considering the responsibility of border protection and to prevent possible infiltration of people with nefarious intent, I can understand the officers need to be extremely diligent, disciplined, stern and thorough. However, in the name of duty, we must never lose sight of human sensitivity and cultural aspects. Certainly, we got room to improvise in that domain. But once inducted, the people, the place and the professionalism surely blows you away!