[This article is an attempt at dark humor on recent spate of attacks on Indians in Australia and other Western countries. Contains strong language. ]
It was the first day of a school in USA and a new Indian student named Chandrasekhar Subramanian entered the fourth grade.
The teacher said, “Let’s begin by reviewing some American History. Who said ‘Give me Liberty, or give me Death?’
She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Chandrasekhar, who had his hand up:? ‘Patrick Henry, 1775’, he said.
‘Very good! Who said ‘Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth?”
Again, no response except from Chandrasekhar. ‘Abraham Lincoln, 1863’ said Chandrasekhar.
The teacher snapped at the class, ‘Class, you should be ashamed. Chandrasekhar, who is new to our country, knows more about our history than you do.’
She heard a loud whisper: ‘F ___ the Indians,’
‘Who said that?’ she demanded. Chandrasekhar put his hand up. ‘General Custer, 1862.’
At that point, a student in the back said, ‘I’m gonna puke.’
The teacher glares around and asks ‘All right! Now, who said that?’ Again, Chandrasekhar says, ‘George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991.’
Now with almost mob hysteria someone said ‘You little shit. If you say anything else, I’ll kill you.’ Chandrasekhar frantically yells at the top of his voice, ‘Michael Jackson to the child witnesses testifying against him, 2004.’
The teacher fainted. And as the class gathered around the teacher on the floor, someone said, ‘Oh shit, we’re screwed!’ And Chandrasekhar said quietly, ‘Lehmann Brothers, November 4th, 2008’.
I would definitely agree with you. I haven’t done my Masters here, I entered this country as an Inter-company transferee. I am in the process of developing some kind of check list for many Indians who are coming to US for education, employment and business. Its very sad to see most of the people who comes on F1 visas doesn’t even care to have a health insurance, forget about life insurance. As you rightly said, Indian students are more outgoing now-a-days and seems like they are more focused on money and enjoyment rather than the original business (education). I might sound outrageous here and again I am not grouping all Indian students here, only some of them.
“As you rightly said, Indian students are more outgoing now-a-days and seems like they are more focused on money and enjoyment rather than the original business (education).”
Most professors – especially Indian professors, like me I will attest to that. After all, we are witnessing this phenomenon lately. Most students who come to US for MS (or even BS) these days are rich kids. Their lives are not depenedent on how well they do at school.
🙂
Excellent post.
But not relevant to the topic. My take is you should be careful when you are a student in the new country. Its not that we had such incidents in the past, but the older generation ( before 2000) was lying low , barely above the social entertainment radar and did what they were supposed to do i.e. study. When they ventured out they were aware of the surroundings and took precautions. The current generation seems to be more outgoing and not afraid of taking risks. Besides the lure of outside jobs is more rampant in these days. In the past campus jobs were prime.
Baring road accidents, the rest of the deaths are caused by living in bad neighborhoods or exposing to bad neighborhoods.
I feel sick to my stomach when I hear some Indian student death.