Early in the morning in the GRE coaching class in a city centre, the discussion among the US education aspirants is not on the difficulty of words they would engage in the exam but on how safe is the USA.
Such thoughts didn’t crop up all these days but the Kansas incident seem to have instilled a negative thought, and even they are not sure how long that negativity will last in their minds. “Certainly, it is a point of discussion among friends and family,” says Spandana, an engineering student.
Social media platforms on the US education frequented by Indian students too are busy discussing the same issue and so are family meetings as almost everyone is connected to some Indian in the US.
“How safe is the United States for an international graduate student?” is a question from an aspirant, who identified herself as a small town girl from South India. Suggestions have come from far and wide consisting of assurances of safety and also advices of being careful in the present circumstances. But is the US really so scary and has the society inimical to the immigrants?
Vitiated atmosphere
Dr. Vidyasagar Vangala, practising psychiatrist in Florida says the USA went through a difficult and dirty elections that vitiated the harmonious atmosphere with media playing a polarising role. “Stress levels in the US are bit high now with the election effect,” he said recalling his interactions with several patients who are pretty angry with immigrants. But things will change slowly as the election atmosphere fades away, he says.
Youngsters who moved to the USA recently seem to be a bit scary than those living there for over a decade. M. Ananya Reddy, a software engineer in California says there is a feeling of insecurity and they are afraid to go out alone and more so during nights. It is her third year in the USA and the Kansas incident is certainly playing on her mind. But there are many who vouch for the safe environment in the USA and how people in general are warm and nice. “The anti-immigrant rhetoric is a political posture and will disappear soon. Other than the rhetoric, individuals are warm and welcoming. Students feel loved within weeks of their arrival in the US,” says Paul Watson, PhD student at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Nathan Ketsdever, who is passionate about US History wrote in one of the social media groups on the safety factor. “It is a city by city question. Even then, it is just a matter of avoiding certain neighbourhoods. The US is overall safe in most neighbourhoods.”
“The fear is incident driven,” says Sundar Prasad, management professional living in Virginia for over 20 years. But he says gun violence is a problem in this country and the immigration issue and unemployment in rural areas has also resulted in such atmosphere. “Fear factor comes in after such incidents,” he says adding that the good thing is the resistance to such attitude from majority Americans.
Dr. Vidyasagar also reminds that racial tensions are more in rural areas and small towns and not cosmopolitan cities. “We have to be more cautious as immigrants and respect the local culture to avoid such incidents.”
Some cite the incidents to prove their argument. “There are an estimated 3.5 million Indians living in the USA and about 35 have been killed due to racism,” argues an Indian on the social media platforms.
