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Remember Michael Fay? Does caning sound familiar?
Justin's post "Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?" (one of the funniest lines from the movie, "Airplane," by the way) got me thinking about Michael Fay. He's the guy who, as a not-thinking-too-clearly-adolescent, pulled some pranks that earned him in a stint in a Singapore prison and 4 lashes with a cane.
Fay was a student at the Singapore American School when I taught there, although I was teaching in the elementary school at the time so I never met him. I was on the school crisis intervention team though. The only time we met that year was the day after he got arrested. When you're in a high profile community overseas like the school was and still is, the antics of those who are associated with you can have repercussions. As beautiful as Singapore looks, and as pleasant as it can be to live there, this is a place you don't want to mess around. If one in your community does break the rules, it's a balancing act between helping to solve a problem and offer help while keeping some distance. Places of employment and your kids' school will stick by you to a point, but when you live overseas and you mess up, you're generally on your own with little intervention.
For weeks after his arrest, Michael Fay was discussed at lunch tables, during parties, on stair landings, anywhere people caught a minute to voice their opinion. Generally, the feeling was, "I feel sorry for him, but the law is the law." When you move to a country, following the local laws is part of the deal. This was a case where rambunctious teenagers who do things like spray painting cars and stealing road signs shouldn't be living in Singapore, perhaps. It's a country that doesn't tolerate much rule breaking. There are other countries I'd also think twice about before living there with an adolescent. The rub is that when a parent's job pays well and happens to be overseas, it's difficult to make a decision that home-sweet-home needs to be back home. Plus, often overseas schools are top rate schools with all the bells and whistles. It's hard to give up the glory.
During this particular saga we read The Straits Times which published in depth articles with a Singaporean bias about what exactly happens when caning occurs and discussed why we found the idea so repulsive. Because the articles often appeared with detailed photographs, nothing was left to the imagination. It was like reading the National Enquirer day after day. Finally, Michael Fay was caned, landed back in the U.S. and on the talk show circuit. If you remember, his claim to fame was cut short when a white Bronco sped down an L.A. highway in a high profile police chase. O.J. Simpson stole Michael Fay's thunder.
The following school year life returned back to normal at the school and one of the biggest rule breaking worries was how to keep the teenagers at the high school following the dress code. Tuck that shirt in.
For a detailed account of the Michael Fay incidence, here is an article that was published in Asia Week back then. I read it and it's exactly what I remember. The cartoon is from a Web site that includes several articles from various sources. The caption bubble reads: "That's the last time I go there on Spring Break."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeremy Sep 24th 2008 8:57AM
I used to live a stone's throw away from SAS down at Pine Grove. At the time of the "grave" incident, I was abroad in my junior year at Stanford. When I glanced up from my books to check out the whole storm in a teacup, I was more than a little amused. Really ... 1 U.S. President, 24 distinguished senators, and a whole gaggle of news organizations lambasting that barbaric little country that dared ... *gasp* ... to enforce her own laws (you know, the very same ones that help to keep Singapore *beautiful* and relatively crime-free?). You would have thought a Rwanda-level humanitarian crisis was brewing. And perhaps it was a crisis, for as we all well know, young American butts are too precious to be manhandled. Ouch.
God Almighty all that trans-pacific drama and egregious time-wasting over a callow man-boy whose parents for some reason forgot or thought it unnecessary to bring some order to his rudderless life. And as certain events occurring in the U.S. would later prove, he really was in dire need of some no-bull adult supervision. And yes I read all about this his ADHD. Well, maybe that cane was just what the shrink prescribed to get his undivided attention.
When I was in the U.S. for my studies I followed all the procedures from the time I disembarked at SFO to the time I departed four years later. I did not even get a single speeding ticket on road trips up and down California during school breaks. I followed the laws of the land I was residing in and did not bring trouble or grief to any U.S. immigration or law-enforcement agents. So I cordially expect the same of anybody, from the U.S. or otherwise, visiting my country. Honestly, I don't think that's asking for a lot.
Jamie Rhein Sep 24th 2008 9:48AM
Hi Jeremy,
You brought up a good point about life in general in most places. If you follow the rules, all goes well.
I got caught chewing gum in Singapore when I was heading onto an MRT. (I used to be a chain chewer) All that happened was that I was told by the MRT booth guy to spit it out.
Kathy Nov 25th 2008 2:12PM
I think we need a physical punishment before the death penalty which is the ultimate physical punishment. This would work especially for the younger offenders and the repeat offenders. It would be better than a stint in jail in some cases because it is done and they can go on with things without being around other criminals. It is drastic, and as such would be a great deterrant. Maybe if some of the criminals were caned, they wouldn't go on to have to have the death penalty.
ouch Dec 10th 2008 10:11PM
The thing I remember the most about it is how everyone I knew got sick and tired of hearing about it and wished the tabloid media would cease and desist.
It could have been worse - there could have been a TV movie about it!
Scotty Mar 28th 2009 6:14PM
I think people miss the point about Singapore and that is who decides? It is a country that has been known to strip naked and cane opposition politicians.
Fay stole some signs but the cars were hit with water soluble paint. The thousands of dollars worth of damage was an exaggeration and he insists he did not do that particular offence.
There is a lot of mystery surounding that case but it is time to leave Mr.Fay alone, he will suffer mental torture for the rest of his days without people being voyeuristic.
John Jun 24th 2009 2:26PM
My biggest problem with the whole affair was Prez Clinton's attempt to mitigate the punishment. A snot-nosed American brat goes to a FOREIGN country, BREAKS THEIR LAWS and then COMPLAINS about the punishment.
I think that he should have gotten a few more whacks when he returned to the US for acting like an IDIOT and embarrassing the US!
Scotty, I can understand your sentiments, however, the amount of damage is somewhat meaningless. He broke their law and had to pay the price.
I for one am an "international criminal" and have the "ticket" framed and hanging in my office. While in Thailand a napkin accidently and without my knowledge fell out of a bag I was carrying - the fine was US$35.00. Excessive? Probably - but that's their laws. If you don't want to deal with another country's laws - don't go. But don't break their law and complain about the consequences ....
J