
US customs dismantled 'impossible to replace' instrument, Mali musician says - ValentineC
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/06/malian-musician-kora-ballake-sissoko-dismantled-tsa-us-customs
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ricktdotorg
just a data point: i moved to the USA in the late 90s, H-1B. flew into
Nashville because it was the nearest intl entry point to Little Rock, AR, my
destination at the time. i flew in with a very large suitcase, a large bag and
a pretty expensive mountain bike. among the two bags were wrapped gifts for
the family who would be putting me up. Nashville i believe was a fairly new
international point of entry back then. the INS (at the time) gave me a hell
of a welcome. the H-1B was questioned. i was taken aside and left in a small
room for many hours. when they eventually released me, it had been about five
fours and my mountain bike was almost completely dismantled. the forks were
out of the front tube, all wheels were off. they said they had to check the
frame for drugs. all my wrapped gifts were ripped open. i had to repack
everything in a drafty arrivals hall after being held for (as i could discern)
absolutely no reason, a fresh grad with a valid visa heading off to work and
pay taxes in booming late 90s America. that was my welcome to the USA.
honestly. each welcome since hasn’t been much better. i say this even knowing
i am a very lucky white guy. i can’t imagine how much worse it is for anyone
who isn’t white these days. YMMV.

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byoung2
Other sources mention that the note had tape on it (which TSA does not use in
notes) and was in poor condition. TSA labeled it as screened and cleared,
indicating there was no need to open it. It is possible that someone else
destroyed it and put an old notice inside. I've heard quite a few stories of
broken instruments during air travel, but typically musicians blame the
airline (e.g. [https://youtu.be/Th0qY3d6oHA](https://youtu.be/Th0qY3d6oHA))

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tssva
The article talks about US Customs and TSA as if they are the same thing. It
also references border officials which TSA agents aren't. I understand the
musician not knowing the difference but I would expect a reporter to know the
difference. That she isn't competent enough to know the difference makes me
highly doubtful regarding the rest of the substance of the article.

~~~
nicehat
No one really cares about such a minor distinction. Perhaps you have some
experience with these agencies but for the vast majority of people they're
basically the same thing - especially for non-Americans (the Grauniad is
English).

Deciding that the rest of the story is "highly doubtful" over that is your
call but ffs there are pictures. No musician breaks their own utterly unique
instrument to craft a fake story. Be real.

That it's apparently so difficult to precisely assign accountability for this
damage is it's own issue, not a cause for suspicion of the story. Lol.

~~~
tssva
As I stated in my original post I understand the musician not knowing the
difference; however, a professional reporter not knowing the difference or
being able to do enough journalistic research to discover the difference is
unacceptable.

I didn't say that the musician faked the damage to his instrument. That is
something you read into my comments.

It is the reporters job to do actual journalism and discover the complete
story as best they can. If a reporter can't even figure out which agencies are
involved how can I trust that they have done anything to accurately reflect
the whole story.

~~~
nicehat
Where does the article say that the TSA are border agents, or that customs and
the TSA are the same thing? The pedantry and slating of the journalist here is
unwarranted.

The point is, a priceless and unique instrument has been destroyed and there
is no accountability. How you got from there to wherever you are is beyond my
comprehension.

~~~
tssva
I suggest rereading the article. TSA, border agents and customs are used
interchangeably throughout the entire artcile.

~~~
nicehat
Are they? And can you admit that absolutely nowhere was the claim made they're
the same thing?

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ohazi
> ‘Would US customs have dared to dismantle a Stradivarius?’

The TSA has repeatedly manhandled and damaged priceless Western string
instruments as well. I don't have a source handy, but there was at least one
case of them snapping a $600k cello bow.

~~~
gus_massa
LMGTFY Probably [https://www.wqxr.org/story/269292-cellists-bow-
damaged/](https://www.wqxr.org/story/269292-cellists-bow-damaged/) or
[https://albangerhardt.com/es/broken-bow-broken-
cello/](https://albangerhardt.com/es/broken-bow-broken-cello/) I'm not sure
how the incident was resolved.

