Naimat Khan: Modesto helping to change views about America

Unlike Americans, Pakistanis know everything other than how to put their own house in order. Born and raised in such a society, with its highly charged anti-American sentiments, I shared most of them.

I arrived in the United States on Aug. 3, along with 15 other journalists from Pakistan. We are part of a program conducted by the International Center For Journalists, which is supported by the U.S. State Department. Journalists from Pakistan come to America and then American journalists take part in monthlong visits to Pakistan.

Before boarding the plane for Washington, D.C., at Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport, I held certain stereotypes and perceptions of America. For instance, the drone strikes being carried out by the U.S. military in Pakistan are considered a serious violation of my country’s sovereignty. But during our week in Washington, a person we met there told us that many of the strikes were undertaken at Pakistan’s request.

Regardless, the collateral damage is very high. Contrary to what officials in Washington and in our capital, Islamabad, want people to believe, it is estimated that thousands of innocent bystanders have died in drone strikes. Deals that appear to be struck between Washington and Islamabad’s security establishments are something that annoy journalists in my country, including me.

Among my biggest misconceptions were that the American people are indifferent to the deaths of innocent Pakistanis from drone strikes, and that these attacks carry the endorsement of the American people. That belief is gone after meeting people here.

There were other misperceptions. When I began to do Internet research on my assignment, The Modesto Bee and the city from where it dawns, I read a story headlined, “Gangs thriving in Modesto” (published in 2007). That story was sufficient to frighten me. The story presented a picture similar to that of Lyari – a restive Karachi neighborhood ruled by gangsters. Any visits there are rare, even in my capacity as a reporter.

The stories regarding high rates of crime and gangs in Modesto were reasons to worry. But after my arrival in Modesto, my worries are beginning to disappear.

My trip from Washington to Modesto took 12 hours, including the flight and train ride from Sacramento. I was tired when I arrived. But the way I was warmly received by one of The Bee’s editors and his family waned the fatigue.

The first stereotype to vanish was that the American people don’t care. The family who greeted me – Opinions Page editor Mike Dunbar, his wife, Tammy, and their son William – helped me check into my hotel, took me to a restaurant (Milano Pizza) fitted to my tastes and needs, and provided me an awesome cup of tea at their home.

Back at the motel, I began asking myself: Would a person who doesn’t care do these things? My answer is no.

Sundays are days that Americans spend with their families, but The Bee’s editor, Joe Kieta, gave up his precious time with his family to show me around the city. He picked me up from the motel and took me to a grocery store to buy some stuff, and then we went to a restaurant, which he would have hardly visited if I was not here.

On my first day in The Bee’s offices, I came to know the fantastic plan they have for me. They have arranged meetings with Modesto’s police chief, an official with the Sheriff’s Department, a visit to the courts and with other officials to help me learn the traits of journalism and reporting on crime in the United States. We also plan to visit some great places where every visitor to the United States would love to go – including San Francisco and Yosemite.

I have three weeks to spend in Modesto, and many things are awaiting me. When my visit ends, I will again have a chance to write about my perceptions of American society. Maybe I will take back some of these changes with me to Pakistan and leave some of my old thoughts behind. As more stereotypes and misconceptions are broken, I hope to get a better view of America.

This story was originally published August 15, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Naimat Khan: Modesto helping to change views about America."