Why did white Americans criticize Singapore then?

>>> When a white American kid who was caught in Singapore for defacing a car with graffitti received Singapore government caned him. After all it was the standard punishment there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay

Theft and vandalism

In 1993, The Straits Times, Singapore's national newspaper, reported that car vandalism in Singapore was on the rise. Cars within the HDB apartments—in which 85% of the local population lives—were being damaged with hot tar, paint remover, red spray paint, and hatchets. Taxi drivers complained that their tires were slashed. In the city center and the condos, cars were found with deep scratches and dents. One man complained that he had to refinish his car six times in six months. Even a local judge found a line of red paint sprayed through the official seal on his car.[citation needed]

The police eventually arrested a 16-year-old suspect, Andy Shiu Chi Ho from Hong Kong. He was not caught vandalizing cars, but was charged with driving his father's car without a license. After questioning Shiu, the police questioned several expatriate students from the Singapore American School, including Fay, and charged them with more than fifty counts of vandalism.[2] Fay pleaded guilty to vandalizing the cars in addition to stealing road signs. He later maintained that he was advised that such a plea would preclude caning and that his confession was false, that he never vandalized any cars, and that the only crime he committed was stealing signs.[3][4]

Under the 1966 Vandalism Act, originally passed to curb the spread of political graffiti and which specifically penalized vandalism of government property,[5] Fay was sentenced on March 3, 1994 to four months in jail, a fine of 3,500 Singapore dollars (US$2,214 or £1,514 at the time), and six strokes of the cane.[6] Shiu, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to eight months in prison and 12 strokes of the cane.[7]

Fay's lawyers appealed, arguing that the Vandalism Act provided caning only for indelible forms of graffiti vandalism, and that the damaged cars had been cheaply restored to their original condition.[8]
Response from the United States Government

The official position of the United States government was that although it recognized Singapore's right to punish Fay within due process of law the punishment of caning was excessive for a teenager who committed a non-violent crime. The United States embassy in Singapore pointed out that the graffiti damage to the cars was not permanent, but caning would leave Fay with physical scars.[5]

Then-U.S. President Bill Clinton called Fay's punishment extreme and mistaken, and pressured the Singaporean government to grant Fay clemency from caning. Two dozen U.S. Senators signed a letter to the Singaporean government also appealing for clemency.

The Singaporean government pointed out that Singaporeans who break the law faced the same punishments as Fay,[1] and that Singapore's laws had kept the city free of vandalism or violence of the kind seen in New York.[9] The Straits Times criticized "interference" by the U.S. government and found it surprising that the president had found time to become involved, given the various foreign-policy and other crises it was facing.[3]

Nevertheless, then and late President Ong Teng Cheong commuted Fay's caning from six to four strokes as a gesture of respect toward Clinton.[10] Shiu's sentence was later also reduced, from twelve strokes to six, after a similar clemency appeal.

Fay received four strokes of the cane across his bare buttocks on May 5, 1994, at Queenstown Remand Centre.[11][12]
Public reaction

Following Fay's sentence, the case received wide coverage by the U.S. and world media.[13] The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times ran editorials and op-eds condemning the punishment.[14] Newsday erroneously claimed that canings in Singapore were public,[citation needed] and that caning involved "bits of flesh fly[ing] with each stroke."[15] This latter detail was apparently taken from descriptions (originally derived from a 1974 press conference)[16] of a much larger number of strokes, for more severe crimes such as rape and robbery.

Some commentaries[who?] treated the Michael Fay affair as a clash of civilizations between Asian values and the differing view of human rights common in liberal Western cultures.

Public opinion polls were divisive, but mostly supportive of Fay's punishment.[17] A significant number of Americans were in favor of the caning, claiming that Singapore had a right to use corporal punishment and that the United States did not mete out severe enough punishment to its own juvenile offenders.[18] Others pointed out that once Americans go abroad, they are subject to the laws and penal codes of the country they visit.[19] The Singapore Embassy received "a flood of letters" from Americans strongly supporting Fay's punishment, and some polls showed a majority of Americans favored it.[20]

After Fay's punishment was carried out, the United States Trade Representative said that he would try to prevent the World Trade Organization's first ministerial meeting from taking place in Singapore.


http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/26/us/us-student-tells-of-pain-of-his-caning-in-singapore.html

This was the first thing that crossed my mind when I heard of this arrest but I thought Clinton had no comments on this.

Rishi wrote:>>> When a white American kid who was caught in Singapore for defacing a car with graffitti received Singapore government caned him. After all it was the standard punishment there.

[i]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/26/us/us-student-tells-of-pain-of-his-caning-in-singapore.html

You want to know why ?

Everyone wants to claim high moral ground while doing all dirty things just like the other guy.

Also, 1 white person is better than anyone from any other race

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:

Rishi wrote:>>> When a white American kid who was caught in Singapore for defacing a car with graffitti received Singapore government caned him. After all it was the standard punishment there.

[i]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/26/us/us-student-tells-of-pain-of-his-caning-in-singapore.html

You want to know why ?

Everyone wants to claim high moral ground while doing all dirty things just like the other guy.

Also, 1 white person is better than anyone from any other race

overreaction much.

bw wrote:

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:

Rishi wrote:>>> When a white American kid who was caught in Singapore for defacing a car with graffitti received Singapore government caned him. After all it was the standard punishment there.

[i]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/26/us/us-student-tells-of-pain-of-his-caning-in-singapore.html

You want to know why ?

Everyone wants to claim high moral ground while doing all dirty things just like the other guy.

Also, 1 white person is better than anyone from any other race

overreaction much.

Ms. BW...don't you ever ever, ever say that I am overreacting much...ever ever ever...

BTW, that was not a reaction....A Statement of fact (bcz it comes from me...