Text 6943, 40 rader
Skriven 2007-10-03 09:44:09 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: Re: Post 9/11
=====================
Carol,
 
CS> It was the 1.5 hours to get through immigrations where you have to wait
CS> almost 1 hour for your luggage to come down a carrier, then trot it
CS> about 25 yards (unopened and not allowed to open it) and drop it in
CS> another spot, leaving it so later it can be re-scanned and reloaded.
CS> You do not open it, or get asked anything about it, nor is it scanned
CS> until after you drop it all off all alone in a pile with others to be
CS> handled by them later after you leave.  Talk about senseless!  There
CS> was no reason to allow us to handle it at all.  I'll add the inspection
CS> at Fukuoka was more complete on the luggage than what I saw stateside
CS> (except the toothpaste).
 
Welcome to the joys of international travel ... direction US. I can write a
book about it ... and you were a US citizen my dear, non-US citizens get a
different treatment. I'm not saying "bad" treatment but the system when
arriving at a European airport is always a relief ... in Brussels there is a
clear indication where the bags are (on the plane, on the conveyor-belt towards
bagage-retrieval, on the caroussel, no more bags coming).
 
Immigration ... you do not need to fill-out an I94 form with the most
ridiculous questions such as "Do you seek entry into the United States with
criminal intent?" as if anybody ever would reply "yes" to that. Or "Have you
been involved in the activities of Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945?"
 
Why then not questions such as "Have you been involved as a member of the
Imperial Japanese army in the Nanking massacre of 1938?".
 
Actually, getting through immigration for a foreign visitor is a very
humiliating experience and I perfectly understand why some people do not wish
to travel there (anymore).
 
As said before, I can write a book about that. Instead, last summer I bought
myself a T-shirt in Montana. It reads: "Homeland Security - Fighting terrorism
since 1492" and showing a photograph of indians.
 
 \%/@rd

--- D'Bridge 2.85
 * Origin: Many Glacier -o=O=o- Preserve - Protect - Conserve (2:292/854)