Overseas travel warnings about USA mount

originally posted by: TerminalVelocity
a reply to: olaru12

Wrong.

It's called: You being judgemental over a entire area and groups of people.

You know: that very same thing you are claiming that exists in the south?

But of course you're "enlightened" and would never judge large groups of people like that.......right?

smh

I was born and raised it Texas and still own my family farm there [leased] and dread every time I need to take care of business in Texas. I know the Southern culture intimately and prefer to avoid it. Personal experience has a strange way of "enlightening" people.

Austin and Galveston are cool!!

a reply to: olaru12

I usually travel with a crew and we at one time worked from Texas to Florida.

I believe you! As long as you admit all that happened in 1955! lol.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

They've pumped a lot of money into the local economy

The Muslim community there is on good terms with the local govt & the local police dept and it contributes a lot of money

Gee. Wonder why everyone loves them/sarc
And if you really don't think all that money has a lot to do with it, I'd say your purposely fooling yourself. Money has no cultural barriers.

originally posted by: snowspirit

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
Just saying. Do you all care what people think of America? I do.

Nope. I travel overseas a few times a year and I still use my American passport over my Italian one. If some tool bag overseas does not like me or the United States that is their problem.

I think most of us northerners love you, but are extremely iffy about the states. Your cops have zero sense of humour, last time I was there, we all got kicked out because a couple of us were mooning cops. They said get out, they'll just wave you straight through at the border, they're expecting you 🙄
US border people are also nasty. Unless they can't wait to get you back to Canada.....

You mooned police officers? Let me be absolutely frank and honest with you friend, I am very surprised you were not shot and or beaten to death, I'm not joking. When I was 15 me and a buddy got into a confrontation with some local Cops and my friend didn't want to be questioned by them and then they threatened to take him down to the station and he ran away from them and two cops chased him down tackled him on pavement hand cuffed him and dragged him across the parking lot by the handcuffs and took him around the side of the grocery store this was occurring at. Now when the two cops that dragged him out of sight of my self, my friends Mother, other police officers and grocery store employees two more cops joined them around the corner and four Chesterfield County VA Police officers took turns beating my friend with knight sticks, fists and feet and if I remember correctly they also pepper sprayed him. He had a major concussion, three broken teeth, two black eyes, a broken wrist, bruised ribs and the Cops NEVER got into trouble for anything, and once again he was 15 years old and he never once struck one of the Cops. You are VERY lucky my northern friend. P.s. my friend and all four officers were white.

a reply to: olaru12

Austin and Galveston are cool!!

Yep!

I have family in Austin - it's very cool - and Galveston is so fun!! I have family in Houston also, and was at my cousin's wedding there a couple of years ago (in League City). It was nice. I've visited friends in Dallas/Fort Worth, and made other trips to Houston (vacationing).

But I still despise Ted Cruz, the Bushes, Ricks Perry and Santorum, and the rest of their Dominionist legislators.

To the pretentious and self-deluding European (or citizen of elsewhere) that thinks were are savages, I say, 'who cares?

Don't Tar all Europeans with the same brush, you are AWARE that this is a GOVERNMENT advisory, you know, like all them GOVERNMENTS we all love and trust with our lives? They advise me about lots of things, they can advise all they want, if i choose to pay attention i will otherwise i wont.

Pretentious and Self Deluding? thanks for that comment

Just saying

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: olaru12

I usually travel with a crew and we at one time worked from Texas to Florida.

I believe you! As long as you admit all that happened in 1955! lol.

1955....

Travel down any interstate in the south with a a black male driving....then get back to me.

Personal experience is a fantastic learning tool.....LOL

I'm sorry everyone. I tried to stop myself... I really did. I tied my hands, but I managed to chew through the ropes. I tried to turn off the tablet, but my fingers rebelled and stabbed me in the eye. I tried to walk away and my legs went numb.

a reply to: olaru12

I bet that was your personal experience. I think that because I've heard similar stories. Every single time, the reason was the same.

Try not coming down here with that superior attitude and trying to tell us how to live our lives.

We really don't care how superior you are to us, and we really don't care how you do things up there. If you're not up there now, at least try treating people like they're human beings. Maybe we'll treat you like one in return.

The tip-off was that you were afraid to let a black man drive... not that you did and got hassled.

TheRedneck

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: enlightenedservant

They've pumped a lot of money into the local economy

The Muslim community there is on good terms with the local govt & the local police dept and it contributes a lot of money

Gee. Wonder why everyone loves them/sarc
And if you really don't think all that money has a lot to do with it, I'd say your purposely fooling yourself. Money has no cultural barriers.

That's literally the point. I started my post by saying "You have to remember that a lot of these people don't think these things through" for a reason. Re-read the OP (which I was responding to) and my post should make sense.

Besides, actual politicians and local government officials understand things like economics, the importance of trade, the importance of independent sources of funding for colleges when their funding is cut at the State level, etc. And local police departments also have to raise money, be it through donations, federal grants, asset forfeitures, fines/fees, or other sources. Hence the importance of these kinds of programs and the initiatives to increase tourism and business deals for local economies.

But far too many "normal citizens" don't understand this at all. They would gladly kick out the same Muslim community that is helping to prop up their local economy, keeping their local college from having to increase its tuition costs too much, & helping increase their property values. Some of the same idiots who are trying to kick out Muslim immigrants are employed by the family members of those immigrants. Hence my comment on people not thinking these things through.

Not to mention, the local Muslim community stays out of legal trouble and has worked with the local, State, and federal govt (particularly the FBI) on counter-terrorism programs. I know this because my Dad & his associates are Imams who've helped increase the communication and success rates of these programs for years. But once again, idiots don't think through what the consequences would be of kicking out the very Muslim immigrants who are either helping in counter-terrorism programs, or the immigrants who are friends, relatives, or associates of the people who are helping in counter-terrorism programs.

ETA: Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. Even people here on ATS cry "conspiracy!" when they hear that the FBI or another law enforcement agency knew of a terrorism suspect beforehand. But it never seems to cross anyone's mind that law enforcement knew of the suspect beforehand specifically because they were warned in advance by the actual Muslim communities. Meh, I don't want to get into that though.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Did they forget to mention how expensive things are?

Its not "American's fault". The US Gubment is off the tracks, dragging everyone along with it.

a reply to: intrptr

Things here aren't as expensive as all that, especially things like gasoline, meat, etc. if you are in perfectly fine places that aren't on the coasts.

The violence can't be blamed on the government. It can only be blamed on the violent.
Saying, "They made us do it! They made us so mad what else could we do?" is preposterous. Diplomacy. It's a thing.

originally posted by: TheRedneck


The tip-off was that you were afraid to let a black man drive... not that you did and got hassled.

TheRedneck

We were hassled when a black or Hispanic drove the van. Detained, searched and all the gear was left on the side of the road. Rental van trashed and we were liable for the damage. I don't know why you think we had an attitude. We have a live and let live attitude and don't tell anyone how to live. That was our experience and why we don't need the business in the south. Georgia and Maryland included.

a reply to: 191stMIDET

It was two of the people we were with. A guy and a girl. This was pre-911, so the US was less on edge back then.
I was the designated driver, the only sober one, I was 7 months pregnant at the time.

After September 2011, it wasn't worth even trying to cross the border after that. Border guards started acting like Cdn people were an enemy...many still act that way from what I've heard.

Since then even one of my elderly neighbours was detained for more than an hour by a border guard, just because he'd been to Cuba multiple times. Should not have been an issue, Canadians have always been allowed to freely go to Cuba.
He said he was done with the US after that. Not worth the trouble.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a
I meant as a collective and as a tourist destination, or a school destination, or a safe place to live.

Overall crime is down in the United States and has been going down for decades. If some jackasses from overseas want to exaggerate current social issues and get all triggered, oh well, have at it paintywaists.

Haha,the whole government is one big crime syndicate. "Overall", crime rate in the world is increasing because of US "Hegemony".

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Hmmm, I don't see the US becoming a third world country.

From where I sit, its coming to appear more and more like a Second World Country........more like Brazil or Argentina.
In the course of that progression into the toilet I'd expect and the people I listen to expect that the chaos is only going to get a lot worse.

The Genie's out of the bottle and someone threw away the cap.

As far as the US reputation in the rest of the world, personally I could care less. Its pretty obvious to me that Brits, Europeans in general have a pretty low opinion of the US and its citizenry. But then again.....what good can be said about the "Jerry Springer" society?

a reply to: TonyS

In the course of that progression into the toilet I'd expect and the people I listen to expect that the chaos is only going to get a lost worse.

The Genie's out of the bottle and someone threw away the cap.

Oh!! Well, then, by all means, throw your hands up in the air and punch someone's lights out, then!


That was sarcasm.


STOP LISTENING to the people you listen to. Get your head out of the doom-room, for crying out loud, and start acting like you care.

And that was NOT SARCASM.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

The violence can't be blamed on the government.

US government is the most violent government in the world right now.

a reply to: olaru12

Then you are the first person I have talked to, in over a half-century of living here, who had that happen without copping an attitude. Possible, I suppose, but highly unusual. I'll stand by my original opinion.

Where did this supposed incident happen, if you don't mind sharing?

TheRedneck

a reply to: intrptr

What's your point? Violence is committed by people against other people. Yes, I hate our military interventionist crap. That doesn't let civilians off the hook for being hateful to each other and hurting other people.

What we can do is vote them all out, or refuse to cooperate. Walk away. Stop playing.

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO.

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off-topic