Originally posted by sweatmonicaIdo

What I do question, however, is their attitude. Every police officer and security personnel I encountered carried an air of incredibly high suspicion or even outright hostility, as well as what I saw as concerted efforts towards humiliating and intimidating people who simply may have not known any better or were just trying to cooperate as best they could. Even when asking for directions, it seems like a cop was more interested in determining some non-existent, ulterior motive as opposed to helping me or anybody else out get to work or wherever else they needed to go.

[edit on 18-1-2009 by sweatmonicaIdo]

A perfect description of what we as tourists endure when we "try" to enter the US. Getting weird looks, getting fingerprinted en photographed, standing in creepy little rooms with tens of people with "crowd control people" around you. You feel the blood reddening your face, and you get hallucinations of balls and chains. You need to give an address on your visa waiver of were you are going to stay. I saw a 16 year old girl who didnt know this and confronted with this by the man in the booth who didn't move an inch to help her, she became slightly panicked 'and red in the face and looked at her friends. She didn't know what to do, she appearantly did not book a hotel yet, as a lot of tourists do. The idiocy of that situation and her panic was a good picture of where we are heading.
A real free world.

whole-heartedly agree...I know this isn't a popular statement but GW Bush DID protect us after 9/11. 9/11 wasn't cause by GW Bush...it started long before that...the planning, everything. His hard stance on security did in fact prevent another incident--lets hope that the new president will do the same. Historically, Democrats are great on economics and do the country well but horrible at defending or even taking a defensive posture...Republicans do wonderful at defending but are horrible at economics....This new president almost sounds like he'll be a moderate and provide a voice of reason. I hope he's got what it takes to take on washington and make moderate decisions that are in the best interest of the country....and thus, keep us safe.

Keep you safe, are you serious, what you think bombing murdering and torturing people will make you safe, I don't think so. Amwerica right now is peddling backwards, this obsession with fear and intimidation will afect the country for all the wrong reasons.

America does face terrorism from its own people, Government and the perps who are running the show be they Jews, Neocons or Zionists. They are the real threat to America. But if America keeps up this intimidating attitude eventually people will stop visiting. Its all becoming abit like Stalins Russia.