A rant about US Customs
US Customs at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport treated visiting Finnish musicians rudely upon their welcome.
The article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21521384/
After my trip to the States this summer, I experienced several differing levels of rude/demeaning behavior in various Customs locations. Supposedly the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport is one of the worst Customs areas for a foreigner to enter the USA, as noted in the MSN/NBC Startribune article. Although my Norwegian and I traveled through the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport, the security officials there were much more polite than at the Washington, Dulles Airport (actually in Virginia), where we entered the States. At Dulles, the security officials were exceedingly loud-mouthed, strict, and demeaning. I have been through the international security screening process several times in the past three years and know what to expect. Unfortunately, my fiancee had to go through customs for the first time, alone, without any translation help or preparation for what a harrowing experience it would be. I had warned him that they would ask him what his purpose in the States was, where he would be living (he fortunately had the address at hand), and such things. But I had no idea what else they might ask him, so it was up to him to make it through. I went through very quickly ("Welcome home" they said to me, assuming that I would prefer to reside there) and waited for him for over 20 minutes on the other side.
When my fiancee through to the baggage claim, he looked like he'd been interrogated committing a crime. He told me that the customs agent looked in his eyes and asked him if he was drunk, or if he was on drugs. First of all, I don't think it's against the law to enter the country drunk (but please correct me if I'm wrong though, there are some crazy laws in the States). Usually a free alcoholic beverage is provided free of charge on international flights, and purchase is availble as well, so I would assume that some arrivees are more than a little tipsy upon occasion. Anyway, he wasn't drunk and had no reason to act drunk either. The man also asked him about me (because he mentioned we were visiting my family), why I live in Norway, and why he and I are visiting my family and such and such. Then he took his fingerprints. I know this is a new policy to fingerprint all foreign arrivees, but fingerprinting always has an edge of "you're suspected for a crime" to it. My fiancee was remarkably impacted by this whole process and has described it to his family many times. Of course, he is from a small town, so I can imagine this was quite a shakeup from daily life, where this kind of treatment only occurs if you are arrested.
This type of "welcome" upon first entry to the USA does not leave a positive impression upon anyone. Sure, perhaps it helps with catching terrorists (although who really knows how much it helps?), but when you consider the ratio of terrorists to normal, non-terrorist people who enter the USA every year, just think about how many people are get pissed off and swear never to visit the States again vs. how many terrorists have been caught using these methods.
In contrast, Norwegian Customs agents have been polite, quiet and welcoming. I have never been yelled at during security screening in Norway. Granted, when one considers cultural and geographical stereotypes regarding the locations I have mentioned, Midwest America is rather polite, warm and welcoming; San Diego is laid-back, beach style (incidentally, no problems entering or leaving the airport there); the East Coast is loud-mouthed, direct and pushy, and Norway is withdrawn, reserved, and polite. Does anyone agree with me that these stereotypes play a role in the behavior of airport security officials?
Lately I've heard more and more horror stories about the shameful treatment of tourists and foreigners, especially toward foreign musicians who are suspected for smuggling and transporting illegal items, which ergo forces them to cancel their entire concert tour. As a traveling musician myself, this pisses me off. I, too, have been hindered in taking my instrument peacefully aboard a plane. This makes me sad and even ashamed to be American when officials act like this. I thought America was supposedly built on the foundations of welcoming newcomers and giving them a chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yet perhaps the Pilgrims with their reputed back-stabbing nature toward the helpful Native Americans must have left behind their own guide to welcoming foreigners.
The article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21521384/
After my trip to the States this summer, I experienced several differing levels of rude/demeaning behavior in various Customs locations. Supposedly the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport is one of the worst Customs areas for a foreigner to enter the USA, as noted in the MSN/NBC Startribune article. Although my Norwegian and I traveled through the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport, the security officials there were much more polite than at the Washington, Dulles Airport (actually in Virginia), where we entered the States. At Dulles, the security officials were exceedingly loud-mouthed, strict, and demeaning. I have been through the international security screening process several times in the past three years and know what to expect. Unfortunately, my fiancee had to go through customs for the first time, alone, without any translation help or preparation for what a harrowing experience it would be. I had warned him that they would ask him what his purpose in the States was, where he would be living (he fortunately had the address at hand), and such things. But I had no idea what else they might ask him, so it was up to him to make it through. I went through very quickly ("Welcome home" they said to me, assuming that I would prefer to reside there) and waited for him for over 20 minutes on the other side.
When my fiancee through to the baggage claim, he looked like he'd been interrogated committing a crime. He told me that the customs agent looked in his eyes and asked him if he was drunk, or if he was on drugs. First of all, I don't think it's against the law to enter the country drunk (but please correct me if I'm wrong though, there are some crazy laws in the States). Usually a free alcoholic beverage is provided free of charge on international flights, and purchase is availble as well, so I would assume that some arrivees are more than a little tipsy upon occasion. Anyway, he wasn't drunk and had no reason to act drunk either. The man also asked him about me (because he mentioned we were visiting my family), why I live in Norway, and why he and I are visiting my family and such and such. Then he took his fingerprints. I know this is a new policy to fingerprint all foreign arrivees, but fingerprinting always has an edge of "you're suspected for a crime" to it. My fiancee was remarkably impacted by this whole process and has described it to his family many times. Of course, he is from a small town, so I can imagine this was quite a shakeup from daily life, where this kind of treatment only occurs if you are arrested.
This type of "welcome" upon first entry to the USA does not leave a positive impression upon anyone. Sure, perhaps it helps with catching terrorists (although who really knows how much it helps?), but when you consider the ratio of terrorists to normal, non-terrorist people who enter the USA every year, just think about how many people are get pissed off and swear never to visit the States again vs. how many terrorists have been caught using these methods.
In contrast, Norwegian Customs agents have been polite, quiet and welcoming. I have never been yelled at during security screening in Norway. Granted, when one considers cultural and geographical stereotypes regarding the locations I have mentioned, Midwest America is rather polite, warm and welcoming; San Diego is laid-back, beach style (incidentally, no problems entering or leaving the airport there); the East Coast is loud-mouthed, direct and pushy, and Norway is withdrawn, reserved, and polite. Does anyone agree with me that these stereotypes play a role in the behavior of airport security officials?
Lately I've heard more and more horror stories about the shameful treatment of tourists and foreigners, especially toward foreign musicians who are suspected for smuggling and transporting illegal items, which ergo forces them to cancel their entire concert tour. As a traveling musician myself, this pisses me off. I, too, have been hindered in taking my instrument peacefully aboard a plane. This makes me sad and even ashamed to be American when officials act like this. I thought America was supposedly built on the foundations of welcoming newcomers and giving them a chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yet perhaps the Pilgrims with their reputed back-stabbing nature toward the helpful Native Americans must have left behind their own guide to welcoming foreigners.