Customs: a custom I wish we could Do Without (UPDATED Dec. 19)

[duncanmac]

I often think that the traditional concept of nation-state is obsolete, but nowhere does this seem more obvious than in two [now three] news stories that occurred in the past three weeks or so. All involve agents of the Customs department (or, as they are now often named, border guards) in two neighboring countries: Canada and the U.S. All

Comments

[lunacy_gal]

There is very little interesting enough in the U.S. now to tempt me to cross that border.

[duncanmac]

Remember what happened to Amy Goodman. That could be one of *us*, coming back from Europe. :-(

Complain to your MP about *our* Customs officials first.

[dewline]

I know people in the USA who actually prefer to believe the "Soviet Canuckistan" charge to be based in fact, regardless of the truth. Seeing as a lot of them still vote according to that belief, we may see some problems on this customs front for a while yet.

[duncanmac]

Oh, les Americains ... :-/

I have friends down there who have more sense than to believe this charge. It saddens me to think they might be outnumbered by believers.

[dewline]

Outnumbered? No.

Running neck and neck with?

Just maybe.

[figmo]

I will travel wherever I can. That's the end of it. I consider the government and the majority of the folks living in a country to be separate entities.

[duncanmac]

Agreed, but *don't* take your "ability to travel" for granted.

Whatever happened to "government by consent of the governed"? If the situation gets worrisome enough, you Americans had better be reminded of what the founders of your country said and be prepared to mount another revolution. As is mentioned in this message, you should be ready to ensure the limitations on governments, especially the federal one, are enforced. [Unfortunately, this writer is openly critical about the tactics of the Clinton years, while turning a blind eye towards the mess in Iraq as of 2003. Funny that. :-/]