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[–]IamRedBeard 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (22 children)

That whole thing reads like a bad dream and is terrifying.

You know those movies you see where some gestapo guy interrogate the protagonist and the whole scene is tense and dark and fucked up and you say

"Thank GOD I'm American and they can't do that to us"

Well. Those days are over. We are now Them

If we stay under Trump we will Ally our self with China, Russia and North Korea and become an Axis Power.

[–]pcontorta2 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (21 children)

Ridiculous.

Trump is the first president in awhile to focus on the US at the expense of China and Russia.

It just shows how much Americans take for granted their rights as US citizens. People have to be idiotic to think their rights cross borders.

[–]IamRedBeard 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (20 children)

Did you read the article? like at all? Or did you just glance at it and decide to just blow it out your ass? This didn't happen "Across somebody else's borders" It happened here. Once upon a time we didn't treat our citizens like this. Not without Just Cause.

That shit might happen all the time where you come from. We are use to having rights. It even mentions this in the above article that you didn't read.

If it weren't for congress, Trump would have lifted all the sanctions on Russia. That Traitorous Dog is in their Pocket

Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Special for you: https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/187/614/59c.png

You keep on a cukin' there buddy - I'm going to try to fight for our liberties back.

[–]Scoobiedoo 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (19 children)

You clearly haven't been paying much attention since US customs have been like this for a long time. I've heard many similar horror stories of customs agent's abuse of power under Clinton both Bush's and Obama. The journalist was being lippy and uncooperative and that is a sure fire bet to get into deep shit with customs agents and he clearly (like most journalists) had an anti-Trump bias which oozed repeatedly out of his writing.

This comment alone tells you what sort of man-child this 'journalist' is:

"But then a third officer, whose name was Villarreal, carefully read every page of my 2019 journal, including copious notes to self on work, relationships, friends, family, and all sorts of private reflections I had happened to write down. I told him, “Sir, I know there’s nothing I can do to stop you, but I want to tell you, as one human being to another, that you’re invading my privacy right now, and I don’t appreciate it.”

Not to mention:

"I wasn’t allowed to leave the Homeland Security zone, either. I know because I tried to sort of wander out a couple of times and got yelled at."

What an ass, he is lucky he didn't end up in jail for his behavior.

And:

I told him I at least had the right to know what files he was reviewing. “All of them,” he said, giving me a hard stare. “I’m going to look at all of them.”

“Please don’t look at the one called ‘Secret ISIS Confession,’” I said.

That attitude right there is why it kept getting worse for him.

[–]IamRedBeard 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (18 children)

You are right. And they should start stopping us from state to state, too and checking our papers.

I know! Maybe we should be required to Log in with our birth names and socials Every Time we access the internet!

I like that Idea! And Breathalyzers in every car Too! Also they should be able to track us for insurance purposes too!

And to prevent Theft you should have to log into the Grocery store when you go in!

And my favorite comes from China! That social credit score? I bet that would give you a freaking Fascist HARD ON!

The world you live in where this is okay is a fucking Nightmare. And before you try saying this is some straw-man bullshit: We have seen in the past where if you give them an Inch they take Miles.

Wasn't there a shitty Democrat that said something along those lines about a month or two ago? That if he got an inch he would take a mile? on the Second amendment? My yellow dog liberal ass would have him tossed out of his office too! Crazy prick.

So my point is right here: "He should have NEVER been taken aside in the first place to have his shitty childish attitude at ALL"

I just rolled my eyes so hard at you my head hurts.

[–]Optimus85[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

It's funny how some people think that it's fine being abused and treated like shit by other humans who were given a position of authority in the name of "national security". Governments and corporations are slowly and steadily stripping privates citizens of their rights and privacy. And being complacent most definitely will not further our cause.

[–]Scoobiedoo 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

I am very much against governments abuse of power however, nothing I read in that journalist's account was on the level of severe abuse. He was disrespectful and uncooperative to the customs agents and he even tried to escape several times while being detained:

"I wasn’t allowed to leave the Homeland Security zone, either. I know because I tried to sort of wander out a couple of times and got yelled at."

You give up rights when crossing international borders. I believe there should be more rights for people who cross borders but the journalist was detained for several hours since he had pictures of war zones on his phone and he was doing stories on Mexican cartels which he didn't disclose until they discovered it in his files later in the interview which coupled with his bad attitude made him very suspicious to customs agents. He created most of these problems for himself. Keep in mind, this is his version of the events and just what he admits to. He was not jailed, he was not hit, he didn't have guns pointed at him, he had nothing stolen or confiscated. All in all, really not that big a deal.

[–]Optimus85[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I agree with you on the journalist being a bit of a pretentious twat and antagonizing the border guards. However, my main beef is with the overreach of authority and having one's personal and intimate information being accessed by a government agency. So he had pictures of horrific events; he's a journalist. Moreover, why and how was he deemed a threat? He's American, speaks perfect English and obviously had proper identification. Border agents most certainly had access to his criminal record, if any. He should've been cleared in a matter of minutes.

[–]Scoobiedoo 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Thing is, anyone can be a smuggler/drug mule, a covert agent of a cartel or a wack-job who converts to a member of Isis. Once you lie or don't disclose relevant information to customs officials you are in for a bad time. I have had my share of run-ins with overzealous customs agents and it isn't fun. They can keep you detained for hours, go through anything you bring into the country, do body-cavity searches and go over any public or government information they have on you. There should be more laws in place to protect people's rights and private papers but if you know this an issue you can just keep information you want private, yet accessible, in the cloud and don't take anything you don't feel comfortable government agents reviewing on your person when traveling outside of the country. This guy got off lightly compared to what they can do legally. Most customs agents are just doing their job but some get off on the power trip. There should be recourse for those who abuse their power but given the circumstances of this particular example I think customs was not that far out of line given the journalist's behavior.

[–]Scoobiedoo 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

That's a nice strawman argument you have there, I don't advocate abuse by customs officials but I also understand reality. You appear to have a rather child like understanding of the world. When people cross international borders customs officials are allowed to detain, search and question people to determine if they are carrying contraband items or are a threat and it has been that way for a long long time. You lose your rights at international border crossings and it isn't just the US. As a dual citizen of Canada and the US I have had my share of run-ins with power tripping customs agents on both the US and Canadian borders. You learn very quickly it is "yes sir, no sir", you don't joke and you are asking for trouble if you give any lip when dealing with customs officials as they have far reaching powers. Do I approve of such treatment? Of course not but none of this is new and it is the reality of crossing borders and believe me, it can and does get much worse in other parts of the world. I have had guns pointed at me and many items stolen right in front of me by customs agents entering several countries in Latin America and if you make a fuss about it they put you in jail. In the real world, when dealing with customs, you learn to keep your mouth shut except to answer questions. You really should get out and experience life more and understand the world isn't a soft and cuddly place where your feelings are more important than laws. I am all for humane and respectful treatment of people when crossing borders but questioning people and searching items brought across international borders does not contradict that. Given your naivety, I would hazard a guess and assume you are pro open borders, not understanding the reality such a policy would have on the country.

[–]IamRedBeard 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You think a guard having a power trip is what stops terrorists? Interesting.

I think a guard doing his job is actually what stops terrorists.

If giving examples of runaway fascism, that is a real thing that can and in some countries, IS happening, is your definition of strawmaning, then that is what I did.

If you think this Behavior is acceptable by border guards - Then, by ALL MEANS, do nothing. Seems like your good at that, so carry on because that's all Fascism needs to run amok. You do you.

The rest of the people in the U.S and Canada will go out in the heat and cold and hold signs and bitch until we are blue for you.

So go have an Icehouse and chill, Brah.

[–]bobbobbybob 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

how do they know who the real actual terrorists are? do you think they have a badge or something?

They ask questions, read files, look at photos.

[–]IamRedBeard 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

Pick on tired people, steal things, violate rights. yea, you explained.

[–]bobbobbybob 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

Because real terrorist announce themselves.

In your fairy tale world.

Personally, I'm happy with strict borders, if it stops some mf with a bomb hidden in his suitcase killing me and mine.

[–]IamRedBeard 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

Look. Let me make this clear. Im saying that I don't want border guards that take bribes, steal technology, intimidate citizens without just cause, overreach their power, or violate legal rights.

If you are for that we are done here because this is banal and we will go back and forth for eternity - and I'm not going to play games with you like a third grader.

If you are against that, than we agree and are just bitching at each other - and I'm not going to play games with you like a third grader.

The horse is dead.

[–]bobbobbybob 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

Straw man. classy.

Have you ever run security? I have, at festivals. Nothing like the level of potential bad outcomes, but you still get to learn about people.

The nicest people will smile and lie straight to your face, pretending all is well, as their vehicles contain drugs and alcohol hidden away.

You learn to read small eye movements, body language, tiny linguistic evasions. anything not quite right, and people get pulled over and their vehicles get stripped to find what they are hiding.

the fool in this story that you are victim-defending was a grade A suspect, and he's lucky he didn't get cavity searched.