Alas, poor US, I knew you well

[mandragora]

Prompted by today's news that apparently all visitors to the US will shortly have to submit to having their fingerprints and mugshot taken upon entry to the US's fair *cough* shores.

Oh sure, the US is hitting the poor and non-white countries first (racist? Much!). But apparently the exempted countries from this outrageous invasion of civil liberties will lose their exemption by the end of 2004.

And, if so, bye bye US. I won't be visiting you any more.

This saddens me more than I can say. I've been to the US several times from my first visit in 1981 to my most recent last October. And it now looks like it may well be my last.

No more fannish cons in the US. No more (and this saddens me deeply) visits to friends I've made there. But, please, do come to Europe, where we don't make you have you fucking fingerprints taken!

But. Jesus. To photograph and fingerprint everyone who visits the country. What is this? The Stalinist Soviet Union mark II?

ETA: I'd be pretty reluctant to visit the US even if the exempted countries remain free from the mugshots and fingerprints. Because to target all citizens of any country in this way is utterly abhorrent. Shame on you home of the 'free', shame on you. Shame on your fucking Government, anyway.

Comments

[keletkezes.livejournal.com]

And I thought going to Russia (even now) was dificult, but to our 'neighbours' I thought it'd be easier. No longer...

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I know. It's so sad and so unlikely to deter the terrorists. And the illegal immigrants will just disappear into the country somewhere.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

I wonder if they're planning to do it even at the Canadian border?

When I crossed from Canada to the US by car - in a car driven by a Canadian citizen - I was asked for my passport, but the driver took it from me and passed it to the officer in the cubbyhole, who never actually got a look at me to see if I corresponded in any way to my photo.

Are they seriously planning to set up these mugshot/fingerprint deals at every road that crosses from Canada into the US? Because if not, I can see that it would still be possible - if necessary - to visit the US by getting a direct flight to Canada, then getting a lift in a car driven by a Canadian citizen down into the US via a quiet road.

I can't imagine that they're seriously planning extensive border controls on the US/Canada roads, because unless they're also planning minefields/barbed wire etc, there is a vast deal of border across which anyone can simply walk, assuming minimal (and I do mean minimal) woodcraft.

Of course, doing pointless stuff to make it look as if they're doing a lot when in fact they're doing nothing is perfectly typical of the Bush government, so it's possible they're planning to institute fingerprint/mugshot stops at the US/Canada border...

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

i>I wonder if they're planning to do it even at the Canadian border?

Good point. According to the Beeb they're going to institute it at 50 border posts later on in the year, so it seems likely.

But as you wrote, without an actual, physical border between the US and Canada the easy way for terrorists to enter would be via Canada.

Thanks for the info on your post as to the year of implementation being 2005. I renewed my passport in 2003, so I guess I won't be biometrically 'got' until 2013. Can't really renew it next year, as I won't be able to use any of the reasons for renewing such as a changed appearance.

[stageira.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering will they still want that when you already have one?
I admit to not really caring about the shot/prints since I had mine taken and kept since the age of 16, but what is really pissing me off is the whole idea behind it. But then again I never had any chances of getting a visa to go there anyway LOL

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I admit to not really caring about the shot/prints since I had mine taken and kept since the age of 16

Gotta remember that I come from a country that doesn't even like identity cards, hence the outrage *g*. But yes, it's the principle that's pissing me off.

I can't think of any reason why you shouldn't be given a visa. When I first visited it was still necessary to have a visa if you were a UK national, so I applied and got one... for life. It's never been revoked and still applies so far as I'm aware and I was a penurious student at the time.

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

I _did_ have a lifetime visa but it got cancelled a few visits back. Very annoying, because the reason I had it was because I often sailed into small ports that didn't necessarily have the facilities for visa waiver.

Of course, if you try to explain this to the oik behind the counter who's just cancelled your visa with absolutely no warning or questioning, they tend to call the police.

Like you, I'm not planning on going to the USA any time soon. This is even more irritating because my father lives in the BVI and getting there without going through the USA is painful.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

My sympathies on having your visa cancelled by some ignorant pillock. They really shouldn't give that much power to these petty official types.

I must admit that the last few times I've visited the US I've relied on the visa waiver because the visa is in a passport that contains a photo taken when I was 13. As I've changed (just a tad *g*) since then I wasn't certain about proudly presenting the visa for inspection.

As for visiting the BVI without passing through the US... Ouch! I'm not certain I'd be that public spirited in the circumstances.

[thermidor.livejournal.com]

This is awful. The land of the free, my ass.

It just gets worse here everyday. I wish I could move.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

It just gets worse here everyday. I wish I could move.

I do too. Except that now, more than ever, your country needs you. Not the paranoid, rightwing, inward looking thing that it's becoming. But the real US, which is full of warm, generous, hospitable people. Like you.

[foolme8.livejournal.com]

I was uneasy even when ID cards came under discussion here, so all that in the US is really making me itch. The way things are happening, bit by bit, in plain sight, it kind of makes you understand the answer to that favourite question in history class - how could they let it happen?

And considering how we've got a govt that thinks it is perfectly ok to take children away from asylum seekers as a negotiating tool, my humble opinion on the state of the world - mad!

Happy New Year, by the way! - hope you had a good break :)

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

The way things are happening, bit by bit, in plain sight, it kind of makes you understand the answer to that favourite question in history class - how could they let it happen?

I know, it's scary. The only comfort is that I can't somehow see any of our present politicians going quite as far as those in the US. Although Blair is a true believer - genuinely believes that he's doing the right thing. Last time we had one of those was in the Thatcher years. Hmm, maybe I should sign up for Prozac right away.

And a Happy New Year to you, too. I'll have to organise a get together that you Will Come Too soon ;)

[foolme8.livejournal.com]

*g* I'll be there, come hell or high water or pesky things like study! I want to see those fridge magnets :)

[temaris.livejournal.com]

I was pleased to see a few days ago that Brazil -- one of the countries immediately affected -- after protesting the arrangement formally and being rebuffed has started the process to make the arrangement the same for all American passport holders entering their country -- cross *into* Brazil, get finger-printed and photographed.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I heard about Brazil too.

Brazil, not just brilliant at kicking footballs...