US bars friends over Twitter joke • Hacker News Board

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#221

Post by usedtolurk » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 2:23 PM UTC

The only surprising thing about this story is that it made the papers.

US immigration officials have always taken a hard line on visitors. I had a very similar experience several years before 9/11 when I was denied entry because they suspected that I MIGHT be intending to marry my then-girlfriend (a US citizen and now ex-girlfriend).

Often, when I've related my story, I've heard similar first-hand accounts of travelers being accused of trying to smuggle in drugs, etc. for no apparent reason and being denied entry, interrogated or worse. Any flimsy pretext seems sufficient. I don't know if the officials need to fill quotas or if they are trying to set examples. I'm sure some are on a power trip but in my case they seemed decent people, just determined not to be swayed by evidence or common sense.

As much as I like America (and it's people in particular) I have no desire to return.

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#222

Post by sneak » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 4:32 PM UTC

rbanffy wrote: post #162

sneak wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I left in 2008, and I visit a few times a year because your last assertion is dead wrong. It sucks, very very badly. I wish I could stop going back. But all of my people are there, almost without exception.

I know you have your reasons to leave, but it makes me sad when the good people, the ones who could do something because they can see what's wrong, leave. The US may be far from perfect, but it's important as a country founded upon the right ideas. If it crumbles, we all lose, regardless of where we live.

I disagree. I think that the good people should all make an effort to leave, because the sooner it crumbles, the sooner it can be rebuilt.

There's no un-ratcheting the loss of freedoms there. It no longer has basic liberties or the rule of law, and it's actively dangerous to anyone trying to bring about changes to that status.

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#223

Post by sneak » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 4:33 PM UTC

nickik wrote: post #128

michael_dorfman wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I left in 1997, and haven't visited since. You get used to it.

Intressting. Where did you go? What did you find? What do you miss most?

Germany. Lots of liberty and smart people. Corn dogs.

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#224

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 4:34 PM UTC

nickik wrote: post #128

michael_dorfman wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I left in 1997, and haven't visited since. You get used to it.

Intressting. Where did you go? What did you find? What do you miss most?

[deleted]

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#225

Post by mseebach » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 5:10 PM UTC

GFischer wrote: post #218

mseebach wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any friction will ultimately affect "conversions", although I think the friction is probably smaller that we'd think. Most people don't spend much time reading and fretting about the TSA online, so for those, standing in line for half an hour and having your passport stamped is just part of the excitement of travelling (for less experienced travelers). As a fraction of the total time and bother of intercontinental tr…

"Most people don't spend much time reading and fretting about the TSA online" That's only true for countries under the U.S. Visa Waiver, which are maybe 5% of the world's population (basically European Union and Australia). For the remaining 93% of us, we have to think long and hard and plan far ahead before visiting the U.S., and that means being aware of all the issues or risk deportation. http://en.wikipedia.org/w…

Sure - but the visa madness predates the TSA/terror madness if I'm not mistaken?

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#226

Post by jsavimbi » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 6:25 PM UTC

GFischer wrote: post #217

electic wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Good luck getting rid of stupid when stupid has a budget." I love that line. Catchy.

Similar quote: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it" Upton Sinclair http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Upton_Sinclair

Well that was humbling.

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#227

Post by netcan » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 7:03 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #220

perfunctory wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very specific? The sun "has ... the largest circulation of any daily newspaper in the United Kingdom" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sun_%28United_Kingdom%29 ) Looks like the specific audience you are talking about is the majority of the population.

Yes, it is. That's a sad reflection on our civilisation.

This funny little conversation has gone on a few time this thread. Several times with only one person.

>>"This is* The Sun we're talking about. It's hardly representative!" > "Hardly representative? More than half of The UK read it."* >"crap"

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#228

Post by GFischer » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 8:28 PM UTC

mseebach wrote: post #225

GFischer wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Most people don't spend much time reading and fretting about the TSA online" That's only true for countries under the U.S. Visa Waiver, which are maybe 5% of the world's population (basically European Union and Australia). For the remaining 93% of us, we have to think long and hard and plan far ahead before visiting the U.S., and that means being aware of all the issues or risk deportation. http://en.wikipedia.org/w…

Sure - but the visa madness predates the TSA/terror madness if I'm not mistaken?

Yes, but it was much easier before September 11. Uruguay was in the Visa Waiver program back then.

"Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the George W. Bush Administration decided to tighten entry requirements into the United States"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_Waiver_Program

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#229

Post by GFischer » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 8:39 PM UTC

jsavimbi wrote: post #226

GFischer wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similar quote: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it" Upton Sinclair http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Upton_Sinclair

Well that was humbling.

Why? Great minds think alike :)

Re: US bars friends over Twitter joke

#230

Post by rbanffy » Tue, Jan 31, 2012, 9:05 PM UTC

sneak wrote: post #222

rbanffy wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you have your reasons to leave, but it makes me sad when the good people, the ones who could do something because they can see what's wrong, leave. The US may be far from perfect, but it's important as a country founded upon the right ideas. If it crumbles, we all lose, regardless of where we live.

I disagree. I think that the good people should all make an effort to leave, because the sooner it crumbles, the sooner it can be rebuilt. There's no un-ratcheting the loss of freedoms there. It no longer has basic liberties or the rule of law, and it's actively dangerous to anyone trying to bring about changes to that status.

I still believe smart people can make a difference. The real danger is a country ruled by bad ideas with a strong military. Believe me: it's easier to bring change from the inside.