Live data from Hacker News

Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

alternet.org

51–60 of 375 posts

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#51

Beautiful country. Wonderful, creative, friendly people. Horrible, over-complex, hostile bureaucracy. I am pretty sure I'm not going back, either.

Problem there is that the US loudly and fundamentally claims to be a democracy. If we are to accept that, then we have to accept that the government embodies the will of its people. Or, seriously consider that the US is genuinely no longer a real democracy.

It is a real shame, as you imply. American people have done incredible things which contribute to the world in general in a positive way, and the country its self is undoubtedly spectacular and beautiful. But the political atmosphere, the general fear, and the resulting attitudes are a total bar to me. These days I even worry about using US internet services since merely doing so can put me in the sights of US authorities and their insane legal system and laws. Worse still, my own government literally bend over for the US government.

In short, a great people are strangling them selves.

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#52
post #36

I don't think it's ever been easy to get into the US. A tour through Ellis Island will tell you as much. The difference is that, in the past, the US needed its immigrants. They built its cities and its railroads and much of the US's early industry. Later the US's immigrants were its main source of scientific advancements...but the US's relationship with its immigrants has, I think, always been strained. The differenc…

The country is made almost entirely out of immigrants. It's bizarre that they're so closed off and scared of immigrants; they themselves are the children of immigrants.

Yeah and look what happened last time a wave of immigrants showed up. No wonder we're scared!

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#53
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the logic goes something like this: something bad happened to me once in country X. Therefore, I will not go back to country X. So, if something bad happens to you in Sweden, say a policeman is rude to you, or something like that, will you leave Sweden because of it ?

Having a policeman being rude to you is not even in the same order of magnitude as being denied entry to a country.

I don't even think it is about being denied entry. Its about how one is denied entry and the conduct of the officials.

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#54
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The country is made almost entirely out of immigrants. It's bizarre that they're so closed off and scared of immigrants; they themselves are the children of immigrants.

The US has a higher per capita net migration rate than every major European country other than Italy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_net_migrat... More than three times that of France, for example.

Add Luxembourg, Spain, and a few others to that list.

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#56
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dont get the Jewish part, would it make a difference if he claims that he's jewish ?

The border patrol knew he was part Jewish, and that being the case, asked him why he went to country that was hostile to Jews, and he denied being Jewish. It's not about ethnicity, it's about telling the agents something they know is not accurate. This part, like the whole story, was a miscommunication. A better answer would be something like "Well I only have Jewish ancestry from one grandparent so I didn't think th…

Agree. It seems to me that the guy is just a poor communicator at this type of thing. He didn't lie, but he could have had better answers.

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#57

I don't think it's ever been easy to get into the US. A tour through Ellis Island will tell you as much. The difference is that, in the past, the US needed its immigrants. They built its cities and its railroads and much of the US's early industry. Later the US's immigrants were its main source of scientific advancements...but the US's relationship with its immigrants has, I think, always been strained. The differenc…

US immigration is broken on so many levels. A lot of our immigration problems stem from a political desire to increase voter rolls for one particular party.

The Democrat party benefits greatly from illegal immigration from Mexico, so they refuse to do anything whatsoever to control that flow. That's great for Democrats to win elections and all, but it creates a backlash against immigration in general. Ironically, the most controllable area of immigration, that of those actually following the visa process suffer the most from that backlash.

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US has a higher per capita net migration rate than every major European country other than Italy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_net_migrat... More than three times that of France, for example.

Add Luxembourg, Spain, and a few others to that list.

You're right of course. I should have included Spain. Luxembourg and Cyprus don't have two million people between them.

Re: Why I Will Never Go Back to the United States

#59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Add Luxembourg, Spain, and a few others to that list.

You're right of course. I should have included Spain. Luxembourg and Cyprus don't have two million people between them.

True. It is a nitpick on my part, regardless.
Post reply on HN