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America knows everything

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Re: America knows everything

#101

Post by ams6110 »

nisa wrote: post #52
RandallBrown wrote: post #37

I'm not sure what exactly happened, but this is what I gather from the translation. John was visiting the United States from London. He was planning on traveling through California with his girlfriend, then traveling through the south on his own, eventually meeting up with his aunt in Alabama. After landing, he had a problem in customs. He had a guitar with him and told the agent that he would be playing some shows i…

We don't know how good the translation is but I've read the article in German and there it clear that he studied in the US and presented a paper at a conference: http://www.euce.org/eusa/2011/papers/9d_farneti.pdf . I'd say it was not a communication problem. Also: How did they know about his musician alias and his concert dates? From the article it looks like they read his emails. He could also have posted the dates…

My bet is Facebook, or other web content promoting his performances. Easily found with a routine google search.

Re: America knows everything

#102

Post by a8da6b0c91d »

pudquick wrote: post #24

While I agree that this person was probably treated very poorly, I also want to point out that they were traveling for work purposes. In the United States, non-US citizens entering the country for work purposes are generally required to get a visa. There are a few (and very few at that) business exceptions to this process, as listed here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html He stated that he w…

I agree this guy screwed up. But the fact that you can't go three hours without seeing an obvious illegal alien in the US makes this whole thing hilarious.

It's the Anarcho-Tyranny thing Sam Francis wrote about. Be a middle class, law abiding euro with some undotted i's and get instantly deported. Hop the southern border as an illiterate with criminal convictions and it's "no problemo" as an apparent matter of national policy. Hell, illegals rally on the National Mall on a regular basis. As a border jumper it appears you can often get away with vehicular homicide and still not be deported. There are multiple publicized cases.

Re: America knows everything

#103

Post by jansen »

zobzu wrote: post #40

Ive been at the border several times, non us citizen, and i've always been treated with respect. In fact, the guys at the border were always nice to me, sometimes dared a joke or asked me for help to translate something to someone else. So yeah, i'm sure there's horrible ones and troubles happen, but i wouldn't make that a generality just like that.

I am one of the lucky ones as well and have been treated with respect every time. Sometimes I even had insightful conversations with border control.

However, along the increasing rejections of visa for highly talented people + more and more stories like this one are signaling a very very bad trend.

I have noticed both among my peers: visa rejections for founders with funding from US investors, befriended founders who are being pulled into second screening every time they enter the country, my co-founder being rejected to enter the country once and now also being pulled into second screening every time (despite having an O1 visa). It's degrading and simply horrifying. And most definitely not a good trend for the US.

This is a very emotional topic. I get sad and angry every time I read or hear a similar story.

Re: America knows everything

#104

Post by pjlegato »

jansen wrote: post #99
pjlegato wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try Russia or Germany - neither country has border officials that could be described as "hospitable" or "friendly." They make US border guards look like teddy bears.

I cannot speak for Russia, but Germany cultivates a fundamental mentality of liberalism and respect, for any kind. It will be very difficult to find someone in Germany that wears a badge who has less than 13 years of school education or acts unreasonably, disrespectful or doesn't play by the rules.

I didn't say they weren't respectful. I said they cannot be described as hospitable or friendly, which is true. German border guards are very professional and respectful -- they follow the rules exactly -- but they're not friendly. They're rather cold.

Re: America knows everything

#105

Post by alexeisadeski3 »

MichaelGG wrote: post #76
agarden wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have another interpretation: bad laws are impossible to enforce in a just way. I have no idea why anyone should be required to have a special visa to work in the US. Because we are selfish?

"I have no idea why anyone should be required to have a special visa to work in the US. Because we are selfish?" Seriously? If the US didn't have immigration requirements, half the world would move there, causing the society and infrastructure to collapse? I can't see how unrestricted immigration benefits the US at all (I'm not a US citizen).

Immigration wasn't restricted until the 20th century (in any meaningful way), and the US didn't seem to suffer too bad.

Re: America knows everything

#106

Post by alexeisadeski3 »

dude3 wrote: post #94

As a Chinese citizen you can come into the US ridiculously pregnant and have your kid in the US on a tourist visa via a flight and never get hassled. You can walk across the southern border and create a human fence around ICE vans and get a slap on the wrist. The problem: This guy doesn't serve a political interest so he gets hassled. Face it, this country is backwards and caters only to the elite.

I'm just a bit confused: How are an expectant Chinese mother and a Mexican migrant worker examples of the elite?

Re: America knows everything

#107

Post by podperson »

a8da6b0c91d wrote: post #102
pudquick wrote: post #24

While I agree that this person was probably treated very poorly, I also want to point out that they were traveling for work purposes. In the United States, non-US citizens entering the country for work purposes are generally required to get a visa. There are a few (and very few at that) business exceptions to this process, as listed here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html He stated that he w…

I agree this guy screwed up. But the fact that you can't go three hours without seeing an obvious illegal alien in the US makes this whole thing hilarious. It's the Anarcho-Tyranny thing Sam Francis wrote about. Be a middle class, law abiding euro with some undotted i's and get instantly deported. Hop the southern border as an illiterate with criminal convictions and it's "no problemo" as an apparent matter of nation…

This seems to me like borderline racist generalization. I'm sure there are plenty of people getting away with vehicular homicide one way or another, and to single out a case (or several) where the perpetrator happens to be an illegal immigrant is missing the point.

The US treats people suspected of being illegal immigrants pretty badly. Heck, I'm a US Citizen, born in California, but raised in Australia. When I moved to the US in 2002 I had to wait six months (and provide all kinds of ridiculous documentation beyond my birth certificate and valid US passport) to get issued a SSN (and thus be able to work). Why? I was in Arizona and look kind of vaguely Hispanic.

Re: America knows everything

#108

Post by MichaelGG »

alexeisadeski3 wrote: post #105
MichaelGG wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I have no idea why anyone should be required to have a special visa to work in the US. Because we are selfish?" Seriously? If the US didn't have immigration requirements, half the world would move there, causing the society and infrastructure to collapse? I can't see how unrestricted immigration benefits the US at all (I'm not a US citizen).

Immigration wasn't restricted until the 20th century (in any meaningful way), and the US didn't seem to suffer too bad.

I'd wager that A: the disparity between countries is larger and more well-known now, and B: the ease of physically travelling to the US is far easier now.

Re: America knows everything

#109

Post by a8da6b0c91d »

podperson wrote: post #107
a8da6b0c91d wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree this guy screwed up. But the fact that you can't go three hours without seeing an obvious illegal alien in the US makes this whole thing hilarious. It's the Anarcho-Tyranny thing Sam Francis wrote about. Be a middle class, law abiding euro with some undotted i's and get instantly deported. Hop the southern border as an illiterate with criminal convictions and it's "no problemo" as an apparent matter of nation…

This seems to me like borderline racist generalization. I'm sure there are plenty of people getting away with vehicular homicide one way or another, and to single out a case (or several) where the perpetrator happens to be an illegal immigrant is missing the point. The US treats people suspected of being illegal immigrants pretty badly. Heck, I'm a US Citizen, born in California, but raised in Australia. When I moved…

Oh boo hoo. I went to Japan for extended periods a few times and they made me get a complicated visa, questioned me on entry, and made me register with the police as well as carry an alien registration card. Fucking good for them. It's their country and their right to control who's in it.

Re: America knows everything

#110

Post by jansen »

pjlegato wrote: post #104
jansen wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cannot speak for Russia, but Germany cultivates a fundamental mentality of liberalism and respect, for any kind. It will be very difficult to find someone in Germany that wears a badge who has less than 13 years of school education or acts unreasonably, disrespectful or doesn't play by the rules.

I didn't say they weren't respectful. I said they cannot be described as hospitable or friendly, which is true. German border guards are very professional and respectful -- they follow the rules exactly -- but they're not friendly. They're rather cold.

Fair enough. They are cold or better 'neutral'. I'd take cold and neutral any time over judgmental and degrading.
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