I'm afraid if I post this I'll have a thousand people jump on top of me, but I think for the most part, the guy is overreacting and rabble-rousing. I see no connection between homosexuals and profiling at the border, for example. Sure, you might get the occasional predjudiced homophobe with an axe to grind, but for the most part, all the gays I know are ultra-law abiding and blend in very nicely with mainstream culture. I know I'm generalizing, but I hardly think that fewer gays are traveling to canada because they're afraid they'll be turned away. I'm also pretty sure most of them can afford passports. I will agree with him that the price of a passport can be difficult for those with limited funds who live near the border and wish to daytrip. However, passports (which, including photos, etc. cost less than $100) are good for 15 years in the US, so over time, it's not bad. This also mostly just affects people who live near the border. Otherwise...if you can't afford the passport, you probably also can't afford the hotel, gas, etc. to travel. Passports definitely are a pain in the butt to aquire (I agree with Kibbles 100%), but I think that's a different issue.
We're going to Canada next week and are thankful the rules for land crossings haven't kicked in yet so we don't have to get our toddler a passport-- but that's mostly just because passports take so damned LONG to process here and we didn't have time. We've started the ball rolling so we should have one by our travels this summer.
One other thing--I will admit I read this article pretty quickly because I'm busy, but if I'm reading correctly, the author readily admitted he had a long line of arrests on his record (granted, for protests mostly) and implied he might have had other arrests that were dismissed. Is he really saying that if his record comes up as being filled with arrests, the border guards should just shrug and say "welcome"? The fact that the resolution of these arrests doesn't readily show up on his record is a fault of our computer system...but I don't see it as a human failing per se.
I am willing to bet that a little more digging would show some good statistics in favor of the regulations for minors as well. There are many cross-border kidnappings and runaway cases, for example.
Eh, but I'm rambling and tired of arguing. Kudos to the author for questioning authority and keeping us all on our toes. It is only by those who stand up and ask "why" that we can keep the freedom we all have come to expect...but that doesn't stop me from questioning HIM too.
Please don't flame me, guys. I've got a lot of work to do, and I've heard the arguments so I don't have a ton of time to reply to people. Just thought I'd provide another perspective.
DIDN'T YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION ON LIVEJOURNAL???
Juuuuust kidding. ;)
And I agree with you on the gay part--I'm pretty sure there isn't a "Sexual Orientation" check box on passports so it would be pretty hard to profile them.
No flaming here. First, you're not the only one to find it questionable, and second, given that you guys ptobably cross the border more than almost anyone else on my list, I'd expect you to have a personal experience that could weigh in. And, if anyone's dumb enough to flame you, I want to know who so I can ban them. :)
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We're going to Canada next week and are thankful the rules for land crossings haven't kicked in yet so we don't have to get our toddler a passport-- but that's mostly just because passports take so damned LONG to process here and we didn't have time. We've started the ball rolling so we should have one by our travels this summer.
One other thing--I will admit I read this article pretty quickly because I'm busy, but if I'm reading correctly, the author readily admitted he had a long line of arrests on his record (granted, for protests mostly) and implied he might have had other arrests that were dismissed. Is he really saying that if his record comes up as being filled with arrests, the border guards should just shrug and say "welcome"? The fact that the resolution of these arrests doesn't readily show up on his record is a fault of our computer system...but I don't see it as a human failing per se.
I am willing to bet that a little more digging would show some good statistics in favor of the regulations for minors as well. There are many cross-border kidnappings and runaway cases, for example.
Eh, but I'm rambling and tired of arguing. Kudos to the author for questioning authority and keeping us all on our toes. It is only by those who stand up and ask "why" that we can keep the freedom we all have come to expect...but that doesn't stop me from questioning HIM too.
Please don't flame me, guys. I've got a lot of work to do, and I've heard the arguments so I don't have a ton of time to reply to people. Just thought I'd provide another perspective.
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Juuuuust kidding. ;)
And I agree with you on the gay part--I'm pretty sure there isn't a "Sexual Orientation" check box on passports so it would be pretty hard to profile them.
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