Authoritarianism in the USA

[COPE2]

Don't know if anyone else is bothered by this, but I really don't like the authoritarianism in the USA. As someone who has been in and out of jail throughout my teens, I am especially sensitive towards this subject. The USA currently has the most people behind bars per capita out of any country in the world. Although, I no longer live in the USA, I still follow the news and what goes on there. I still visit the states every now and then, and have noticed a huge change in the way things are done. The USA has always been somewhat of an authoritarian country, but recent years have really become quite extreme. The airports screen all foreigners finger prints, and eyes. In addition to having to take your shoes off at the airport, you are now not allowed to have a blanket over you, or read a news paper an hour before landing.
More recently a Chinese phd student was seen in security cameras entering an airport terminal from an exit. The most disturbing part of this whole story is how they were able to track him down based on his photo alone. They found out who he was, where he lived, kicked down the door to his house and arrested him. Arresting, and humiliating him was not enough. They decided to deport him after his studies. It seems like Americans are sitting around 24-7, waiting on stand by to conduct witch hunts and arrest people. This is one of the reasons why I am turned off by the USA.

[Gene and Viol]

I live outside of the US and am retired from California and worked for the airlines for many years.
Much of what you are saying is true-to a degree. Where I live now, law has almost no meaning and the country is falling apart more every day for that reason.

Airport security can become as strict as law will allow and its just fine with me. I dont care if Catholic nuns have to be strip searched to keep an aircraft and its passengers safe. Anyone that does not want to tolorate that, fine, take Greyhound or stay home!

Too bad the world is becoming what it is. All that can be done is to try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.
If the US became more lax in law inforcement and airport security how long do you think it would be before another 9/11?

My feeling is that in not the too distant future, airline passengers will have to check their clothes including underwear as last minute baggage and wear temporary clothing provided by the airlines during their flights. Both local and international.
A royal pain in the butt to be sure. But if it keeps a madman or woman from blowing up the next flight you are on and keeps you alive---its worth it isnt it? If not, just take the bus instead...

[globetrotter]

Don't know if anyone else is bothered by this, but I really don't like the authoritarianism in the USA. As someone who has been in and out of jail throughout my teens, I am especially sensitive towards this subject. The USA currently has the most people behind bars per capita out of any country in the world. Although, I no longer live in the USA, I still follow the news and what goes on there. I still visit the states every now and then, and have noticed a huge change in the way things are done.

Question:

Usually foreign countries will not let people immigrate or get a visa if they do not pass a criminal background check.

How did you manage to move outside the USA when you were in and out of jail throughout your teens?

[globetrotter]

Too bad the world is becoming what it is. All that can be done is to try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.
If the US became more lax in law inforcement and airport security how long do you think it would be before another 9/11?
y feeling is that in not the too distant future, airline passengers will have to check their clothes including underwear as last minute baggage and wear temporary clothing provided by the airlines during their flights. Both local and international.
A royal pain in the butt to be sure. But if it keeps a madman or woman from blowing up the next flight you are on and keeps you alive---its worth it isnt it? If not, just take the bus instead...

Unacceptable.

Those who are willing to trade freedom for security will obtain neither...

My solution is simple:
Do not transit the USA by jetplane. Fly into Vancouver, BC, Mexico City, MX. Cross the border in a rental car, bus or ferry. Walk across from TJ to San Diego.

[ladislav]

Don't know if anyone else is bothered by this, but I really don't like the authoritarianism in the USA. As someone who has been in and out of jail throughout my teens, I am especially sensitive towards this subject. The USA currently has the most people behind bars per capita out of any country in the world. Although, I no longer live in the USA, I still follow the news and what goes on there. I still visit the states every now and then, and have noticed a huge change in the way things are done.

Question:

Usually foreign countries will not let people immigrate or get a visa if they do not pass a criminal background check.

How did you manage to move outside the USA when you were in and out of jail throughout your teens?

Not all foreign countries do that.

[dano]

Don't know if anyone else is bothered by this, but I really don't like the authoritarianism in the USA. As someone who has been in and out of jail throughout my teens, I am especially sensitive towards this subject. The USA currently has the most people behind bars per capita out of any country in the world. Although, I no longer live in the USA, I still follow the news and what goes on there. I still visit the states every now and then, and have noticed a huge change in the way things are done. The USA has always been somewhat of an authoritarian country, but recent years have really become quite extreme. The airports screen all foreigners finger prints, and eyes. In addition to having to take your shoes off at the airport, you are now not allowed to have a blanket over you, or read a news paper an hour before landing.
More recently a Chinese phd student was seen in security cameras entering an airport terminal from an exit. The most disturbing part of this whole story is how they were able to track him down based on his photo alone. They found out who he was, where he lived, kicked down the door to his house and arrested him. Arresting, and humiliating him was not enough. They decided to deport him after his studies. It seems like Americans are sitting around 24-7, waiting on stand by to conduct witch hunts and arrest people. This is one of the reasons why I am turned off by the USA.

Thanks COPE2,

I'm just glad I'm not the only one thats noticed this. What your saying however is just the tip of the iceberg. The problem is much more serious than you think. I suggest to everyone, getting your news from internet is an excellent idea. I stopped watching CNN many years ago because I have a rather low tolerance for bullshit. If you want to know what really going on in the world heres some sites that will help you. I should mention, I read artcicles from these sites for many years before I started to believe it myself. I was a sceptic and now I'm a believer.

http://www.henrymakow.com/
http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/

[globetrotter]

Don't know if anyone else is bothered by this, but I really don't like the authoritarianism in the USA. As someone who has been in and out of jail throughout my teens, I am especially sensitive towards this subject. The USA currently has the most people behind bars per capita out of any country in the world. Although, I no longer live in the USA, I still follow the news and what goes on there. I still visit the states every now and then, and have noticed a huge change in the way things are done.

Question:

Usually foreign countries will not let people immigrate or get a visa if they do not pass a criminal background check.

How did you manage to move outside the USA when you were in and out of jail throughout your teens?

Not all foreign countries do that.

Which ones?

A list would be useful...hint!

[momopi]

If the crime or arrest incident occurred when you were under 18 years of age, and at least 5 years have lapsed, I don't think you need to worry that much. If you have an adult criminal record, it's still possible to apply for a waiver for immigration if it's not too serious (i.e violent crimes).

[ladislav]

Now if you are talking about immigrating to a fellow Anglo Saxon country or some EU countries, then it is iffy but if you are talking about third world countries, most do not give a hoot in hell. Just pay your money, get the visas and the way you go. Even when you apply to work in Saudi what they want to see is that you have no outstanding wants or warrants. Admittedly it is no immigrating but you can live there for decades and work there, but like, for example here in the Philippines ( do not quote me on that) they want to see a clean record in the Philippines for permanent residency. If you apply from the US, your local police can provide you with a no-wants and no-warrants letter. Which is only for the county you live in, but most non 1st world countries need to see just that if they need to see anything at all. Most just want your money.

Plus as a US citizen you have a visa free entry ( some 6 months) into the EU. It is again not immigrating but you can stay there, leave , come back, etc. There are ways.

Now, I dont know about Oz or the UK or other such places. I am not interested in those anyway.

[adam917]

I live outside of the US and am retired from California and worked for the airlines for many years.
Much of what you are saying is true-to a degree. Where I live now, law has almost no meaning and the country is falling apart more every day for that reason.

Airport security can become as strict as law will allow and its just fine with me. I dont care if Catholic nuns have to be strip searched to keep an aircraft and its passengers safe. Anyone that does not want to tolorate that, fine, take Greyhound or stay home!

Too bad the world is becoming what it is. All that can be done is to try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.
If the US became more lax in law inforcement and airport security how long do you think it would be before another 9/11?

My feeling is that in not the too distant future, airline passengers will have to check their clothes including underwear as last minute baggage and wear temporary clothing provided by the airlines during their flights. Both local and international.
A royal pain in the butt to be sure. But if it keeps a madman or woman from blowing up the next flight you are on and keeps you alive---its worth it isnt it? If not, just take the bus instead...

There is Amtrak and other ways of getting around too. It's not like flying is 100% required for all forms of travel. Actually seeing scenery and experiencing a journey from your origin to your destination can be quite nice. Travelling by train can be less stressful than by plane because you can get up and walk around the train, socialise on-board, eat in an actual dining room, sleep in a bed in a room, as well as look out the big windows made for seeing the land pass by. Also you can arrive refreshed if you're on a sleeper and do over-night runs. This can cut down on hotel costs at either end that would usually be required when flying. You can get views you won't get with other methods of travel. Of course like any other method of travel, trains (especially in the US) can have their own faults too, but hey we should all try it at some point.

I took Amtrak to Montreal from NYC last September and even though the ride was about 4 or 5 hours longer than the equivalent car or bus route, I loved the kind of views and comfortable ride that I did not get when going by bus before and would not get when flying. Sometimes you can get nice views from a bus window but it's not as easy to see and you certainly don't get meals on the bus. With flying, you obviously see next to nothing as you're a few kilometres above the ground.

About the airport/plane security, I doubt any amount of security theatre will prevent a truly determined attacker.

[ladislav]

All points in this discussion are well taken. However, I must acknowledge the following:

The US is not the land of the free ( not as it used to be) - it has so many regulations to run your personal life and so many rules, law and by laws that it does feel like a Big Brother. Again, that is compared to a lot of other countries where I have lived and where you can be much freer.

However, it is not the ol's USSR by any strectch of an imagination. The USSR did not interfere in your day-to-day life. Only in your political life. Imaginary or otherwise.

The US gov't likes having enemies so that its top echelons would have problems to solve and justify their jobs/money. For this, they need a bogeyman- drugs, some foreign power/element that wants to attack so that they could keep the arm factories running, act macho and promote their careers. So, the country is never neutral and or at peace because the government does not want it to be. That makes people belligerent as well, always hating someone, always paranoid and always unhappy in many ways. There is always trouble somewhere in the air.

Here in the Philippines, the country has no enemies, the people do not hate anyone, they are happy and neutral for the most part, the government does not promote paranoia, it is basically live and let live. And there are very few rules and regulations that are enforced because most people are peaceful and non agressive anyway.

[Repatriate]

The US gov't likes having enemies so that its top echelons would have problems to solve and justify their jobs/money. For this, they need a bogeyman- drugs, some foreign power/element that wants to attack so that they could keep the arm factories running, act macho and promote their careers. So, the country is never neutral and or at peace because the government does not want it to be. That makes people belligerent as well, always hating someone, always paranoid and always unhappy in many ways. There is always trouble somewhere in the air.

You should read this book by Hunter S. Thompson called "Kingdom of Fear"


Thompson was a mess of a man but he was probably one of the most insightful modern political satirists in American history. His book is a memoir but also as a cultural perspective of how the U.S. has always been a morass of hypocrisy with shades of authoritarianism.