Back in 'Murica!

[USN_Panther]

Just arrived after midnight back in the homeland.
I traveled with a work colleague who is not a US citizen so I was actually worried about him getting messed with at the border.
Passport control and customs were super quick and easy for both of us. He actually got through quicker than I did but I think that was mainly because the US passport line was longer.
My University is putting out travel advisories about having your phone and devices searched and risking being retained at the border and blah blah.
Is that stuff really happening with regularity? I was fearing getting fisted at the border and ending up in El Salvador. And it was easier than ever.
I suspect we're being driven to fear for some reason.

 

[pittguy81]

Just arrived after midnight back in the homeland.
I traveled with a work colleague who is not a US citizen so I was actually worried about him getting messed with at the border.
Passport control and customs were super quick and easy for both of us. He actually got through quicker than I did but I think that was mainly because the US passport line was longer.
My University is putting out travel advisories about having your phone and devices searched and risking being retained at the border and blah blah.
Is that stuff really happening with regularity? I was fearing getting fisted at the border and ending up in El Salvador. And it was easier than ever.
I suspect we're being driven to fear for some reason.

MAGA cult plan to keep people from coming to the USA. They are the modern day Know Nothing Nativists. Enjoy your time back in the states. Don't pay attention to the daily news and you'll be fine. Trump's flooding the zone every day is mentally taxing after a short while.

 

[USN_Panther]

MAGA cult plan to keep people from coming to the USA. They are the modern day Know Nothings Nativists.

This trip was planned prior to the election. TBH, we probably wouldn't have come if we were deciding last week. But it seems completely unfounded.
I'm really looking forward to showing my colleague some of my countries sights and food. Gulf Coast and Nashville are where we are going. Mostly work/conference but extra days in both places.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Just arrived after midnight back in the homeland.
I traveled with a work colleague who is not a US citizen so I was actually worried about him getting messed with at the border.
Passport control and customs were super quick and easy for both of us. He actually got through quicker than I did but I think that was mainly because the US passport line was longer.
My University is putting out travel advisories about having your phone and devices searched and risking being retained at the border and blah blah.
Is that stuff really happening with regularity? I was fearing getting fisted at the border and ending up in El Salvador. And it was easier than ever.
I suspect we're being driven to fear for some reason.

Maybe the leftist media is putting fear in people? Nah, they wouldn't do that.

There's nothing to be afraid of. I have yet to encounter or see a real confrontation with crossing borders or violence in the streets or being unlawfully searched. Just enjoy your time back in the states. It's not as bad as the media and the left would have you think.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

This trip was planned prior to the election. TBH, we probably wouldn't have come if we were deciding last week. But it seems completely unfounded.
I'm really looking forward to showing my colleague some of my countries sights and food. Gulf Coast and Nashville are where we are going. Mostly work/conference but extra days in both places.

Nashville is great! You'll really enjoy that. Lots of food and live music.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

Nashville is great! You'll really enjoy that. Lots of food and live music.

Except for the armed military with roadblocks and making random search and seizures to send people to El Salvador that is going on daily.

 

[HailtoPitt]

The media is of course trying to scare people. If you are coming here legally for vacation, and are not part of a murderous gang, there will be no issue.

 

[caleco's]

Maybe the leftist media is putting fear in people? Nah, they wouldn't do that.

There's nothing to be afraid of. I have yet to encounter or see a real confrontation with crossing borders or violence in the streets or being unlawfully searched. Just enjoy your time back in the states. It's not as bad as the media and the left would have you think.

Been in and out 5 times this year. Not a single issue.
Media loves to scare the hell out of people.

 

[caleco's]

This trip was planned prior to the election. TBH, we probably wouldn't have come if we were deciding last week. But it seems completely unfounded.
I'm really looking forward to showing my colleague some of my countries sights and food. Gulf Coast and Nashville are where we are going. Mostly work/conference but extra days in both places.

I had a full cavity search, but i requested it. For an extra 20 bucks they will take off their gloves.

 

[pittguy81]

This trip was planned prior to the election. TBH, we probably wouldn't have come if we were deciding last week. But it seems completely unfounded.
I'm really looking forward to showing my colleague some of my countries sights and food. Gulf Coast and Nashville are where we are going. Mostly work/conference but extra days in both places.

It's still the America you remember for the most part, at least for now. You guys should have a great time.

 

[joeydavid]

The media is of course trying to scare people. If you are coming here legally for vacation, and are not part of a murderous gang, there will be no issue.

Let's be real, the government is trying to scare people. The media is just an useful idiot in this scenario.

US citizen detained after visiting Canada: "Treated like a criminal"

Bachir Atallah and his wife, Jessica Fakhri, say they were stopped by CBP in Vermont on Sunday while returning from a brief family trip.

www.newsweek.com

 

[CJsE]

Just arrived after midnight back in the homeland.
I traveled with a work colleague who is not a US citizen so I was actually worried about him getting messed with at the border.
Passport control and customs were super quick and easy for both of us. He actually got through quicker than I did but I think that was mainly because the US passport line was longer.
My University is putting out travel advisories about having your phone and devices searched and risking being retained at the border and blah blah.
Is that stuff really happening with regularity? I was fearing getting fisted at the border and ending up in El Salvador. And it was easier than ever.
I suspect we're being driven to fear for some reason.

My business partner is an American citizen, but from the Caribbean, has been stopped and searched.
Another Latin-American born employee, also an American citizen for almost 20 years, was just held for over an hour two weeks ago.
None of our white, American-born employees have been stopped.

edit: I take back the part about none of the white employees being stopped. One forgot that he had fruit from his lunch in his bag, they nearly called the firing squad for that. But it was his own fault.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

I was fearing getting fisted at the border and ending up in El Salvador.

you say it like it's a bad thing.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

I had a full cavity search, but i requested it. For an extra 20 bucks they will take off their gloves.

the local asian massage parlor here in the south hills does this for 40 bucks. the girl always whispers "Help me" when the owner is looking away but no clue what her issue is, the place has AC and everything...

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

Been in and out 5 times this year. Not a single issue.
Media loves to scare the hell out of people.

So I have friends/coworkers in different European countries and they think it is now a police state here and I tell them their news is garbage (and focuses even more on Trump than CNN). They are all being fed a line of bull. Then I tell them they should be paying more attention to what is going on in their own countries and elected leaders or soon they will be praying to Mecca and women wearing burkas because they have much bigger problems than we do.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

My business partner is an American citizen, but from the Caribbean, has been stopped and searched.
Another Latin-American born employee, also an American citizen for almost 20 years, was just held for over an hour two weeks ago.
None of our white, American-born employees have been stopped.

edit: I take back the part about none of the white employees being stopped. One forgot that he had fruit from his lunch in his bag, they nearly called the firing squad for that. But it was his own fault.

Remember 9/11? It was pointless to do "random searches" 70 year old ladies of Swedish descent and prudent to do young males from places like Syria and Saudi Arabia.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

the local asian massage parlor here in the south hills does this for 40 bucks. the girl always whispers "Help me" when the owner is looking away but no clue what her issue is, the place has AC and everything...

OMG…sometimes you’re not right. Lol.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Remember 9/11? It was pointless to do "random searches" 70 year old ladies of Swedish descent and prudent to do young males from places like Syria and Saudi Arabia.

Oh boy…and we are off! Hope KanePA doesn’t catch wind. If he steps in and gives his two cents, CMU might run and tell mommy and get this place shut down.

 

[CJsE]

Remember 9/11? It was pointless to do "random searches" 70 year old ladies of Swedish descent and prudent to do young males from places like Syria and Saudi Arabia.

That's a pretty easy position to take when you're white and not the one being targeted.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Let's be real, the government is trying to scare people. The media is just an useful idiot in this scenario.

US citizen detained after visiting Canada: "Treated like a criminal"

Bachir Atallah and his wife, Jessica Fakhri, say they were stopped by CBP in Vermont on Sunday while returning from a brief family trip.

www.newsweek.com

So... he was released after confirming that he was a citizen?

 

[caleco's]

Let's be real, the government is trying to scare people. The media is just an useful idiot in this scenario.

US citizen detained after visiting Canada: "Treated like a criminal"

Bachir Atallah and his wife, Jessica Fakhri, say they were stopped by CBP in Vermont on Sunday while returning from a brief family trip.

www.newsweek.com

BFD i was stopped coming back over from niagara falls 10 years ago. Who the eff cares. They stop people all the time for various issues.

15 years ago we were denied entry into canada because my buddy had a dui from when he was 18. The dui was 20 years old at the time.

Who cares

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

That's a pretty easy position to take when you're white and not the one being targeted.

If white assholes were perpetuating crap, I would be more pissed at them than the authorities. I mean, let's break it down to math. Math is pretty much like "science" and we know you guys love "science". If a black cadillac was seen leaving a murder scene, the cops don't search and pull over blue ford pick up trucks and white geo trackers just for "diversity" sake. That's all this is, it is not personal or racist, it is empirical data based on facts.

 

[USN_Panther]

Update:
We're having a great trip. Really like Nashville. I was a bit concerned about my friend traveling with me as he is not a US citizen. He has NZ citizenship and is originally from Zimbabwe.
We have had zero issues anywhere.
He says he feels very comfortable in America as "more people here look like me here than in NZ". And that lucky bugger has been upgraded on every flight and hotel.
Of course we are here legally so I'm sure that helps. We are doing our part for the US economy, at least the hospitality sector.
I am looking forward to going home because it is home. But I do love America.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Update:
We're having a great trip. Really like Nashville. I was a bit concerned about my friend traveling with me as he is not a US citizen. He has NZ citizenship and is originally from Zimbabwe.
We have had zero issues anywhere.
He says he feels very comfortable in America as "more people here look like me here than in NZ". And that lucky bugger has been upgraded on every flight and hotel.
Of course we are here legally so I'm sure that helps. We are doing our part for the US economy, at least the hospitality sector.
I am looking forward to going home because it is home. But I do love America.

Good to hear that you're having a good time. I'm glad that you enjoyed Nashville. It is a great place for good music and food, that's for sure.

The things they put out on the news about America not being safe or presenting problems for people are blown way out of proportion. Sure, there are some places that are not safe, just like anywhere in the world. Don't go to those places. Overall, America is a very beautiful, welcoming place and the people are fantastic.

Be safe and enjoy your vacation.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

Good to hear that you're having a good time. I'm glad that you enjoyed Nashville. It is a great place for good music and food, that's for sure.

The things they put out on the news about America not being safe or presenting problems for people are blown way out of proportion. Sure, there are some places that are not safe, just like anywhere in the world. Don't go to those places. Overall, America is a very beautiful, welcoming place and the people are fantastic.

Be safe and enjoy your vacation.

Well I mean it what the news does. They report on bad things, not that this is not what they should or shouldn't do. When I lived in West Virginia and they would get Pittsburgh channels so our local news, and they would hear about shootings and stuff in Homewood or Northview Heights or Duquesne and they would say "wow, how could you live there? Weren't you scared?" And I would have to explain to them that you never went into some of these areas unless you were looking for trouble (buying drugs) and my neighborhood where I grew up was as safe or safer than a small town in WV.

 

[HailtoPitt]

You should have bought a one way ticket for less. Then when you are ready to leave, publicly criticize Trump on Twitter and get a free flight back to NZ!

 

[USN_Panther]

You should have bought a one way ticket for less. Then when you are ready to leave, publicly criticize Trump on Twitter and get a free flight back to NZ!

Or to El Salvador. 🤣
I would like to think I will be welcome to come back again in December. I am going to be in Minnesota cheering on USA in the World Juniors ice hockey.