T&T: Border and Customs

[Dennis OConnor]

 I'm not saying you can't get screwed over by someone who 
works for the government, but what the hell is this "government" 
that's out to get us all?  People talk about it like it's some giant, 
shaggy Norway rat that's skulking around.  Like "the government" is 
going to take my laptop when I clear customs back into the US.
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Well, I'm not going to beat on this topic but you might want to ask Richard
Jewell, or Steven Hatfield, their opinion of the "government"...
Ask the US Citizens of Japanese descent  who were taken away at the point of a
gun, their property and businesses STOLEN, and locked in a concentration
camp...
You may want to contemplate that government 'murdered' at least one - and
possibly both - of the Rosenberg's...

The Admiral and I went to Canada, eh, two weeks ago to look at some trawlers
(moderator, notice I am on topic)...  Wound up staying overnight in St.
Catharine's... Went to Niagara Falls early the next morning and then motored
back to the hew hess of hey...  Pulled up to the Canadian booth at Port Huron
where a bored lady asked if we were removing anything that could possibly,
even a little bit, be taxed, please, please, please... When I said No, she
looked disappointed and simply waved us through...

Now, the US guardian of law, taxation, citizen safety, and the American Way of
Life, was a whole other story...  First, from three cars back I sensed this
boy had an attitude...  He was leaning out of his booth and scowling at some
dude on a motorcycle, who he then waved over to the body cavity search line...
The next car had Canadian plates... He got waved through in 5 seconds... The
US plates ahead of us got the 3rd degree for a good 6 or 7 minutes... Then it
was our turn...

OK, first of all, I am pushing 70, born in Motown (before it was Motown), a
portly small town doctor, driving an older Saturn four door... I am always
friendly and have a smile... I do not hardly fit the profile of either
terrorist or cocaine lord...  We had our picture ID and US citizen documents
ready to hand him...  The fact that we existed seemed to ruin his already
dyspeptic day...  He took our documents and stuck them under his scanner,
waited a few seconds and I am sure that the parking ticket I got 20 years ago
was flashing red on his screen...  Turning to me he then starts a litany: 
Why do WE want to enter the USA (we are citizens, sir - he did not like that
answer)...
What were we dong in Canada (just went for a drive, sir)
What do we have to declare (nothing - this seemed to further his already nasty
attitude) 
What are we bringing into the country (just us, sir - that got me a venemous
glare)
Where are your bags (we don't have any, sir)
 At that point he leans out and stares into the back seat of the car, which is
empty, not even a gum wrapper...  He stares at his computer screen, rattling
keys...
Over in the strip search lane I see the biker dude, with his arms folded
across his chest, glaring back at our booth... Then I see someone in a customs
uniform next to the biker, with lots more gold bars and stuff on his uniform
than our boy has, also looking at our booth with his hands on his hips... I
had noticed the biker's leather jacket had Air National Guard shoulder patches
- and at that point I suspected he had valid air base and military ID creds...
Cars are piled up behind us, clear out of sight...

Now I am an old jail doctor well versed in the ways of street cops... Sensing
the momentum had shifted (the Big Mo) I stuck out my hand and said, 'since you
are done with us we will be on our way'... He paused for a tenth of a second,
made a decision, and with a  blue steel glare slapped our papers in my hand
and punched the button for the green light, and we drove away...

I love my country... The fella in that customs booth is a point in case where
the government cannot be trusted...

denny / k8do