Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/07

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Subject: Re: [Leica] U.S. Customs
From: Nathan Wajsman <wajsman@webshuttle.ch>
Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2000 07:08:54 +0200
References: <398F1771.8C3C2B9A@cyberhighway.net> <01b301c000d8$d94222e0$2d30fea9@basecamp>

Jim,

From your adventures with U.S. Customs, they do not appear to be profiling YOU,
only the countries you are coming from.

Nathan

Jim Laurel wrote:

> In general, the customs officials have been pleasant, but I find it
> insulting that they seem to profile me all the time.  I am US-born of
> Eurasian descent, and am clean-cut and dress in regular (khakis, cotton
> shirts, etc) conservative clothes when traveling.  Why do these guys always
> seem to pick me out?  I am a native-born American with no police record,
> (not even a traffic ticket!), who pays his taxes on time and obeys the law.
> What right do they have to ask me personal questions about what I do for a
> living, etc?  Well, they have no specific right to do so.  Yet, if you
> decline to answer, you may be subject to a body cavity search, and there
> isn't a damn thing you can do about it afterwards.  If they don't find
> anything, all you get is "you may go now".  US Customs is like the IRS in
> that you are viewed as guilty and it is your responsibility to prove your
> innocence.
>
> It's worth noting that I generally don't have any trouble when returning
> from anyplace in Western Europe.

- --
Nathan Wajsman
Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland

e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch

General photo site: http://belgiangator.tripod.com/
Belgium photo site: http://members.xoom.com/wajsman/
Motorcycle site: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1704/

In reply to: Message from Bill Satterfield <cwsat@cyberhighway.net> ([Leica] U.S. Customs)
Message from "Jim Laurel" <JimLaurel@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] U.S. Customs)