We're in "prison??" So....you got stopped? BFD. Who do you think YOU are to never be stopped? If you dislike the U.S. so much, then stop coming over here working, taking advantage of what we have to offer. If I go to Canada, I expect to abide by the rules that country has in place regarding it's borders. Just as I do in any other country I visit. Once, I got patted down in France....in the 80's. And I didn't get all in a tither about it. I understood that they had just had some terrorist activity and I expected it.
Geez. The things people get upset about amaze me!

I hate to be the one to tell you, but that guy was NOT with airport security. lol

Are Americans routinely being questioned as they leave their own country now? Are you being questioned by your government as you board flights to other countries? I know you will be questioned by the governements of other countries as you try to enter them, but will you be questioned by your own government as you try to leave your own country.

Have I missed something?

I thought I saw a first today. Myself a Canadian, and a number of other vehicles bearing American plates being stopped as we left the US NOT as we were entering the US, and NOT as we were entering Canada. We were not even at a Customs booth.

Forgive me if this is now common practice. I didn't know. People say the US has changed a lot since 911, apparently it's changed a lot more than I realized.

after the next one.

Thats why I want to make sure we do everything possible to ensure we never have another one.

What were they asking you when you left to go to Canada? They don't do this at airports when going to other countries. I really don't see how a few minutes could really upset you. Its National security and I don't see how it really imposes on your rights.

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"Republicans believe that everyday
is the 4th of July, while the Democrats wish everyday was April 15th" - Ronald Reagan

All the usual stuff they ask as you go into the country, but in much more detail. Where was I? They wanted specific addresses along with the driving directions I took to get there? Why was I there? Whom did I see?

I find it downright scary!

Nope, not all of us. Just the ones with the attitude, "hey if'n ya gots nuffin' ta hide, why worry 'bout it?"

By pulling you over, they were just putting on a show for the rubes and hayseeds. Every year, tons of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and fully automatic weapons (contraband meant for organized and street criminals) are smuggled into the U.S. A big deal was made about how a small denomination money order was traced to a "terrorist group" a couple of years ago. Now that seems rather odd, since hundreds of million$ are laundered by "reputable" banker types. Funny they can't track much of that down, eh?

Part of the joy of growing up was seeing that the world wasn't such a huge place afterall. Recently it seems to have gotten a fair amount bigger. Not all Bush's fault, but his reactionary methods and madness aren't helping (IMO).

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

Your arrogant, high handed, insulting characterizations of those with opinions different from your own makes it hard for me to believe you are here to change minds or engage in meaningful discussions on the issues.

How does the song go, I can make you feel, but I can't make you think? Jethro Tull, I believe. Great song. Uh, but to answer your question, no, I'm not under the illusion that I'll change anyone's mind.

If your desire is to have a meaningful discussion, I'd be happy to do that. But if you're part of the gang that hops on a guy that's just trying to relate a bad experience in crossing the border, being less than cordial to those types is just something that apparently comes natural. Hey, we all gotta have a talent, right?

But don't take me with 100% seriousness all the time. What sense of humor that I do have is mostly made up of sarcasm.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

I am not just some guy hoping on a guy for having problems with crossing the border. Its like the man said earlier, if you go to another country, then you abide by their laws while you are there. If he does not agree with our laws and does not wish to follow them, then I think its a valid question to ask the guy why he keeps visiting us. I mean, if you took a bite of something that was nasty, would you keep eating? If someone next to you farted bad enough to make your eyes water, would you keep sniffing? Of course not.

As far as your skills, I would like to see them. Character assasinations and cheap insults require no talent. I suspect there is an articulate, intelligent guy under the insults we have been seeing and I want to tell you thats where your real talent is located. Why not show us that instead? Maybe you can even change some minds once you get off the level of personal insults?