With a headline sure to confuse any reader and/or cause more hate for the U.S.A., Reuters has proclaimed the U.S. as "unfriendly to visitors". What is their "proof"? A survey of how "rude" immigration officials are!
Somehow, in Reuters' mind, a rude immigration official makes a whole country "unfriendly". Apparently, Reuters is only too happy to conflate a harried immigration department -- no doubt one over taxed because of concerns over terrorism -- to the relative "unfriendliness" of everyone in that country.
Sounds like stereotyping to me.
US is unfriendly to visitors: survey
The United States is the world's most unfriendly country for international travellers, a survey suggests.
The global survey showed the US was ranked "the worst" because of rude immigration officials and long delays in processing visas.
Somehow, I doubt we would find too many Americans that would be all upset over how long it takes foreigners to get into our country. After all, the 9/11 hijackers just waltzed into this country without a word said, for the most part. And, from what I recall, THEY weren't too "friendly", themselves.
And, of course, Americans are wrong about everything. Our immigration laws and officials have, according to Reuters, caused "more fear" than "terrorism or crime"
"The survey shows there is more fear of our immigration officials than of terrorism or crime."
Talk about absurd.
I am now waiting for Reuters to have headlines like the following:
"England unfriendly for dental care", or "France unfriendly to restaurant goers"
...but I won't hold my unfriendly, American breath.
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It's shocking how those eeeee
November 20, 2006 - 20:03 ET by richflanjIt's shocking how those eeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvviiiiiiiillllllllll Customs & Border Protection Officers have the audacity to actually attempt to enforce the law. They actually ASK QUESTIONS and CHECK DOCUMENTS to see if they are counterfeit. The nerve.........
"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously." --Hubert Humphrey
The mean looking INS immigration officers
November 20, 2006 - 20:45 ET by SportPoliticsThat mean look turns to a straight faced smile when the passport is passed across with the proper denominal grease.
In those great nations where a thousand melee mob wants to practice bloodletting on you they smile and say come right in, we're a bit short on human sacrifices this month, then they try to pay you. It's a portion of US $20 if you check into Iran, the agent passes along a few quarters.
Too Rude
November 20, 2006 - 20:18 ET by BlondeWTH,
Too rude?
Fine, I have a solution for that....stay home, Euro's.
Go to Euro Disney instead of my Disney.
Go skiing instead of sitting on my beaches.
I seem to recall a really nasty official in Frankfurt.....hmmm.
My first thought, too.Stay
November 20, 2006 - 20:42 ET by Warner Todd HustonMy first thought, too.
Stay home!
I have to couple that with a wondering why any American would travel overseas, too (unless you're military or a businessman).
Keep American money HOME for vacation. There is too much to see and do here to waste time outside the USA.
WTH,I must agree. I was goi
November 20, 2006 - 21:01 ET by BlondeWTH,
I must agree. I was going to take my 83 year old mom to London this year, because she just really, really wanted to go.
But all said and done....we decided to stay home. There are so many wonderful places to go and see here, and if you must go outside of the States...Canada is fab, Mexico is fab, Bahamas, Costa Rica, etc., etc.
I'm going back to Vancouver Island the very next chance I get.
Euro who? I don't care if I ever go back.
Oh, and for those of you in the upper 49....the Florida Keys rock!
I also thought the same thi
November 21, 2006 - 03:05 ET by MyKindaSpamI also thought the same thing. We may miss their dollars, but we won't miss the clouds of cheap cigarette smoke, the clouds of dangerous South Park-like "smug" that they emit, the snide demands for "real" wine and "real" cuisine, the body odor, seeing infants alone in strollers in front of bars and restaurants while the parents are inside, the horror of hairy men with paunches wearing Speedos who seem to believe that hot 18-year-old American girls really are interested in them and most of all, we won't miss their snooty assumption that true civilization begins and ends at the EU's border. See ya!
I do wonder how the French feel now that we've taken their place in these types of polls. The difference is that the French are proud of the title, while we dispute it. Maybe we should change our response to one that is more authentically American, "Yeah! We're number one! We're number one! Screw you France! We kicked your @ss! We're number one! Woo-hoo!"
I have been amused that fra
November 21, 2006 - 05:05 ET by Warner Todd HustonI have been amused that france* has lost its market share of wine, though.!
*I vow to never capitalize french or france again They do not deserve the respect of a proper noun.
"..... They do not deser
November 21, 2006 - 10:56 ET by pocomoco"..... They do not deserve the respect of a proper noun."
What a pearl. I love it!
US unfriendly to visitors: survey
November 20, 2006 - 20:43 ET by m2davisI suppose those surveyed were the rude little french people that live in Paris. And when I went to Italy those people on the tarmack with machine guns were really friendly to me too. Why is it that everyone thinks that just because you are an American Government Official that you need to be so nicey nicey that we cannot complete our job of...... what was that we were trying to do in the first place??? Oh Yeah!!!! KEEPING AMERICA SAFE FROM EUROPEAN ISLAMIC EXTREEMISTS!!!!
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' Ronald Reagan.....Political correctness
November 21, 2006 - 01:05 ET by ww thumper.....Political correctness when dealing with Islam will kill america....ww .....
Immigration has rude offici
November 20, 2006 - 20:46 ET by gueinImmigration has rude officials and long lines..lol..so does my local DMV. What's your point, Reueters?
LMAO!!!
November 20, 2006 - 21:07 ET by CalifMoeLMAO!!!
Guein DMV
November 21, 2006 - 01:17 ET by misterbillToo true. Nothing like a 2-3 hour wait to renew a license.
In Texas we do it by mail, ha
November 21, 2006 - 12:29 ET by Dan The Man 2In Texas we do it by mail, haven't been to DMV for 15 years.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.
I'd pay cash money if someone
November 20, 2006 - 20:48 ET by balboaI'd pay cash money if someone can find a pleasant immigration official anywhere, in any country.
I'd pay cash to find anyone
November 20, 2006 - 21:01 ET by Warner Todd HustonI'd pay cash to find anyone who CARES if we have "pleasant immigration officials"!!
Aw, c'mon Warner! You know yo
November 20, 2006 - 21:07 ET by balboaAw, c'mon Warner! You know you care! You secretly wish for pleasant government employees everywhere.
Only at the Department of Mot
November 20, 2006 - 21:11 ET by BlondeOnly at the Department of Motor Vehicles, Bal.
Well I have to disagree here.
November 21, 2006 - 10:18 ET by Ruths husband BenWell I have to disagree here. I do care. My job involves me leaving the country a couple of times a year and I have to say that American Immigration officials are pretty rude, as a rule. Rudeness is a great way to influence those who are otherwise inclined to give you the benefit of a doubt to withhold that benefit. Politeness doesn't cost anything and pays off in the long term. When I was coming back into the states from Guatemala a couple of years ago, the woman ahead of me in line (at Miami airport) was treated so badly, she turned back to me and sarcastically said, "welcome back to the USA!"
You do not get that treatment anywhere else I have been.
That's odd
November 20, 2006 - 20:55 ET by acumenThat's odd. I don't recall those sentiments when we assisted the gazillions of inhabitants of the Pacific Rim countries after the last mega-tsunami. Or when the US came to the rescue of the gazillions of evacuees fleeing Lebanon not long ago. Or the gazillions of Africans that have received gazillions of dollars to fight AIDS, not to mention the gazillions of bags of grain to alleviate the sufferers of droughts and fat dictators. Or all the gazillions of other "friendly" (not to mention free) assistance the US provides gazillions more in the rest of the world when no other country can be bothered.
I can only conclude the Reuters survey must have failed to seek the opinion of the gazillions of illegals streaming across our southern border that seem to find US Immigration officials quite accomodating. Maybe they were just too difficult for Reuters to locate. Now that I could understand.
Or perhaps this is just Reuters way of saying thank you to US bloggers who were only too helpful in correcting Reuters' gazillion propagada photos. Maybe we should take a survey.
And the survey says......
Survey Says
November 20, 2006 - 21:07 ET by BlondeThey only like us as long as the dollars and other largesse we provide them (for whatever reason..tsunami relief, etc.) last. Once their pockets are empty, they revert back to type.
Hate the U.S.A.?
Fine, lets pull our foreign aid and see what they have to say about it.
How does the old saying go? "You can buy a politician, but you can't keep him bought".
Same goes for the rest of these leeches.
I have traveled to Nigeria, G
November 20, 2006 - 21:51 ET by i was just thinkingI have traveled to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Egypt, England, Scotland, Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Turkey, Poland, South Korea, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, and Viet Nam.
With the exception of Thailand and my home country of the U.S., I don't recall ever being greeted by cheerful, friendly customs and immigration officers. What makes the U.S. different? (Yes, I know the answer to that question!)
When I last flew into Canada,
November 20, 2006 - 22:08 ET by UnsaneWhen I last flew into Canada, I was positively interrogated by Customs Canada. From this, can I surmise the people of Vancouver to be hostile?
"Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy." -Sir Winston Churchill, British statesman (1874-1965)
Uns,Vancouver, hostile?I don'
November 20, 2006 - 22:12 ET by BlondeUns,
Vancouver, hostile?
I don't think so....
Great seafood.
Nor from any other border crossing I've ever made into Canada. They're usually looking out for American Booze. Try crossing with Canadian Club, and you're AOK. Maker's Mark....busted!
Laughing.
I agree, Vancouver was awesom
November 20, 2006 - 22:16 ET by UnsaneI agree, Vancouver was awesome...but if I apply the logic of Reuters, the place was extremely hostile due to the sheer interrogation I received from the Customs official I dealt with. (My previous two times dealing with Customs Canada were very smooth and easy.)
"Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy." -Sir Winston Churchill, British statesman (1874-1965)
Oh, they're so MEAN.They're a
November 20, 2006 - 22:19 ET by BlondeOh, they're so MEAN.
They're a little more careful on the return trip.
Like "How many northern pike are in your cooler?"
You're confusing me Uns....you just used "logic" and "Reuters" in the same sentence.
Blonde moment, I guess.
Laughing.
“…survey shows there is m
November 20, 2006 - 22:09 ET by JPR1“…survey shows there is more fear of immigration officials than of terrorism or crime.”
Sounds like a good thing to me.
I wonder just who they were questioning to elicit such a response.
Not so sure I’d want to be a foreign-born Reuters correspondent making a visit.
“Ah, Jacques, would you please step into the small room off to the side there. I’m afraid your going to have to drop trou’. This won’t take but 15 minutes. Thanks”
Lol, Reuters think the U.S is
November 20, 2006 - 22:27 ET by NazarethLol, Reuters think the U.S is rude? Guess they haven't been to Canada- Truly rude people there- The town I came from catered to large population of Canadians each summer- Zowie- waiting on them was an extreme excersize in self control- Perhaps the Reuters people are running into Canadian vacationers here. (Sorry Canadians- I know you're not all like that- but fact is, it was really bad in the town)
http://sacredscoop.com
They werent invited to visit,
November 20, 2006 - 23:35 ET by ChemicalOperatorThey werent invited to visit, therefore no need to be "nice". If they want to do the tourist thing go ahead, but no where in the US constitution does it say "be nice to foreigners" We are the United States not a customer service company.
This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
Visitors
November 21, 2006 - 00:53 ET by nkviking75You know, for such a rude country, we sure get a lot of people from other countries coming here every year, including some willing to sneak in and unwilling to move home.
Excerpt Muslims Italy
November 21, 2006 - 01:11 ET by misterbill"In the past ten to 20 years, Italy has been transformed from an emigrant country into an immigrant country. Foreign labour has proven indispensable for accelerating and sustaining the rate of economic development – resulting in the appearance of new minority groups, including a substantial number of Muslims. Muslims constitute the second largest religious community in Italy."
I had been hoping to go to Tuscany next summer. Now I might just as well go to Iraq or Iran.
Reuters report
November 21, 2006 - 01:20 ET by misterbillReuters interviewed 6 coyotes near the border for their piece. They couldn't talk long though. The temp was high and all kinds of groans could be heard coming out of the back of their trucks.
Baaad misterbill
November 21, 2006 - 01:26 ET by misterbillI know I will take a few hits for this buuuuut----------
Send us your tired , your poor, your hungry, your illegal immigrants. NOT!!!!
With a headline sure not to
November 21, 2006 - 02:05 ET by jdhawkWith a headline sure not to confuse any reader and/or cause less hate for Reuters, the United States has proclaimed Reuters as "unfriendly to the USA".
"The survey shows there
November 21, 2006 - 08:37 ET by Dave R"The survey shows there is more fear of our immigration officials than of terrorism or crime."
Given the ever increasing numbers of our Mexican friends I have to manuever around every morning at my local QT ( talk about feeling as if I were defending the line at the Alamo) just to obtain my morning fix of Colombian, I would say the level of rudeness demonstrated by our imigration officials, particularly along our southern border, needs to be increased.
Imans on a Plane
November 21, 2006 - 10:53 ET by Hunter12I'll post this here because it kind of fits. Did anyone see the story about "Imans on a Plane"? These six guys get PO'd because the rest of the passengers want them thrown off because they stand up and start going through their evening prayers on the plane. We are supposed to understand their religion and know they are just observing the requirements of their faith. No, you six idiots, you should be thrown off because the last time clowns dressed like you stood up on the plane and started praying, they rushed the cockpits, took over, and killed everyone on the planes, let alone 3000 others on the ground. We do understand. You don't see Catholics organizing a mass because it's 4 o'clock and they usually attend that mass. They wait until they can attend another time, but then again, the God worshipped has a little bit of understanding and tolerance and isn't calling for them to kill all unbelievers.
By the by, can we get a listing of all the fatwas these six goobers have issued since 9/11 condemning the violence of their fellow worshipping brothers?
[Edit] Some might think this would be better posted on the Michael Richards thread, but it isn't racism. Question for these six: Are you praying so many times a day that you can't make a flight that doesn't interfer with the prayer schedule?
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
What nkvicking said.Also, if
November 21, 2006 - 11:10 ET by pocomocoWhat nkvicking said.
Also, if America is so bad, why do millions legally emigrate here to become citizens than want to leave?