Overseas travel warnings about USA mount

a reply to: enlightenedservant

Thanks for your important post. Needs to be here.

People just don't think it through.

Bah, no big deal.

If you're a tourist travelling through the US, here's a simple rule of thumb to follow should you get pulled over by the state troopers:

Have everybody in the vehicle roll down their windows immediately, stick both their arms out fully extended with palms open and fingers spread, and then yell in a loud clear voice: "Don't shoot ! We're Canadians !!"



Works every time.

a reply to: olaru12

I was stationed in the Ark/la/tx area and traveled all over Texas and LA and Arkansas with my co-workers... yes even black people and Hispanics... never had a problem, Did we get some weird looks sure... cold shoulder on occasion yup..

Detain and physically harassed.. nope.

It sucks that you had bad experiences... doesn't mean everyone has those experiences.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs
Being Canadian, I do understand that most US citizens are not the way they are portrayed on TV and in the movies, however, I also make sure when I'm travelling that I don't stop in the US at any airports nor do I intend to visit the US anytime soon. I can assure you that I am not in the minority when it comes to that with friends and family.

Maybe I've fallen into the "scared of America" trap, or maybe America has given me a reason to be scared. Who knows?

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

By the way Buzzy... everything I see people harping on the US about, I have seen while living in Germany...

we hide the facts to push an agenda... so do they... some areas are dangerous others aren't... I've got trips to eastern Europe coming up, several folks have warned about the areas... its the same as it used to be on the border with Mexico. areas you don't go through... or times you have to be out of an area before the bad people come out.

Most Euro's I've talked to are not worried about going to the States, the regular people in Europe seem to be pretty aware that the Govt's are just pushing their fear based agendas.... Just like us.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: olaru12

Then you are the first person I have talked to, in over a half-century of living here, who had that happen without copping an attitude. Possible, I suppose, but highly unusual. I'll stand by my original opinion.

Where did this supposed incident happen, if you don't mind sharing?

TheRedneck

We didn't cop an attitude. We were a contract film crew working for the History Channel and as I recall it was I 220 around Shreveport and another incident in Florida around Panama City. We were polite and showed the cops our contracts but they still stripped the van. No charges were filed, no ticket, no apology.

IATSE and SAG/AFTRA members are warned by the union about working in the south with a mixed race crew, especially with white females employees while working in the more rural areas. Our experiences weren't rural but in an urban environment.

Those were our experiences and we relayed them to our union reps. We are blessed to be able to only work where we the chanches of encountering racism or homophobia is less. It still happens everywhere occasionally. Success has it's perks.

btw....I stand by my original position.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

STOP LISTENING to the people you listen to. Get your head out of the doom-room, for crying out loud, and start acting like you care.

Lol , isn't this what you are doing in your op?

Lol you are something.

I forgot to mention that I'm 35. That incident I described occurred in fall of 1996.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
I was at Rocky Mountain National Park last month and it was crawling with foreigners - do we want that to stop?

I live by Rocky Mountain National park and it's no where near as clean, respected, and pristine as it was 20 years ago...
So yes I do want it to stop!
Next time you stop by do me a favor and police some trash on the trails.


So let me make this clear.
America is now considered un-safe for travel by EU nations that now have the highest number of rapes in the western world?
Think the travel warnings should be warning us Americans of traveling to Europe.
Haha this gets my award for the most illogical thread of the day.

Question OP.
When was the last time you actually witnessed in person real legitimate bigotry and racism in America?
Don't cop out and say the last Trump rally.
That's a lazy person response besides that's not real bigotry or racism anyway.
I want a real answer from you!
Give me an example?
Like how the democrats creating the KKK and liberal plantations.
That's real racism...

a reply to: olaru12

I know the Southern culture intimately and prefer to avoid it.
Personal experience has a strange way of "enlightening" people.

Sounds like "Personal experience " can be associated with stereotyping? Thats a Fine line between that "enlightening" and "Stereotyping"

You have bad experience with southern white people = "enlightening" ?
Cops have bad experience with non white people = "Stereotyping" ?

Uhm? Interesting.

originally posted by: 191stMIDET
I forgot to mention that I'm 35. That incident I described occurred in fall of 1996.

So pre-911. And they were still that nasty....
My incident was in summer of 1984.
I think some of the cops have gotten progressively worse, they seem to be on Cdn news far more than they used to be.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs
This is a slightly dated paper but it does seem to apply. An opinion piece:

How the US is like North Korea
By John Feffer April 14, 2011

Washington — The international community is rightly aghast at North Korea for spending a fortune on its military when its populace is suffering. Nearly one quarter of North Korea’s population is either starving or at risk of starvation, according to a recent UN report, yet its government pours money into missile and nuclear programs. Such behavior seems to be the height of irrationality.

But North Korea is only following the international community’s – especially America’s – example.

Last year, the financial crisis continued to paralyze the world economy, the mercury in the biosphere’s thermometer inched up, and the gap between rich and poor continued to widen. And yet, global military spending increased for the 13th year in a row.

OKay here are more recent opinions

What are the similarities between the US and North Korea?
US citizens:
We are the best.Everyone in our country is happy.Everyone has food, job, good health.God Bless America!

North Koreans(after being told all below things by their authorities:p) :
We are the best.Everyone is happy. Everyone has food, job, good health. Kim-Jong-Un is God.

Both are reliant on China for basic goods, though in very different ways.

Fixation on the military, strong patriotism, possession of nuclear weapons, and generally wasteful government spending.

originally posted by: snowspirit

originally posted by: 191stMIDET
I forgot to mention that I'm 35. That incident I described occurred in fall of 1996.

So pre-911. And they were still that nasty....
My incident was in summer of 1984.
I think some of the cops have gotten progressively worse, they seem to be on Cdn news far more than they used to be.

yeah, the whole Police culture in the US is really screwed up. Granted there are plenty of good cops out there but, NOT enough. I've had very few run ins with Police over the last twenty years and I'd say about half of them we're positive and by positive I mean I didn't feel like I was in life or limb danger. Protect and to serve is a nice slogan but it doesn't mean # to alot of them.

originally posted by: Misterlondon
Ah come on man.. Wouldn't be a holiday unless at least 2 of those things happened..

Well, in the spirit of being a good host I will get you tazed and then drop you off in the South Bronx for a good axe murdering.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
Me, too. My aunt would gasp in horror when I told her I was driving into Chicago by myself. Nothing EVER happened. But then you get asshats like Mr "I-Don't-Tow-Sanders-Supporters" and Kim Davis making headlines.....

The asinine anecdotes that get reported on the news are not indicative of the bulk of the people living here.

originally posted by: snowspirit
Your cops have zero sense of humour, last time I was there, we all got kicked out because a couple of us were mooning cops.

You know, I cannot tell if you are being serious or not but it is funny either way.

Did you try oinking at them too?

originally posted by: corblimeyguvnor
Don't Tar all Europeans with the same brush...

I did not, as I am not like the hysteric asshats overseas giving you these absurd warnings which is why I said 'to all those that think'.

So let me get this straight, as a cop I am now responsible for foreigners choosing to not want to travel to the U.S. because they are scared of me?

Cool, I will just add it to the list of other problems I create as a police officer.

I guess I am what is wrong with America.

Seems fair...

originally posted by: intrptr
Haha,the whole government is one big crime syndicate. "Overall", crime rate in the world is increasing because of US "Hegemony".

I would ask you to post some evidence but your track record of hyperbole does not leave me holding out any hope.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Just keep on being one of the good ones. 🙂