Are you American? Do you travel? Do you feel safer?

Has the world become a safer place for Americans in the past 3 years? I'm not really interested in how things are *within* Americas borders. What I want to know is, how many Americans here at ATS travel overseas and how much safer do you feel now compared to pre 9/11? Do you feel that you are safer "at home" than when you are in a foreign country?

If you're not American, how have your attitudes changed towards Americans visiting your country in the past 3 years, if at all?

I'm curious because I think this is an aspect of the so-called "war on terror" that has been overlooked. The view of Americans in other parts of the world, and the resulting effects on Americans' safety, if any?

-koji K.

I have been over seas to both the UK and France since 9/11 I have also been to Canada and Mexico.I thought the people I came in contact with in both the UK and France were really nice even though they knew I was from the US I didnt get spit on or anything. I never felt scared any of the times I have left the country. I felt just as safe in Canada the UK and France as I did in the US. Mexico is another story but thats due more to gangs and street crime then any terrorist actions.

Granted I didnt go to any Muslim countries but I wouldnt even in pre 9/11 days and I never wanted to go to any of those countries.

Are you American? No

Do you travel? Yes

Do you feel safer? Yes

Originally posted by koji_K
Has the world become a safer place for Americans in the past 3 years? I'm not really interested in how things are *within* Americas borders. What I want to know is, how many Americans here at ATS travel overseas and how much safer do you feel now compared to pre 9/11? Do you feel that you are safer "at home" than when you are in a foreign country?

If you're not American, how have your attitudes changed towards Americans visiting your country in the past 3 years, if at all?

I'm curious because I think this is an aspect of the so-called "war on terror" that has been overlooked. The view of Americans in other parts of the world, and the resulting effects on Americans' safety, if any?

-koji K.

I am an American living in Europe and traveling around the world,
Safety is relative......, I go about my life and do what I have done most
of my life. I do not fear death as I have met it many times.

When my time comes I shall embrace it and say goodbye to this hellhole
of a planet. (that doesn't mean I will go looking for it)

Originally posted by koji_K
What I want to know is, how many Americans here at ATS travel overseas and how much safer do you feel now compared to pre 9/11? Do you feel that you are safer "at home" than when you are in a foreign country?

Since 9/11 I have traveled to the UK, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. I definitely feel MORE in jeopardy than I did before, but not because of outright terrorism, but because of the greater possibility for a personal attack because of my nationality. Obviously, what has happened has not kept me from hoping on a plane and going abroad, but I am more hesitant with being the obvious American overseas. In most places, I found people that greeted me with respect friendliness that would be given any tourist, and I tried my best to be respectful of the customs and habits of the folks I met. My time in Spain, however, was a little more obviously anti-american. Lots of graffiti against Bush in particular, and I overheard plenty of discussions about "americans" and how we try and run the world. The English language news seemed to be a bit more negative when discussing the USA and it's people. The Spanish were a lot less English language-friendly than other places I have traveled to before and after 9/11 - but hey, I was in SPAIN so any English spoken was a treat.

I always found it interesting that everywhere I've been in the world, I have had no problems getting around and basically living in another country without speaking the language. So many people overseas speak multiple languages, and welcome the oppourtunity to use their English skills. I wish we had more of that here, and anyone who masters more than their own language impresses me.

Anyhow - the most welcome I've felt overseas was in two parts of the world where I had least expected it. Egypt, and Palestinian areas in Israel. Even before 9/11 you heard so much on the news about anti-American sentiment in the Middle East, and it was nice to find exactly the opposite with the people I experienced. I'm not so sure that has disappeared, and I'd still go back.

As for feeling safer than at home - I live just outside of Washington, DC, so even going downtown for an afternoon feels a little different. I wouldn't call it fear, it's more of a greater awareness and suspicion. We have had a kind of knee-jerk reaction and gone way overboard on paranoia, but don't seem to be any more secure. I recently got back from a trip to Florida, and upon unpacking my carry-on, I found a large swiss army knife that was stuffed in a pocket from a pre-9/11 trip. Walked through screening both down and back and never had a problem. I've had something on my hip area set off the metal detectors over and over, and after answering that I did not have an artificial hip, the screener shrugged and waved me through. It's probably as easy as ever for weapons to be walked onto aircraft. Safer? Nah.

Are you American? No

Do you travel? Yes

Do you feel safer? Yes

I've only been to london since then (outside of the us anyway) and there were protests and whatnot, some anti-americanism, but I think some is to be expected. I know someone in the military, and when they travel they're told not to wear the uniforms, so as not to be targets. At one point, they were in a waystation airport (i don't recall if it was s.korea or japan) and they were told not to leave the waiting room they were put into. When they were in germany, they were on occassion told not to travel, or on certain days not to go into the towns. Once when tehy went into the town they went to a bar with a band. Some people had put up a big us flag. It was set fire, burned away, and underneath was a big nazi flag. They figured they'd rather have some more beers and listen to some of the music rather than get into a brawl, that night anyway.

I'm American.

I've been to Mexico, Paris, London, and Greece.

I found Mexicans and English to be very friendly, the Greeks to be fine, and the french to be better then the last time I went (1998).

Do I feel safer? Yup, but it's not like I was scared in the first place. I'm a big boy (literally) so honestly I can take care of myself. God help the terrorist who hijacks my plane or the guy that tries to attack me.

.
Since the CIA, FBI, and Military stage most their PHONY terrorist attacks here inside the US, people who travel should feel much safer than those of us here at the mercy of our ROGUE govenment. Other than the occasional angry foreigner taking out their rage at the US govenment on travelers they should feel pretty safe.
.

I was in Canada the week before we went to war with Iraq, there was a lot of anti-war talk, but never at any point did I feel threatened. My Mother was in Israel less then a month after 9/11, and in London the week that Bush was there. She said at no time was she concerned for her safety in either country.

I don't have any problem with people from other nations visiting us in the least.

I came across an interesting statistic. I'll be voting for Kerry for the simple reason that I think he has a clearer picture of the world outside America and takes into account the fact that international respect and approval IS important for Americans, in this interconnected world. Bush seems content to make a "fortress america" without care for how Americans are viewed outside their own borders. This is all well and good for people who don't travel much, but some of us either have to or want to.

I notice that most posters on this thread haven't noticed much hostility towards Americans abroad of late, which is a good thing and I would have to say I have noticed the same.

Nevertheless, the statistic I found was that voters *with passports* favor Kerry 58% to 35%. I wonder if it is because travellers feel the same way I do, or if there are other reasons?

www.zogby.com...

-koji K.

[edit on 3-9-2004 by koji_K]

Zogby's is biased.
Polls mean virtually nothing but h_o_p_e.
And....
Yes
Yes
and Yes!

How many of you really think things will be any safer under Kerry?
LMAO....riiiight.....



seekerof

[edit on 3-9-2004 by Seekerof]

Originally posted by Seekerof
Zogby's is biased.
Polls mean virtually nothing but h_o_p_e.
And....
Yes
Yes
and Yes!

How many of you really think things will be any safer under Kerry?

LMAO....riiiight.....

seekerof

[edit on 3-9-2004 by Seekerof]

How is Zogby's biased?

(By the way... to everyone who might post here... please don't just give a "yes or no" answer... it doesn't really say much and isn't interesting... I'm curious *where* you've gone and *why* you feel safer... )

-koji K.

I'll answer the questions directly...

No i'm not American i'm Welsh, yes i travel when i can and i don't feel i'm in danger.

There easy

Yes, I'm an American with a passport.
Yes, I've been overseas since 9/11.
No, I don't feel safer, but that's purely because I'm super nervous about flying anyway. I was nervous before 9/11 and a touch more nervous now . The people have been very friendly however. I can't pretend to be anything but American. When I open my mouth, they can't miss my Texas accent. I worried that they would associate it with Prez Bush,but my accent is Southern rather than Western.
Living in a big city, I've learned to always be a little wary and that's the way I am overseas. Not paranoid but wary. Keeping a low profile and not looking touristy or calling attention to myself.
joey

Even if we can guarantee the US will be safer we can't gurantee the same for other countries
To start with look at Poland and it's weak security

Am I American? yes. Do I travel abroad? yes, both before and after 9/11. Do I feel any safer? never felt threatened. This is because i grew up in a very bad place in the US where I simply did not trust anyone. has nothing to do with terrorism.

Been to the UK twice since 9/11. No fears here about terrorism. My fears have always been the same: natural paranoia of strangers, always making sure no one is tailing me, blending in the population and speaking little so my nationalty cannot be identified. Becoming invisible and unremarkable. These are just basic survival skills no matter where you go. I also travel alone, making it easier to blend or hide.

Incidentlally, before 9/11 military did not travel in their uniforms either. They told us not to, that it would make us targets easier on a civilian plane. We were forbidden from wearing the uniform on commerical flights. They also told us, if we were hijacked, to slip our military id cards like between seat cracks, or other means of hiding even destroying them, so our identities were not easily discerned.

So, my safety is my concern. I have always been in charge of my own safety. Only I make myself safe or not safe. Bush cannot make my world safe for me, and niether can Kerry. Only I can do that, and well, after all the places Ive been, Im still alive and breathing, so, my safety record is, well, almost flawless

Funny thing. The last place I travelled to was Detroit, I hear that's a violent city, I didn't feel threatened. Sure are a lot of cops in that town. If I was travelling of of the continent, I would definately be displaying the Maple Leaf though. No insult but you got to err on the side of caution.

I don't feel any different than I always have Nothings really any different in my life, but I am not a scary kinda person at all..... I don't frighten easily....I really don't see anything different than it was, maybe a bit more hassle in government buildings...I don't really understand all the stuff people talk about...being so different

Seems to be another more recent thread on this topic here.