Re:Maurice/Fatguys Angst-o-the day thread
Not for me, since I fought this policy in 2002 and since I am more critical of infringements on our rights and freedoms (I guess that is obvious…..); then I would be the biggest hypocirte to go through with the photographing and fingerprinting this time. In Canada, we have no such concerns about terrorism and so these activities really do not exist and has been used by the U.S.A. as a criticism for being “a staging ground” for terrorism – but that is rhetoric – now for the Con.
I believe that most people in the States live in denial about just how much their privacy and rights have been infringed. It is only when outsiders like myself balk at these new procedures and how they infringe on pleasant activities like Dragon Con…..that the unpleasantness rears it’s head.
Even Britain your ally in Iraq…..has less stringent policies regarding tourism and such…..except when the British travel to the U.S.A.. What follows is a quote from a friend who read this thread:
“Anyone in the UK renewing their passport after Oct 2004 will have to pay an extra £65 for a biometric coded passport to travel to US this only applies to travelling to the US an not any other country also it will mean having to go to the American Embassy for a visa . At the present time to enter the US involves being fingerprinted and having your photo taken at immigration. Also we are being forced because of US policy to have armed Sky Marshals on planes that are going to the US a plane destined for Washingtopn was cancelled on 4 days running while the passenger lists were being checked by US authorities who also want to know about payment details of the tickets bought for this flight . And we are supposed to be the USs closest ally . “