Posted on 01/07/2007 1:51:52 PM PST by Hostage
I live in Seattle...I don't agree with the treatment (my 75-year-old mother was "wanded," fer pete's sake)...but when I hear comments like this, my blood boils.
If she so freakin' much likes it in Copenhagen...then send her there.
Can't we at least use common sense? An old women from Eastern Europe is not exactly the profile of a terrorist. This reminds me of joke about the blind Irish nun in a wheelchair getting harassed by TSA scum.
Having her strip is beyond outrage. Somebody is getting their rocks off of terrorizing old, foreign women. Nobody could seriously believe this old women is trouble.
She's not hurt - all is well - get over it.
I've had as much trouble at the MVD, jury duty, and getting a speeding ticket.
It's the nature of government.
I thought along lines such as yours too. But we are an advanced country and we can make things peasant for people.
But you are wrong in one respect, that is of the impossibility of having translators for every language.
In ER rooms and urgent care clinics, there are speaker phones on a wall with speed dial buttons to interpreters that are on-call 24/7. They charge by the minute but I would have gladly paid their fee to avoid this trauma from last night.
Yup. And the JBT apologists have arrived as well.
See post #24.
Had she worn a burqa, she would have gotten the VIP treatment.
So you expect all US customs agents to speak Lithuanian?
Of course!
I am truly sorry for what you mother in law went through. There should be a way to deal with problems like this without stripping someone down to their underwear..... I would write my Senator and Congressman too. I would write and call the airport.... Its sad it has come down to this but we now have a problem in this country and we have to check everyone out. Its sad but true. Don't forget about that grandmother who blew herself up in the name of Allah even though it was not in this country..... I am in no way saying your mother in law was like her either..... I am only pointing out that we have to make sure everyone who enters this country is here for the right reasons. Again I am sorry and I hope she is fine now. I hope she enjoys her visit and her new grandbaby. By the way many congrats to you and your wife. ~~Pandora~~
Every time I pass through Seattle I can't wait to move on. Too bad I have to spend any time there but my job requires it.
Post #24.
Seattle no good".
----
If what was posted actually happened, I would be furious with the individuals, not the city, not the airport, not the U.S., not U.S. laws unless it could be proven that how they treated the mother was policy. I don't believe it is policy and I am skeptical of the story. Translators are available 24/7 through services of phone companies if none are available on site.
I am Polish-Lithuanian. Get over it. Get over it.
Leave all the other people (Americans) alone. They don't like it either.
It is absolutely a true story. And yes there are interpretors 24/7. See my post #24.
I think it was policy and the customs employees were following the policy.
But policy is not law. Policy can be changed quickly by a few decision makers.
I think the policy should be changed.
Why does the taxpayer have to pay for translators for any non-citizen? They should pay for their own costs when in this country.
More government workers is never the solution to a problem.
ARA is right. Immigration (INS) used to be an agency of the Dep't. of Justice. It is now an agency of the Dep't. of Homeland Security. You, as an American, have the privilege of walking right into the local office and insisting on the attention of some authority. These problems need to be fixed. There are good people who can fix them if they are only informed of their existence.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.