Border Agents rude and difficult at Nogales
We were treated very badly for no reason while crossing the other day. Others have expressed the same concerns. When they ask you if you have meat (cooked or not), eggs, spices, etc. make sure you ans...
Forum Discussion
W4RLR,
I have tried to understand the "Patriot Act" and do not claim to be any kind of knowledgeable expert. But many of those border people and other LEOs think many of our rights no longer apply if we are suspected of terrorism. Perhaps Tim McVeigh raised the idea that members of the US military might participate in what they call domestic terrorism - a good Christian Catholic soldier. Whatever we might think our rights are - or once were - it may not be a good idea to call attention to yourself at our border these days. These people have a great deal more power than they used to have. Exercising your rights when the agent asking you question could be a bit nervous about who may or may not be involved in terrorism might not be the best plan. We call it the Barney Fife complex when LEOs decide to use their power to make themselves feel powerful. Those who do this are small people trying to be big and have just enough power to make your life difficult for at least an inconvenient amount of time. Right or wrong this just seems to be a fact of life these days. Our experience has been that most of the border people are very polite and friendly. Yes, we get stopped here and there all along the US border. We also get stopped here and there all over Mexico. The world we live in these days is a bit different than our father's world. The rights we might think we have - or had - are not nearly as strong as they used to be.
I have tried to understand the "Patriot Act" and do not claim to be any kind of knowledgeable expert. But many of those border people and other LEOs think many of our rights no longer apply if we are suspected of terrorism. Perhaps Tim McVeigh raised the idea that members of the US military might participate in what they call domestic terrorism - a good Christian Catholic soldier. Whatever we might think our rights are - or once were - it may not be a good idea to call attention to yourself at our border these days. These people have a great deal more power than they used to have. Exercising your rights when the agent asking you question could be a bit nervous about who may or may not be involved in terrorism might not be the best plan. We call it the Barney Fife complex when LEOs decide to use their power to make themselves feel powerful. Those who do this are small people trying to be big and have just enough power to make your life difficult for at least an inconvenient amount of time. Right or wrong this just seems to be a fact of life these days. Our experience has been that most of the border people are very polite and friendly. Yes, we get stopped here and there all along the US border. We also get stopped here and there all over Mexico. The world we live in these days is a bit different than our father's world. The rights we might think we have - or had - are not nearly as strong as they used to be.
