Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/06/22/jogger-in-canada-accidentally.html
…
5 Likes
und zen ze officer shouted PAPERS PLEASE! with no small amount of spittle
32 Likes
$10,000 says that if she looked like me, we would all laugh about the mistake and then they would tell me not to do it again and let me go.
34 Likes
Not a bet I would take; though gorgeous, the woman in question has far too much melanin to have “the Complexion for the Protection.”
Also, Canada should respond to this by posting sarcastic warning signs all along their side of border:
46 Likes
There aren’t any markers on the St. Claire River, either. Generally, this isn’t a problem, though. It would be a colossal waste of time/money detaining every damned jet skier jumping boat/ship wake under the Blue Water Bridge, so they don’t.
Officious bastards are officious. That, of course, is when they’re not preoccupied with being malicious.
31 Likes
Canadians, build the wall to protect your southern border!
21 Likes
What exactly is in the job description requirements for this kind of swine? Do you need to proven affiliation with a nazi group, white nationalist ties or a swastika tattooed on your forehead? Maybe a group of immigrant kids on a leash. Such a simple obvious solution that would have saved tax dollars and promoted good will. Not gonna happen in this age of hate though, better to inflict pointless pain and waste money to show what an asshole country we are now. Anyone want to bet on the skin color of the iceholes involved?
14 Likes
The same response I apply to Trump’s actions works here: If it isn’t against the law, it should be.
If they can’t prove intent to enter illegally, like if she didn’t bring her shit in a bag like she was moving to the country, they should have given her the benefit of the doubt. And if she entered from that country, it shouldn’t take bureaucratic officiousness to get her back. Even if she was in Canada without permission, that’s Canada’s problem.
@iquitos46 You get advanced to the front of the hiring list if you answer the question, “how much grief, red tape, and apathy should be thrown at anyone you encounter (and especially brown people)?” by saying, “more.”
10 Likes
Actually, I wouldn’t. Institutionally racist systems can be very equal-opportunities when it comes to who is permitted to be an asshole to people of colour: indeed, non-white assholes often have to be twice as much of an asshole just to prove that they should be allowed to carry on dishing out the assholery rather than being on the receiving end of it.
21 Likes
I feel really bad for the ice agents they must be deathly bored out of their friggin gords to put time and attention into something like this . I also think its possible one of the poor ice agents involved had legal fees or worse yet a bill from a boat mechanic and saw an opportunity to get some overtime.
1 Like
And Canada is a lot more friendly to U.S. people who accidentally arrive on the Canadian side of the St. Clair River, as happened to 1,500 inner tube riders in August 2016: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/floatdown-sarnia-americans-wash-ashore-1.3730792
7 Likes
havent you watched game of thrones ? white walker putin will just send zombie trump dragon to blow it down.
1 Like
This +100. These institutional systems select for a very special type of asshole, regardless of gender, race, or creed. Now, it just so happens that white Christian males comprise a majority of our authoritarian assholiate (at least, for the time being).
I have no doubt that there are similarly officious authoritarian assholes in African, Asian, and South American governmental organizations that are not so melanin-challenged.
9 Likes
I guess my joke wasn’t clear - what I meant was that if she was a middle-aged white guy (like me) they would have made no big deal about it.
But yes, a slightly darker shade of skin color sets off their alarms.
And two weeks to figure this all out? That should have taken ten minutes tops. She has a passport and a visa? - “sorry for the mistake, have a good rest of your day”. But god forbid they admit to mistakes and overreaction
10 Likes
I was on the Detroit River one time (ages ago, but after 9/11) with my then boyfriend, and a freak storm blew in. 6-foot waves were coming the wrong way up the river, and his little 18’ all-sport boat was getting overtopped. We spied a marina just under the Ambassador Bridge, and hoped that they’d let us shelter until the storm passed. There was an OPP station at the marina, and the officers were very chill. They said they couldn’t send us back into the storm, but sure as hell wouldn’t waste their time arresting us as long as we stayed in the marina building with them. They even offered us some of their Parliaments! We don’t smoke, but greatly appreciated their amicability and hospitality. So, yeah, I’m pretty familiar with how much more humane Canadian officials can be compared to their US counterparts. YMMV.
30 Likes
No it was clear enough; I got it and I was agreeing with you.
15 Likes
Game of Thrones is one of those shows by all accounts I should like, but it lost me early on in the first season and I am way far behind to even try to catch up.
2 Likes
The United States is a rogue nation that deserves sanctions and a blockade from the civilized world.
22 Likes
What about the descendants of hostages/involuntary “immigrants?”
11 Likes
I’m sure we will pay for it too.
3 Likes
