From: Ryan Gill (rmgill@mindspring.com)
Date: Tue May 11 2004 - 10:05:41 PDT
At 12:11 PM -0400 5/11/04, STEVE Hill wrote:
>I spent an hour or so back before 9/11 at the Canadian border check
>station. They started out haphazardly searching my personal car,
>but then got serious when they saw a copy of "Shotgun News" on the
>back seat. I asked why I was pulled over and they said it was
>because each car is profiled (they didn't use that word) and one of
>the indicators is whether your vehicle is tagged in a state that is
>pro-tobacco or pro-gun. I couldn't argue with that since I was
>sporting a North Carolina "First in Flight" (sorry Ohio) tag.
Yeah, I had a similar instance of profiling at a Border post. Myself
and a friend had driven up from Atalanta to NJ to collect his then
Girlfriend to attend a Gothic (Yes I have other hobbies) Music
convention comprised mostly of folks from the internet. She was going
to attend Emory U. when we returned so the plan was to just collect
all her stuff from NJ, go to the con and then drive back to Atlanta
by way of Chicago so as to visit with Tony's Mom. Tony was sporting
some odd kind of braids, his SUV was full of Krista's personal
effects for her next semester at Emory and I had long hair at the
time.
Needless to say, when we pulled up at the Canadian border he took one
look at us and waved us to the inspection area. Thus began the Do you
have any drugs or Alcohol? "No." rinse repeat. I was the most glib of
the three of us and was singled out for the repeated questions of do
"they" have any drugs. My answer was forthright. "No, Tony's a
computer programmer and doesn't even drink or smoke. I don't touch
the stuff, I'm not sure about Kriasta but I don't think Tony would
have it..." "Why all the luggage?" Krista's going to Emory when we go
back to Atlanta". "Do you have any weapons?", he asked next.
At that point I turned on my uber geek mode and asked if a sgain dbhu
counted as as a weapon. "Wots that?" said the border guard? "You
know, the little knife scots men have in their socks when wearing a
kilt." "Show me." I dug my bag out of the back of the Blazer and
produced the kilt, accoutrements and finally the wee little knife.
The border inspector looked crestfallen and told me to put it all
back and that we were free to go.
Krista and Tony were confused as to what I told the guard...I related
that he'd asked me repeatedly and I'd explained their story, all of
it true of course.
I have to wonder if the best way to deal with customs agents is to
act harmless and get all geeky on them...."Why do you have this
military radio and truck?" "They're cool, not as useful as civilian
purchased kit, and my girlfriend gives me hell about it, but you
drive to Home Depot in this and suddenly you're the most popular guy.
I love taking it in Veterans day parades too. I've got three more
MVs, wanna see their pictures?"
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