Alistair Kitchen wrote accounts of the student protests at Columbia. He just found out that some of his readers were the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
I was in Spain for two weeks for professional reasons. Despite the heat, I relaxed into the feeling that I was in a functioning society, one with its own fascists and other political issues, but one that is also a functioning, social state. It was so relaxing! That experience continued through the Madrid airport the day I left: how well the place worked, how quickly the lines moved, how clean it was!
Seven hours later, I arrived in Charlotte NC, a somewhat grubby airport where the immigration enforcement officers all seemed out of shape and out of sorts. There were armed men everywhere and dogs sniffing us and our carry-on luggage. I had already prepared with a "burner" lest someone try to invade my privacy as they did Alistair's. The line for citizens into our own country moved at a snail's pace. I was told I had to have my biometric picture taken to enter the country and refused, pointing to the actual sign right there that said I could refuse, which was the only way I got that rather aggressive officer to back off.
By the time my connecting flight got me home to the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area, they had somehow managed to delay my luggage, which didn't come until the next flight. It was then, sitting in our car, utterly exhausted and trying to relax as my dear husband waited in the airport for my luggage, that I realized it: In the few short hours I had been in my country, every muscle in my body had tensed up again.
‘internet commenters and trolls’ - there’s no shortage of those around unfortunately. Theoretically it should be easy to ignore them but their negativity and weird confidence in the truth of what they’re saying makes it incredibly difficult to just ‘let go’. A little poison sticks each time. Take care dear fellow. All the best.
Whilst being inspired by Orwell in your pursuit of the truth, remember he wrote fictional “ polemical journalism” under a non de plume. As a student, whilst you physically didn’t participate in demonstrations, the power of your pen made it obvious you supported them. Trump is protecting his country from savage terrorists, namely the nuclear capabilities of Iran & savagery of Hamas. This is not connected to “free speech” rather it is support of terrorism. Supporting this political side was clearly inspiring other students in their anti semetic views.
My views here don’t condemn or criticise, I am pleased you were not sent to jail & arrived back safely to Australia.
It is shameful that this is happening in the United States. We are now an authoritarian regime. No one should ever be refused entry to our country because of one’s political views. We all know that this was one of the very things the founding fathers were trying to protect. Our constitution has been shredded. I only hope that we will still be able to have free and fair elections in 2026 to vote these people out of office. But I fear by then it may be too late.
I was in Spain for two weeks for professional reasons. Despite the heat, I relaxed into the feeling that I was in a functioning society, one with its own fascists and other political issues, but one that is also a functioning, social state. It was so relaxing! That experience continued through the Madrid airport the day I left: how well the place worked, how quickly the lines moved, how clean it was!
Seven hours later, I arrived in Charlotte NC, a somewhat grubby airport where the immigration enforcement officers all seemed out of shape and out of sorts. There were armed men everywhere and dogs sniffing us and our carry-on luggage. I had already prepared with a "burner" lest someone try to invade my privacy as they did Alistair's. The line for citizens into our own country moved at a snail's pace. I was told I had to have my biometric picture taken to enter the country and refused, pointing to the actual sign right there that said I could refuse, which was the only way I got that rather aggressive officer to back off.
By the time my connecting flight got me home to the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area, they had somehow managed to delay my luggage, which didn't come until the next flight. It was then, sitting in our car, utterly exhausted and trying to relax as my dear husband waited in the airport for my luggage, that I realized it: In the few short hours I had been in my country, every muscle in my body had tensed up again.
‘internet commenters and trolls’ - there’s no shortage of those around unfortunately. Theoretically it should be easy to ignore them but their negativity and weird confidence in the truth of what they’re saying makes it incredibly difficult to just ‘let go’. A little poison sticks each time. Take care dear fellow. All the best.
Keep up your important work Alistair!
Whilst being inspired by Orwell in your pursuit of the truth, remember he wrote fictional “ polemical journalism” under a non de plume. As a student, whilst you physically didn’t participate in demonstrations, the power of your pen made it obvious you supported them. Trump is protecting his country from savage terrorists, namely the nuclear capabilities of Iran & savagery of Hamas. This is not connected to “free speech” rather it is support of terrorism. Supporting this political side was clearly inspiring other students in their anti semetic views.
My views here don’t condemn or criticise, I am pleased you were not sent to jail & arrived back safely to Australia.
It is shameful that this is happening in the United States. We are now an authoritarian regime. No one should ever be refused entry to our country because of one’s political views. We all know that this was one of the very things the founding fathers were trying to protect. Our constitution has been shredded. I only hope that we will still be able to have free and fair elections in 2026 to vote these people out of office. But I fear by then it may be too late.