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Border Insecurity
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Phillip Hong
June 12, 2012 |
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I've been across the American border on almost a routine basis as of late. Gotten used to the
process, the probing questions and the quick points initiated by Homeland Security. They know me well;
I'm sure they keep records of my times at the border, and as a Canadian citizen they can also
prove with ease that I'm as much of a threat as toasted bread.
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Which made the latest exchange disturbing to mind and stomach. I was travelling with a family friend
(family since he shares the same surname as my mother's family) when we were questioned at the
Peace Bridge checkpoint:
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"Where do you hold citizenship?"
"Buffalo."
"Well, what are you doing in Buffalo?"
"I don't know! I've never been to Buffalo before!"
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Said fellow man of same clan didn't hear the question properly as he thought the officer asked
about his intended destination. As I did most of the research on Buffalo, I quickly offered to
explain the intentions of our day trip.
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"No no. I'm talking to him! See where I'm looking? I'm looking at him! Now answer the question!"
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Calm down! This was a misunderstanding, not an episode of Jerry Springer. How much money has this
country spent on advertising to get us down there in the first place?
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Officers of this extraction aren't exactly known for their kindness. Take, as an example, a guard at
Saskatoon's airport who insisted none of his counterparts at Toronto Pearson spoke English. Or when
a customs officer at Pearson raised her eyebrows higher than the height of the CN Tower when I
brought home a jar of green tea from Japan.
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Lighten up, guys! Not every traveller has ulterior motives, and most aren't even interested enough
to try out vices with you so you can sniff them out. Enjoy the fact that you get visitors every day!
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Of course, I'm not trying to say that all customs, border and security officers are hyper-serious.
As I left Taipei one November morning, a guard was having whimsical fun in a vain attempt to
pronounce my name properly. The same sort of fun as we have back in Canada when trying to sound out
words in other languages.
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Which says a lot in comparison to Homeland Security officers station across from Fort Erie.
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Phillip Hong, a resident within suburban Toronto, is a constant tourist. Check
out the interesting experiences of his journeys on The Travelling
Briefcase.
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