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Borderline Paranoia by Homeland Security
In this sad "security trumps trade" era of United States border protection, we in this corner have more than once used the word "paranoid" about certain government policies of our friends to the south. But the latest news from the frontier makes us seek even stronger language: "surreal" perhaps.
The New York Times reported last week that at the striking new border post at Massena N.Y. -- just across from Cornwall, Ont. -- workmen were removing from the exterior of the building the glossy, bright yellow, 6.4-metre-high letters that spell out "United States." This identification of the country you're entering is apparently a security risk.
The Times quotes a spokesperson for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency: "There were security concerns. The sign could be a huge target and attract undue attention. Anything that would place our officers at risk we need to avoid." Courageously, however, the post will continue to fly the U.S. flag.
Few Canadians will be surprised to learn that the border agency is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose leader, Secretary Janet Napolitano, thought the Sept. 11 terrorists had come through Canada. Now she seems determined to enroll her whole country in a witless protection program.
Well, everybody wants to be secure. But we doubt that anyone coming off the Seaway Bridge will be fooled. "Gee, this used to say 'United States' but now there's no sign! Maybe it's Germany now! Defuse the bomb!"
In fairness, the move turns out to be slightly less bizarre than it first seems. The real concern, CBPA spokesman Lloyd Easterling told us in a telephone interview, is that somebody could want to use the sign "as a point of symbolism ... we want to mitigate, where we can, anything that could be a danger."
Maybe. But it's all starting to seem more than a little obsessive. When ambassador-designate David Jacobson gets U.S. Senate confirmation and takes up his post in Ottawa, he will no doubt repeat his predecessors' mantra: Security trumps trade.
But as the U.S. carries this to ever-sillier extremes, Canadians are growing more uneasy. Do the Americans really believe they'll be safer as the United States of Anonymity?
This sign-dismantling is a laughable symptom of the malady gripping U.S. policy-makers. But other symptoms are more ominous. The security-driven "thickening" of the border is, we fear, already damaging the $1.6 billion in daily -- daily! -- cross-border trade, and also straining the whole long-matured web of beneficial social and tourism ties between Canada and the U.S.
And for what? The border obsession seems doubly ridiculous when U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder says, as he did last week, that he's increasingly worried about home-grown terrorism, "this whole notion of radicalization of Americans." Even perfect border security wouldn't solve that. Really, he should talk to Napolitano.
Business groups are growing seriously concerned. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and almost 50 private-sector trade groups recently deplored this damaging trend. Their paper (www.chamber.ca) said "thickening the border" means "new or increasing fees and inspections, uncertainly over onerous wait times, layers of rules and regulations ... more stringent requirements once compliance is achieved, and infrastructure impediments."
The Conference Board of Canada, meanwhile, offers an example of how U.S. security protectionism is eroding the structural advantages of free trade: Manufacturers who once relied on "just in time" parts deliveries must now stockpile, a costly step, because speedy cross-border delivery is no longer reliable.
The Chambers have some short-term proposals -- to improve "trusted shipper" and pre-clearance programs, for example -- all couched in diplomatic language.
But common sense about this or that little detail will not overcome the border paranoia that grips our big neighbour. The foolishness about the Massena sign reveals just how frantically Uncle Sam now pursues the dream of security.
28 Comments so far
Show All"paranoid" or "surreal" are the wrong words, although this confusion for an "alien" is understandable. The correct words are "Gestapo" or perhaps "SS". With either of those terms, the situation is much more clearly apprehended. As a sign my words are true, consider the domestic US response if those two words had been used in the article. The author would have been par boiled in high sulfur crude oil.
I feel so much safer knowing that honeymooners now have a much more difficult time going to Niagra Falls - and that they have to PROVE that they are really married with their new passports.
I still worry that a Canadian terrorist may try to sneak across the border by going over the falls in a barrel. We need armed autonomous drones that shoot all barrels to protect us!
Indeed as "luckylefty" pointed out the removal of some iconic sign has less to do with paranoia or surrealism than with propaganda and a culture of fear.
People discuss whether or not "it really makes any sense at all" to be "that paranoid" about the "terrorists" and that's enough for them to miss the bigger picture: Their mind is being toyed with.
The real terrorists are the aggressive young people--the so-called "soldiers"--who kill other people all over the world in the name of "our freedom"... the freedom to be manipulated by wicked old men.
Another way of possibly considering the use of the term "paranoia" in this story is that the people deciding to implement such nonsensical schemes are paranoid about not instilling enough fear in the general public, not getting enough support from the public for the continuing GWoT wars the public's become increasingly opposed to.
As for "surrealism", we could consider that there indeed is too much of this. F.e., these political deciders and war-makers surrealistically believe they can achieve conquest of and maintainable domination over the whole planet; like all of this is going to work out as they aim to ultimately achieve. They surrealistically think they'll escape the fate of all prior empires; DOWNFALL through or due to self-destructive actions.
They surrealistically believe that greed is not self-destructive.
Etcetera.
Good comment, Mr. Corbeil!
Now when you think about it, twenty-first century "national borders" have a lot to do with paranoia and surrealism. Don't they?
I am a veteran. USAF 1958 - 1962. These jerks who are running the US have long since gone too far. This is still MY country, but it is not MY government. I despise this government, and the people who make these kinds of decisions based on their own cowardice and depravity. The method is ancient, and effective: make your people cower in fear, and they will do whatever you tell them is the safest - including giving up their own freedoms. It is working, again. We elected a Congress and a President that we thought might be able to get us out of this mess, and they are simply digging the hole deeper. Most people who bought houses in the last decade are now in reverse situations - owing more money on their houses than the house is worth. Net worth among middle income Americans is negative. The government works to make people even more afraid, and gives our tax money to the vultures on Wall Street. They are forcing a very volatile population into desperation, and the fools do not see that armed revolution is becoming more possible every day. The Canadians SHOULD be worried. For them, it is kind of like living in a house with a very hungry beast that is quickly going insane.
MichaelC
Sadly, the USA becomes more and more like the former Soviet Union every day and the border between Canada and the USA more like the Berlin Wall.
The thousands of kilometers and the Great Lakes make it impractical to have a physical wall so instead an electronic one has appeared. Spy balloons, Homeland Security Blackhawks and drones. It is all a bit like bolting the door after the horse has fled since there are, what, 2 million illegals in the USA already?
While the actual number of terrorists trying to get into the USA is surprisingly low to none, any self-respecting "alien" terrorist will catch a flight on United Airlines and land wherever. No need to use a known terrorist as there are thousands of potential new and unknown ones being created every month by the US's foreign policy and torture tanks. Home grown ones can just sit back and laugh at all the security theatre.
I have long considered both Republicans and Democrats essentially the same after a while in office particularly when it comes to foreign policy; if there ever were an independent contender then the status quo could be in jeopardy. That would never happen with present corporate lobbying and funding of politics but one simple change could deflate that.
I believe Canada some years ago put an $1100 limit per year per person for any political donation and that it had to come from a Canadian citizen.
That would surely change the political landscape in the USA and turn power back to the people?
Since the creation of the farcical "Homeland Security," every day in the USA has been in high-alert of red/orange/yellow. Remember the color codes of danger?!
Not a day yet in the comfortable zones of blue or green, in eight years (!), except here in Dubuque where we enjoy Blue skies and lush Green grass.
Paranoia is "Homeland Security's" mentality, not mine.
The security reason is rubbish. There's no way they're going to trump corporate interests for national security. National security is a worn out ruse to keep up fear and compliance in the dumb, sweaty masses.
They're preparing to "erase" the border to expedite trade in the North American Union. A fully corporate run government is closing in around us in the US.
"A fully corporate run government is closing in around us in the US."
NOT only around Americans in the US! Anyone who knows what the NAU is, what it involves, knows the same applies, albeit in perhaps worse terms, for people in Mexico and Canada, too. After all, if and when the NAU is really implemented, then it'll be the union of these three countries, with the populations of all three "kissing" their (our) Constitutions and charters of rights, human rights, aka Bill of Rights in the USA, "bye bye"; while hearing the loud sound of the BIG toilet flushing, with another loud sound for the intensified bubbling corporatism over all of North America.
That could be better stated, I suppose, but heh, let's not get too fussy.
Why worse in Mexico and Canada? Easy question. It's because the ruling "elites" of the USA, who are certainly more powerful, plan on remaining the ruling "elites", over a larger geographical territory or map.
Thanks for the comments and the editorial. Listen to the unending bull flatulence from our "leaders" about "globalization, globalization, globalization" and "free international trade" as they stop diners and movie goers at the border. NAFTA was supposedly passed as an answer to the EU, and in the EU they have removed the border posts.
Today on NPR's "Tell Me More", Michelle Martin did a story of an ICE officer who had his own home raided by a 7 man swat-type strike force.
After the group forced their way past his wife when she answered the door, the officer asked them what they were doing there and, by the way, did they know that he himself worked for ICE, and was the only one ever to have lived in that particular residence since he bought as a newly built home 7 years previously.
It was fascinating to hear someone on the inside finally "getting it" when he got "the treatment" from his own colleagues. The story can be heard here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=46
Poet
If I didn't know it was about a true, real story that your post's about, then I might or would have guessed that it was part of making a comedy movie.
Your npr.org Web page link, however, is no longer valid and I checked the August 5th page, finding nothing there that's evidently about the ICE raid on an ICE officer's or agent's house or home. However, there's an article about Latino's protesting against Obama's immigration policies and this does briefly mention the mistaken raid on the ICE member's home.
"Latino Groups Criticize Obama On Immigration Raids", Aug 5, 2009
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111572284
You should, to be helpful, at least provide article titles, if you don't want to also provide the direct links.
Its not Uncle Sam.....they got it wrong. Its Napolitano and Holder that are the idiots here.
Every one but these two seem to be aware that its the Southern border thats wide open. Canada has real border protection of its own, added to ours its hilarious to worry about the Northern border a lot.
Home grown terroism? Only Napolitano and Holder could give that much attention.
Yes Henry8, the illegal immigration problem started the moment Obama took office. It is obviously the fault of our less than one year old Obama administration. Put down the cool-aid and get a clue dude. I don't understand it some of your posts are well thought out and spot on Henry8, then invariably you come up with some drivel like this.
On an unrelated matter. Check out this party for the 2012 elections. The organizer of this party has some very good ideas about how we can wrest corporate control through our voting process.
A vialble third party to achieve the Millenium mandate.
commonsensenow.org
There is really only one reaction one can have to news like this:
LOL
Certainly.
Otoh, that reaction can be accompanied by a question, such as, f.e.: Is Obama trying to look like a fool, or is it only natural for him to act like one?
Tourism mustn't matter to the U.S. anymore either. As a Canadian, I no longer feel safe crossing into the U.S.A.!!! How's that for improved security??? Normally I would travel through Northern Michigan, or even through Wisconsin and Minnesota on my summer trip to Thunder Bay -- think food, accommodation, gas, etc. Not this year, and not in the forseeable future, either. And any other time of the year I just fly over the whole mess.
Nothing like a scaredy old girl to get our balls in an uproar.
Now I understand the slogan "U-N-I-T-E-D S-T-A-T-E-S: These Letters Run!"
· Yr Obd't Servant
I'm a dual citizen (Canada and USA), currently living in the USA.
As soon as the Harper government (if Blair was Bush's poodle, Harper is (still) Bush's Shih-Tzu) gets voted out of power, Canada needs to start proceedings to become a member of the European Union. (Heck, it's as close to France and Denmark as the UK is to the Continent. Why not?)
That's the only way I can see for Canada to maintain an identity separate from that of its southern neighbor. And as a bridge between the civilized world and the last remaining (if self-destructing) super-power, it may be able to benefit all humankind.
Perhaps you're forgetting about NATO and the U.S. not being capable of conquering and dominating the whole planet, as the U.S. elites have been working on trying to achieve, without NATO?
From the movie "South Park"
Blame Canada
Blame Canada
With all their hockey hullabaloo
And that bitch Anne Murray too
Blame Canada
Shame on Canada
For...
The smut we must stop
The trash we must bash
The Laughter and fun
Must all be undone
We must blame them and cause a fuss
Before somebody thinks of blaming uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus!!!!
Usually, when somebody takes down the sign at their front door, it means they're going out of business. In this case, however, it seems to mean that the corporate name and trademark have become so hated that they don't want them recognized "as a point of symbolism" even by their closest neighbors.
Looks like locating U.S. embassies anywhere in the world is going to get a bit tricky in the future. And all those flags at the border stations are definitely going to have to go.
It'll be interesting to see how they plan to hide the biggest "point of symbolism" of all -- the country itself. I could offer some suggestions, but I'd better not.
"Usually, when somebody takes down the sign at their front door, it means they're going out of business."
Hmmm. Speaking of "going out of business", isn't this what the U.S. economy has been going through for ... many months now? Of course that's not the reason for these border measures of lunacy, clown-acy, ... though. Obama just wants to make a fool of his administration.
"Looks like locating U.S. embassies anywhere in the world is going to get a bit tricky in the future."
Maybe they'll have to make sure to remove all outdoor signs indicating that the buildings are or contain U.S. embassies, remmove their addresses from all telephone books, and make sure that the public has no way of finding out what the buildings are used for. So people needing to go to a U.S. embassy would need to arrange to meet with an embassy representative at a cafe, say. After all, only removing the signs on the embassy properties while leaving the addresses in phone books would leave it easy for anyone to find the embassies and some of these ... anyone might be people who want to bomb some of the embassies. So their locations would need to be made secret, in which case existing, known embassies would need to be relocated to different places; without moving the actual buildings, of course.
Perhaps they'd also need to make sure that the public doesn't have access to local phone numbers, that is, numbers local to whereever the embassies are; if addresses can at all be determined by using only local phone numbers. This, however, could be simply switched to toll free numbers of which the area code part of the numbers don't indicate anything about geographically specific locations.
What about IP addresses? I know those can be used to determine IPS's, but what about user addresses?
I'm glad the sign went down. I would replace it with two signs that say "Welcome to the United States of America", one in English, and one in French.
But we should be kind to our buddies at Homeland Security, they are just human beings trying to do a job. The real bad guys are in Washington.
"But we should be kind to our buddies at Homeland Security, they are just human beings trying to do a job." I'm sure many do a terrific job, but in 2005 my relatives and I crossed the border from Niagra Falls, Ontario over to the American Niagra Falls counterpart. The US border critters were incredibly rude, played us like God. And it took everything out of me not to smack those mfers! However, when I flew back from Amsterdam to Houston in '06, I was greeted by a hispanic US customs man and he was extremely polite and professional. So my experiences were mixed to say the very least.
So Mr Obama's America is quickly and unequivocally turning out to be exactly the same as the Puppet Bush's America. Geez. Go figure. Anyone left who imagines for one sick moment that there was any real democracy involved in November's election? As any number of folk have pointed out: the leaders are pre-selected by the Bilderbergs/Tri-laterals, etc., etc., then we go through the motions of 'voting' them into or out of power.
Holder's concerned about 'radicalization of Americans'???
Who does he think he's bullshitting? Really, will the day ever come when we won't so routinely have our intelligence insulted by these goddamn politicians? The 'Christian' right IS the radicalization of Americans, Mr Holder. As many of us are getting really sick of emphasizing, you need to sic your bloody Homeland Security on that fascist terrorist crowd. But of course, you know this, don't you Mr Holder. And your bullshit will only continue to keep the focus off the danger the radical 'Christian' right represents, with its thorough and largely unchallenged infiltration of the military. And of course, perhaps this latest round of what passes for government and justice is, like that filthy Bush's dictatorship, designed, structured and committed only to the furtherance of all the usual shit: the country's militaristic self-identity; the protection and advancement of these fascist so-called 'Christians'; the protection and advancement of the apartheid shit-hole Israel; the protection and greed of the banking and corporate state, and on and on.
Michael C's comment is the one that goes to the heart of the matter. The latest crap with the Massena crossing is yet another among tens of thousands of expressions of this cartoon of a country's paranoid need to play up its pimple-faced adolescent view of itself as more important. There's an increasing number of people (as opposed to 'individuals') in the world who are not going to cry over the death of the United States. Should another 'United States' rise from its ashes that is worthy of a place among the peoples of the world, which isn't such a colossal and criminal betrayal of its own alleged founding principles, then that may be fine. But as an author recently pointed out on 'Democracy Now', nation states evolve, and pretty usually, like Rome or Athens, evolve out of existence. Of course, the nature of the evolution now has been given a kick in the arse by the corporate world agenda.