Canadian writer arrested in border scuffle

The right group of people are sufficiently outraged by this that I suspect you are going to see this become a fairly big story before it's all said and done:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091212/wells_arrested_091212/20091212?hub=EntertainmentV2

Agreed-on facts are that author Peter Watts was stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol while leaving the U.S. and border patrol agents wanted to search his car. He got out of his car and asked why they were searching him.

From there, it apparently escalated into a physical conflict, and either Watts was roughed up pretty good by the border patrol or he assaulted a border patrol agent and was then roughed up by them, depending on who you believe. He faces a two-year felony charge in the U.S.

 

This one will go away fast. A trial would not be in the best interests of anyone concerned, especially the U.S. government.

 

What I don't understand is why US border guards were inspecting his car while he was LEAVING the U.S. I've never heard of that before.

Border guards on both side of the border can be real pieces of work. They aren't smart enough to become real cops so they choose a career that's slightly above a mall security guard--with way too much power.

 

If you're a real cop and abuse a legit citizen, the odds are good it can be your ass. Work border security, and the government will back you all the way, because it makes the citizens feel safe. Because you know, a lot of Islamic terrorists assume the disguise of Canadian science fiction writers.

 

All very true, but still, especially these days, you have to be all sorts of stupid to get into a verbal/physical fracas with the border guards. They got guns, and plenty of them. And your car is basically corralled in an enclosed space with a dozen video cameras locked in on you. Whatever shit the border buffoons lay on you, just grit your teeth, STFU, and move on.

 

Yep. Wouldn't want to stand up for your rights. Better just to let the government guys do whatever they want.

 

When they got all the guns and your car is corralled in a concrete corridor, that's usually the way to play it.

 

The best thing to do is know that the whole incident is being recorded and lodge a formal complaint afterward the fact. Follow through with that complaint as long and as loudly as you want. File complaints, file lawsuits, write to every elected official in a 300 mile radius. But don't get into a fight you won't win at the time it's happening.

In the heat of the moment, it's easy to believe your rights are being trampled on when no right actually is, and the trouble isn't worth it.

 

You'll never win an argument with a customs officer/border guard and because they can wield their power aribitrarily, it tends to attract a certain type of person with, um, issues.

Officious little pricks a lot of them .

I still don't understand why the US border people were inspecting a car that was LEAVING the country. Never heard of it before

 

Yeah, because those tapes are always preserved, especially when there's some sort of conflict.

 

It's great to see there are people on this board who say, "Police state, just deal with it." When they come for the First Amendment, don't expect sympathy from the general public.

 

I don't understand why they were inspecting his car either......very, very odd.