Today, Tom Ridge introduced the new airport security checks in Atlanta,Ga. The system includes a digital finger print and a digital picture to check against criminal backgrounds of people entering this country. I personally think it is great they have this implemented now. I went to the BBC website to see what kind of reaction it brought and you would not believe the lunacy of some people. Alot of the Europeans believe this is an intrusion on their rights to privacy. Well, hey there Frenchy you have a criminal background of blowing up a jewish schools in Paris, we would like to know. Also, why are we the target of ridicule when Airports in Italy and the Netherlands us retinal scans to target potential terrorists? OHHH thats right, anything good for the US is bad for the world. Sorry I forgot.

My view it's if they don't like it don't come over here.

I don't see what the problem is anywho!If you have nothing to hide whats the problem?I wouldn't care if I was an international traveler.If it means I'll land where I'm supposed to when I'm supposed to,hey I'm all for it.
I don't GET the privacy thing???(must be dense) .You're out in public,traveling in a public mode of transportation,in a public terminal?! If all you want to do to me is take a picture and a fingerprint ...here ya go buddy!

I agree with you Dragonlady! They're out in public where everyone can see them, and it only takes 15secs to do this.

Did you see where Brazil started doing this also, mostly to retaliate against us for doing it? The mayor of Rio is po'd over the whole thing because he thinks it will deter tourists during the upcoming carnival season. Anyway, some travelers are exempt, aren't they? Like a lot of European nationals? Personally, I think it's great. Keep those b*st*rds off my plane and out of my country!

Even some Americans are reportedly talking abut how this somehow violates the travelers' right to privacy.

Problem is, they are NOT U.S. citizens and we're therefore NOT obligated to afford them the same rights as U.S. citizens. They are visitors, not citizens.

When we travel to foreign countries, do we automaticaly assume we have the same rights as their citizens?

Sometimes the human thought process amazes me. What just makes common sense to others is completely alien to others!
Since I don't travel outside the U S I have a stupid question.: Do you need a passport to travel to ALL other foreign countries?


Also,did you see the big stink the DMV in Va. cause when they changed the requirements for to get a licence?! A woman was interveiwed on a D C station and she was there to get hers renewed and she said that shes been in this country for 20yrs and I swear you could hardley understand a word she was saying! Whats up with that?You can't tell me that if you've lived in another country for that long you wouldn't be able to speak the language any better.


I dunno know...it's all goin to hell in a hand basket!

Dragonlady, some countries like Canada and maybe Britain only require a birth certificate or drivers license, then in most other countries like Germany or Spain you just need passport, while in some other countries like Russia you need a passport and visa to get in. It just generally depends on the countries relationship with the US. In Saudi Arabia, however, you must have a letter saying that you're Christian, Jewish, or Muslim or else you can't get in.

[QUOTE]aletter saying if you christian,jewish,muslim or else you can't get in....well that lets me out!!!

Why ain't this quote thingy workin??

Since it's the Muslim Holyland they only consider that Islam is the true religion, but believe in the Old Testament in the Bible so that's why Christians and Jews are alowed in. All this visa, passport, religious letter stuff is confusing!

Why exempt any country? Why not--since we LOVE this notion of 'it has to be fair", let's fingerprint/id everyone who is not a citizen of our country when they fly...sounds realistic to me..by the way--the French, who think this is awful are not letting the muslims in their own country wear head scarfs to school...can you imaging if we tried that here? Heck, it was a major victory to get the Driver license in FL case re: head scarf settled--in favor of not wearing it in her DL photo only....we did not ask her never to wear it...and the ACLU was screaming--the NOT FAIR mantra...

Well, I think it's unfair to not let someone wear their head scarf to school, but the driver's license thing in Florida was ridiculous! I'd like to walk into the DMV here and see what they'd say if I was wearing a mask and wanted a drivers license.

WVDragonlady - In case your interested, this link U.S Department of State, lists which countries require passports. I've found that its just much easier when you have a passport at the airport than if you don't.

They probably wouldn't notice..I was at the DMV on 12/30 and thought I was in a madhouse! And all I had to do was turn in my plates on a vehicle I gave to charity...just glad I was not trying to renew my tags that day! Those peoples' numbers were not moving!

The DMV is the most screwed up place! I leased my last car, and I had to do all this extra paperwork & then send it off to Charleston before I could even get my plates! I now will only buy cars because I ain't going through that mess again.

As for the security checks, grow up people! I'd rather be finger printed than blown up.

Seriously?

I thought it was just so they know who to be nice to and who to harrass.

I wonder - maybe they paint a bullseye on your back if you tell them you're Jewish or Christian?

Yeah, seriously in fact the Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet just not the right one. They have the same 10 commandments and everything.

The fact that Muslims believe that Jesus was a PROPHET (not the son of God) is just one of many things that clearly show that the god of the Muslims is not the God of the Bible. Their claim to the contrary is simply a tool that they use to win converts.

If they are so chummy towards Jews, why are the Muslim nations so committed to driving Israel into the sea? There are several choice verses from the Quran I could quote to support the contention that Muslims are commanded to hate - never befriend, and in fact to kill - Christians and Jews who refuse to convert to Islam.

But of course they, and our unbelieveably misinformed President, would have us believe otherwise.

That's kind of unfair to say, just because radicals get in the news a lot doesn't mean all Muslims hate Jews and Christians, when in fact most don't. This thread, however, seems to be getting a little off topic.

When you want to know what Christians believe, you go to the Bible. When you want to know what Muslims believe, why not go to their scriptures?

There are plenty of non-Christians who call themselves Christian, just as there are plenty of non-Muslims who call themselves Muslim. They participate in religious activites but reject most if not all of the basic tenets of the faith which they claim.

In addition, there are many Christians who hide their Christian beliefs from others in an attempt to avoid confrontation or to win converts, and plenty of Muslims who do the same for the same reasons.

But the basics of either faith have to be considered.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure there was one particular point at which a new thread shoud've been started. Besides, I expect there's not much more to be said except that we disagree.

Gee,what'll they do to ya if your Wiccan/Pagan?? Shoot ya outright!!
Wicca happens to be THE oldest religion.It dates back 10"s of thousands of years,not just a couple.Guess I better tell the Buhdests(i know i messed that sp.up) too.I can't beleive that theres actually a religion that tells it's followers to hate and to kill!That just amazes me.But then again our only law is "harm ye none".

What I want to know is wether or not they're going to "cave-in" to outside pressure?. Hope not. It's about time we start doing everthing we can to protect ourselves. Don't like it?....Don't let the door hit ya in the *ss on the way out,toots!!

I hope not! I saw on tv where when they were trying it out for a month at the Atlanta airport they already caught 22 or so "bad guys." Just think how many more they'll catch at all the other air and seaports in the country.

I didn't see that but then again I'm not watching much lately.I'm sick of all the Jackson; Peterson and now all thePete Rose crap thats been on all over the tube!!
Jackson-put the little pervert in jail already!
Peterson- every day in this country women/preggers or not disappear and the husband did it.You never hear of those poor things.ENOUGH already!
Rose-NO you can not come back!get lost .get help for your gambling.move on.

That was the daily rant for today.

You should have a column Dragonlady's Daily Rant, like Andy Rooney on 60 minutes! I agree with you totally on over-reporting. That's why after the Chandra Levy case I don't watch cabel news, because on NBC than only have thirty minutes to give you all the stories.

No need to tell them. They continue to suffer violent attacks where there are significant numbers of Muslims. As do Christians in some African nations.
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After looking at the numbers of bad guys they're catching at airports, can you imagine how many are coming across from Mexico? We as a nation ought to be scared: very scared.

The very openness that was once (and might otherwise still be) an admirable characteristic is now an incredible threat to our safety.