Total BS - I really feel safe now

[mr.radon]

My folks immigrated to the US in the 60’s; we have family in England, Germany, and Austria. Last week my dad received a letter from his sister in England. To his surprise it was opened. See the attached pictures.

The scans show the customs sticker used to reseal the envelope. They had opened it for inspection, inserting a note explaining it was done for his safety. I could understand this if it were addressed to the President but for personal correspondence from relatives in a friendly country (England) to be inspected like this is ridiculous. I wonder if letters from Tony Blair to George Bush get that same treatment? I'm writing my congressional representative and Senators. WTF?

The government can spend money to inspect personal mail because it might contain an ounce of anthrax but keep illegals from crossing the borders who could be backpacking 50 pounds of anthrax? No! If we allow letter inspection, why not allow machine gun nests along the border with interlocking fields of fire to gun down all those potential anthrax smugglers? I'd feel a whole lot safer. (tongue in cheek)

[mr.radon]

The front of the letter.

[iain]

wow that's pretty obnoxious. I thought the British were our allies. My folks get a lot of mail from England but have never come across this. Maybe a dog gave an alert to the pile of mail your letter was in? Only guessing.

[sk]

wow that's pretty obnoxious. I thought the British were our allies. My folks get a lot of mail from England but have never come across this. Maybe a dog gave an alert to the pile of mail your letter was in? Only guessing.

we get lots of mail from the UK as well as my great auntie lives there.... I would be so sad id someone read he x-mas card to me.

[bunglehead]

Wow what vigilance against "terism"

I'd be pissed too.

[vegetablebelay]

Next thing you know, they'll be searching our luggage too.

[lummox]

your aunt COULD BE A THREAT. it is called the bush doctrine. and if you dont like it you aint a patriot.

[Dru]

the shoe bomber was a brit

[marylou]

Wow, they are inspecting our mail now...that is complete bullshit.

[scott_harpell]

They have been doing it for a long time. I had mail opened from Canada.

[erik]

when i flew to minnesota a few months back they searched my bag on the return trip home....didnt really bother me as there is nothing we can do about it...tho i really felt like saluting the little propaganda they tossed in my bag....

[scott_harpell]

when i flew to minnesota a few months back they searched my bag on the return trip home....didnt really bother me as there is nothing we can do about it...tho i really felt like saluting the little propaganda they tossed in my bag....

 

salute it by using it as ass wipe.

[msbehavin]

Are you the same Scott Harpell the girls that hang out in Everett talk about? You know, the "little engine that could".

[HRoark]

Are you the same Scott Harpell the girls that hang out in Everett talk about? You know, the "little engine that could".

 

Only he says, "chug-a-cock, chug-a-cock, chug-a-cock..."

 

Bwahahahahaa!!!!

[glacier]

Soon after 9/11 my folks sent me a package, which I received in battered and opened condition a couple of weeks later with the 'inspected for security' or some such bullshit sticker on it. The most amusing thing was that the jar of homemade jam my mom had sent was missing. We had a lot of running jokes regarding the state of homeland (homemade?) security after that.

 

On the opposite end, I sent a 'rattlesnake egg' (look it up if you don't know what it is) to a friend in Saudi Arabia in the late 1980's - as the envelope was bulky and contained metal, local postal workers were required to open it. My friend was called to the compound post office, wondering what the big deal was- he watched as two Saudi postal workers, sweating bullets, tentatively opened the envelope, then jumped back screaming at the 'egg' released, buzzing. He immediately knew who sent it and sent me a rather amused letter.

[msbehavin]

Soon after 9/11 my folks sent me a package, which I received in battered and opened condition a couple of weeks later with the 'inspected for security' or some such bullshit sticker on it. The most amusing thing was that the jar of homemade jam my mom had sent was missing. We had a lot of running jokes regarding the state of homeland (homemade?) security after that.

 

On the opposite end, I sent a 'rattlesnake egg' (look it up if you don't know what it is) to a friend in Saudi Arabia in the late 1980's - as the envelope was bulky and contained metal, local postal workers were required to open it. My friend was called to the compound post office, wondering what the big deal was- he watched as two Saudi postal workers, sweating bullets, tentatively opened the envelope, then jumped back screaming at the 'egg' released, buzzing. He immediately knew who sent it and sent me a rather amused letter.

your story sux - go suck harpell's cock

[scott_harpell]

Are you the same Scott Harpell the girls that hang out in Everett talk about? You know, the "little engine that could".

 

Dont be bitter that you just... couldn't. Old age is a bitch aint it?

[mr.radon]

After talking with friends it seems the thing they hit on was no return address. See the attachment in the second post.

I feel I might be releasing a national security secret here, but if all that is required to poison my parents is a fake return address I feel real secure. Sad state of affairs. I wonder if they scan in the letters to check for hidden codes or just to forward amusing ones to co-workers. If I get a reply from the people elected to represent me I'll post'em.

I also wonder if this will get my parents put on some special "watch list". What about local mail?

[scott_harpell]

go suck harpell's cock

 

He'll ahve to wait in line. I think you are 2nd, right after Greg.

[msbehavin]

I hear Dru goes for sloppy seconds.

[scott_harpell]

i can vouch for that.

[HRoark]

go suck harpell's cock

 

He'll ahve to wait in line. I think you are 2nd, right after Greg.

 

Sorry, Greg doesn't go for teen crack whores like you.

[scott_harpell]

So I guess you are next msbehaving. Take those dentures out eh?

[Rodchester]

Any thing (customs) or person (immigration) the crosses into or out of the USA going to or coming from a foreign place is subject to search (except diplomatic pouches). This has been the rule of law in the US since its founding and has been widely recognized international law for centuries. This law is applied almost universally in almost every country.

 

Your point about the inability to stop the smuggler (or illegal worker) from crossing the borders without being checked is correct, well taken, and frustrating.

 

I can see where you’d be pissed off.

 

As far as it being from a friendly country goes, statistically you’re correct in implying that the VAST majority of Brits would not seek to terrorize the US, however, threats can, and do come from anywhere and everywhere. Think McViegh.

[mattp]

Valid points all, Rodchester, but I think much of this "homeland security" B.S. is really just another part of GWBush's reelection campaign. After 9/11 they had to respond, and I'm sure they have some high quality security experts on the job, but we've repeatedly learned that it is just about as easy to get a boxcutter onto an airplane today as it was the day before 9/11. Similarly, I bet the opening of a letter from England once in a while has done little or nothing to reduce our possible exposure to letter bombs or deadly poisons. Meanwhile, we are reminded every day that we are a nation at war and that those bad guys from the Middle East want to kill us, and we are told GW has it handled for us.