On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 13:48:23 GMT, L. M. Rappaport
wrote:

Yes, that's it. Thanks.

No problem.

your narrative -

I would like to apologize for my countrymen.

That's entirely unnecessary....and not only because it wasn't me it
happened to, but a pal at my club I was quoting. But thanks for the
sentiment.

The latest round of "security measures" affect ALL boaters
equally...if not necessarily coherently or effectively.

Yes, I find it
incredibly stupid that they can spend so much time chasing pleasure
boaters all the while allowing containerships free reign. It just
doesn't make sense, and if I were a terrorist, I would certainly take
note.

I hope they haven't. A few friends and I recently spent an evening
drinking beer and writing on a notepad the various ways a terrorist
with an ounce of initiative and the sort of explosives knowledge
available to a road builder could kill a lot of infidel Westerners. By
the time we determined driving an LPG tanker with 50 lbs of powered
cesium on deck into a shoreline tank farm in New Jersey would be
devastatingly, Hiroshima-scale effective, we had scared ourselves
completely sober. Which is no state for a sailor on dry land to
endure...G

That said, and living on the border, I could relate some similar
stories about a few Canadian border officials.

Like I said, Americans and Canadians suffer jointly from jumped-up
autocrats who were generally too stupid to get into the cops and now
have vast powers...

One, in particular,
insulted my wife who happens to be extremely hard of hearing, even
with two expensive hearing aids. That caused me to lodge a formal
complaint, although nothing was done about it.

I would suggest you approach a Toronto newspaper or the nearest
Canadian city on the north shore with your story. Canadians cherish
the illusion they are polite and courteous, and rude officials will
catch hell for abusing visitors...especially "disabled" ones.

So go public and watch the roasting begin. As a Canadian, I want our
maritime laws enforced, but POLITELY. Most people on the water are OK,
but you get the occasional idiot.

I think the problem is twofold: both countries give their border
officials quite broad powers - powers beyond what a law enforcement
official would normally have at least in this country. Some of these
officials are, uhh, less than sterling in their character and tend to
take advantage of what they see to be their elevated status.

Exactly. Jail guards and drill sergeants can exhibit the same
behaviour...making a tough job tougher


It happens on both sides, Rhys, and, again, I'm sorry.

It does, and I'm sorry your wife was treated poorly. Boating should be
fun, not some Gestapo roust. How this is supposed to make us "safe" is
beyond me.

R.