Seriousness Peter Watts arrested at US border

TadW · 12-11-2009, 07:37 PM

Remember hugo-award-nominated science fiction author Peter Watts? Well, he is in serious legal trouble after he was imprisoned by US border guards on December 8. BoingBoing has the story:

Quote:

My friend, the wonderful sf writer Peter Watts was beaten without provocation and arrested by US border guards on Tuesday. I heard about it early Wednesday morning in London and called Cindy Cohn, the legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. She worked her contacts to get in touch with civil rights lawyers in Michigan, and we mobilized with Caitlin Sweet (Peter's partner) and David Nickle (Peter's friend) and Peter was arraigned and bailed out later that day.

Link to the full article: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/12/11...tts-canad.html

I don't want to turn this into a political discussion (there are other places better suitable for it, and God knows what was really going on) - I only wanted to bring it to your attention in case you wanted to assist Mr. Watts in dealing with the legal fees.

Moejoe · 12-11-2009, 08:06 PM

One of the many reasons I would never, ever visit the US (the flying bit is the worst though, couldn't do that for love nor money). In any case, I made a small donation.

Elfwreck · 12-11-2009, 09:11 PM

I tell non-USA friends that this is not a good time to visit the country. And by "this," I mean "this decade, and maybe the next one too."

Watts' own account is at his blog:

Quote:

In some other universe I am warm and content and not looking at spending two years in jail for the crime of having been punched in the face.

Sometimes I think the best way for the rest of the world to deal with the growing totalitarianism in the USA is to boycott us... stop visiting, stop buying, until our gun-enhanced security forces start using that "innocent until proven guilty" premise that's supposedly a big part of our legal system.

Moejoe · 12-11-2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I tell non-USA friends that this is not a good time to visit the country. And by "this," I mean "this decade, and maybe the next one too."

Watts' own account is at his blog:
Sometimes I think the best way for the rest of the world to deal with the growing totalitarianism in the USA is to boycott us... stop visiting, stop buying, until our gun-enhanced security forces start using that "innocent until proven guilty" premise that's supposedly a big part of our legal system.

I doubt a boycott will be necessary, your country (like mine) is eating itself from the inside out. How do you say 'Have a nice day!' in Mandarin again?

Barcey · 12-11-2009, 11:21 PM

Very odd. When crossing from USA to Canada it's normally just a US toll booth. I've never been stopped by the US border guards when leaving the US.

Ham88 · 12-12-2009, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barcey

Very odd. When crossing from USA to Canada it's normally just a US toll booth. I've never been stopped by the US border guards when leaving the US.

When I went to Canada I got stopped on the way back in, which consisted of the guard guy walking around the car,and opening the trunk for all of five seconds.

kindlekitten · 12-12-2009, 01:26 AM

note to moderators:

I am being very very good here... do I get to post a thread?

nikkie · 12-12-2009, 02:08 AM

This seems very odd to me. I've gone back and forth between Canada and the United States many times for sushi, and only ever been stopped once. (A dog had signaled on my car for no reason. After they searched it, I was left to continue going in.)

In any case, that is horrible!

TadW · 12-12-2009, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I tell non-USA friends that this is not a good time to visit the country. And by "this," I mean "this decade, and maybe the next one too."

Thanks for ignoring my wish to not make this political.

mtravellerh · 12-12-2009, 04:40 AM

So let's forget about those politics and try to find out what can be done for Peter!

MTravellerH

Moderator

PS: I hate all kinds of generalized opinions! They tend to sound good and be totally wrong!

HarryT · 12-12-2009, 05:04 AM

Presumably there will be CCTV cameras at a border crossing. Their coverage should show the truth of what happened.

AprilHare · 12-12-2009, 05:53 AM

Wikipedia: Miranda rights

Quote:

...police are only required to warn an individual whom they intend to subject to custodial interrogation at the police station, in a police vehicle, or when detained. Arrests can occur without questioning and without the Miranda warning—although if the police do change their mind and decide to interrogate the suspect, the warning must then be given.

AprilHare · 12-12-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TadW

Thanks for ignoring my wish to not make this political.

You're talking about cross-border relations - it's a political issue first and foremost. Those border guards aren't there because it'd be fun to hang around a line drawn on a map.

AprilHare · 12-12-2009, 06:36 AM

Border Security: Australia's Front Line and Homeland Security USA (aka Border Security USA) - if you wanna know why borders are so political, watch one of those TV shows..

mtravellerh · 12-12-2009, 06:56 AM

Once again and this means you, AprilHare!

This will not be a political discussion thread. We are talking about the personal crisis of a writer here. We won't discuss border politics! This is not the point here at all! We keep this thread open so we can discuss possibilities to help Peter. Don't make us close this!

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12-11-2009, 08:06 PM	#2
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	One of the many reasons I would never, ever visit the US (the flying bit is the worst though, couldn't do that for love nor money). In any case, I made a small donation.

12-11-2009, 11:21 PM	#5
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	Very odd. When crossing from USA to Canada it's normally just a US toll booth. I've never been stopped by the US border guards when leaving the US.

12-12-2009, 01:26 AM	#7
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	note to moderators: I am being very very good here... do I get to post a thread?

12-12-2009, 02:08 AM	#8
nikkie Guru Posts: 614 Karma: 73700 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: WA, USA Device: Android, Kindle Paperwhite, lots of ancient readers	This seems very odd to me. I've gone back and forth between Canada and the United States many times for sushi, and only ever been stopped once. (A dog had signaled on my car for no reason. After they searched it, I was left to continue going in.) In any case, that is horrible!

12-12-2009, 04:40 AM	#10
mtravellerh book creator Posts: 9,657 Karma: 3856660 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Luxembourg Device: Kindle Scribe	So let's forget about those politics and try to find out what can be done for Peter! MTravellerH Moderator PS: I hate all kinds of generalized opinions! They tend to sound good and be totally wrong!

12-12-2009, 05:04 AM	#11
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Presumably there will be CCTV cameras at a border crossing. Their coverage should show the truth of what happened.

12-12-2009, 06:36 AM	#14
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Border Security: Australia's Front Line and Homeland Security USA (aka Border Security USA) - if you wanna know why borders are so political, watch one of those TV shows..

12-12-2009, 06:56 AM	#15
mtravellerh book creator Posts: 9,657 Karma: 3856660 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Luxembourg Device: Kindle Scribe	Once again and this means you, AprilHare! This will not be a political discussion thread. We are talking about the personal crisis of a writer here. We won't discuss border politics! This is not the point here at all! We keep this thread open so we can discuss possibilities to help Peter. Don't make us close this!

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