Airport Security Rules BACKLASH

derg

Apparently a "terse" writer
Staff member
Reuters
US pilot detained in Brazil in fingerprinting spat
Wednesday January 14, 1:38 pm ET
By Todd Benson


SAO PAULO, Brazil, Jan 14 (Reuters) - An American Airlines pilot was arrested
at Sao Paulo International Airport on Wednesday after making an obscene gesture
while being photographed by Brazilian immigration officers, police said.
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The pilot, identified as Dale Robin Hirsch, raised his middle finger at police
to protest new Brazilian security measures that require U.S. citizens to be
fingerprinted and photographed upon entering the South American country.


Brazil implemented the policy on Jan. 1 in retaliation for a similar U.S.
program that requires those foreign visitors who need visas to have their
fingerprints and pictures taken on arrival in the United States.


"He made an internationally known obscene gesture when he was being
photographed by the Federal Police," Federal Police agent Wagner Castilho told
Reuters. He said the other crew members were denied entry after refusing to
cooperate with security officials.

The incident came just one day after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva personally appealed to U.S. President George W. Bush to suspend visa
requirements for each other's nationals and thus fingerprint checks.

Lula's request was expected to fall on deaf ears in Washington. Brazilians are
among the top groups of illegal immigrants detained in the United States.

Castilho said the pilot will be charged with disobeying authority. A judge will
decide whether Hirsch, 52, will be deported or tried in Brazil, Castilho added.

The remaining 11 members of the Miami-based crew were expected to be returned
to the United States.

A spokesman in Sao Paulo for American Airlines (NYSE:AMR - News) said the
carrier "respects the laws of the countries in which it operates," but declined
further comment.

U.S. citizens have been subject to long lines at Brazilian airports since the
new security measures were implemented, prompting Secretary of State Colin
Powell to complain that Americans were being discriminated against.

Eager to speed up the process, Brazil on Wednesday rushed to gather digital
fingerprint readers from police stations across the country. Officials said
they will be ready by Thursday to register U.S. visitors in "30 seconds" rather
than the hours it takes with an inkpad.

With Rio de Janeiro's famous Carnival coming in February, the city is worried
about the impact on tourism. It has taken to handing out roses and "Rio Loves
You" T-shirts to U.S. visitors and on Wednesday laid on hip-wriggling Samba
dancers at its airport arrival gate.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Hay in Brasilia)
 
Re: TSA Security Rules BACKLASH

I'm not sure that the fingerprinting rules are actually TSA ones. I thought they were from the immigration side of the Department of Homeland Security.
 
Re: TSA Security Rules BACKLASH

Wait .. you mean our (national policy) actions may have consequences with other countries?


[/sarcasm]
 
Re: TSA Security Rules BACKLASH

So I said "Airport" instead
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Whether it is reasonable (our new policy of fingerprinting foreigners traveling to our country) or not, Brazil's policy is obscene. They have no reason for doing finger printing other than to spite us, and that is just sad in my eyes.
 
Oh my Gosh I KNOW HIM! I rode his jumpseat to San Juan several times!

He's a great guy! What a bogus story this is turning out to be.
 
It is their country, as the host they have they have the right to impose what rules on guest visiting that they see fit.
 
i think its stupid these charges against him.

Thats pretty clever though the way he flipped them off, I wouldnt have thought of that.
 
I think that their reaction to what he did is a bit extreme, but I wouldn't call him clever. It's another example of Americans thinking that they can demand something of others but that they are above having the same demands placed on them. I'll never be proud of a fellow American - pilot, skiier, photographer, or otherwise - showing blatant disrespect and contempt for another country and their government.

Shame on him.
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[ QUOTE ]
It is their country, as the host they have they have the right to impose what rules on guest visiting that they see fit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. I don't know where people get the idea that just because we're Americans we ought to play be a different set of rules than everyone else. That is the "ugly American" stereotype to the letter and it's just disgraceful for us to show that kind of disrespect to another country.
 
You mean like the people that are pissed off because they get jeered when they walk into a brasserie in Paris and scream "Ya'll speak English Fran-schwah?"
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I agree. Sometimes I really wish I were not from the US. There are too many people here who are too arrogant to realize that we do not own the world. Once you step outside these borders things are entirely different. That being said, while this was a stupid thing to do on his part, they did take it to an extreme which is not necessary. I can't say too much about it though, when we would do the same thing here.
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[ QUOTE ]
I agree. Sometimes I really wish I were not from the US. There are too many people here who are too arrogant to realize that we do not own the world. Once you step outside these borders things are entirely different. That being said, while this was a stupid thing to do on his part, they did take it to an extreme which is not necessary. I can't say too much about it though, when we would do the same thing here.
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[/ QUOTE ]

On the other side there are some great people that live in the United States.

I love this country and would want nothing other, though I do have to say we've lost our way a bit the last few years..


Suite Madame Blue...
 
Maybe he wasn't thinking about foreign policy or national policy. Maybe he was just pissed off because of needless bureaucratic garbage. I'm sure plenty of Brazilians have given our TSA boys the finger too. To say that he was an American because he had a bad moment is just wrong.

I say way to go!

If more of us show our discontent at this kind of garbage than some of it might go away.
 
was he shooting the bird looked like he was holding the paper as best as he could.
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FYI I have some great swamp land uhh I mean waterfront land to sell you.....
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