As you get closer, a Customs agent looks at you and your vehicle, and if he or she sees anything suspicious-such as the skin color of the occupants, an out-of-state license plate or maybe those back wheels look a bit too Dukes of Hazzard (if you know what I mean)-you'd be politely asked to stop for further interrogation.
Oh yes, I speak from experience here, going through the Sierra Blanca checkpoint a few years ago (pictured above). Since my wife and I are both completely innocuous-looking Caucasians, the agent gave us a quick once-over and gave us the 'move along, move along' hand motion everyone prays for in these situations. But as soon as I started accelerating, I saw the agent in my rear-view mirror. He'd just noticed our nifty 'Kanuk' vanity plates and realized that WE PROBABLY WEREN'T ACTUALLY AMERICAN (cue scary music) and had realized he should've stopped us. I'm sure he lies awake at night wondering if he let evil Canadians go in a moment of inattention.
After this experience, I talked to some of my colleagues about these checkpoints and my shock at finding out they even existed. All of them, even the staunch Republicans told me that they thought these checkpoints were un-American, because Americans shouldn't be stopped to be checked for citizenship within the borders of the United States.
What's mordantly amusing about this is how tea baggers and other folks on the right keep accusing President Obama of being a fascist (when they're not accusing him of being a socialist). And yet, this kind of law is based on a fascist ideology that was introduced and passed by... Republicans. Go figure.
Thanks to Taste is Sweet for her input and suggestions.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
