Lily Allen: ‘I’m a US customs target’

[Mira]

Actually the black ones are the nicer ones. It's the young Hispanics that seem to boil over just at the sight of me and I have no idea why. I asked one of my daughter's friends who is Hispanic, who happens to be in her early 20's, and what I said earlier is exactly what she said to me - which is exactly what my take was before asking her. They're jealous and they have major authority figure issues.

Not my problem. Except when they treat me badly for absolutely no reason at all.

Oh and by the way, I'm a lot older than you are. I think it's interesting that you think the way people are treated is all their fault. I was brought up to behave and respect people, and smile and be polite - and I am. But the fact is, a lot of people weren't and aren't and they don't give one shit how they treat you - they're so focused upon their own problems and their issues that they can't see the forest for the trees. It's become more and more glaringly obvious in recent years - particularly Southern California, which is one of the MANY reasons a lot of people want the hell out of there now.

[CherubRock]

I liked your posts about this thread, Mira. You offer some interesting insight.

I agree that an individual's attitude won't necessarily determine how that person is going to be treated. Some people in positions of authority (like US Customs Agents) just get off knowing that they can treat someone badly or hassle them, without any real consequences. If they are nasty just for the sake of being nasty, it is their own problem, and the recipient of their attitude isn't to blame.

[Mira]

Well, thanks. It's very sad that many people are brought up to hate others for different things. I was not brought up like that, but then I was fortunate enough to be born into a middle-class home with comforts. I'm very grateful for that.

I also asked my daughter's friend about this issue of people of color being taught to "hate whitey" from childhood, and she thought it's the lower economic classes who do that, because they feel trapped into dead-end low-paying jobs.

Well you know everything is changing in the U.S. and a lot of white middle-class people are eating shit right now. Their lives are going down the tubes. And many people's lives have tanked already with very little hope of improvement. If somebody wants to be happy about that, let em. But it's sad that they would ever feel that way. I wish happiness and success for everyone.

Diversity training is SO needed in this society (actually the world over), but employers and some schools only do it because they have to or so they won't be sued or liable in any way. They'd rather just "get another body in there" if people can't cope or behave. Everybody loses when that happens - which is way too often.

[Picara]

Originally Posted by Mira

Oh and by the way, I'm a lot older than you are. I think it's interesting that you think the way people are treated is all their fault. I was brought up to behave and respect people, and smile and be polite - and I am. But the fact is, a lot of people weren't and aren't and they don't give one shit how they treat you - they're so focused upon their own problems and their issues that they can't see the forest for the trees. It's become more and more glaringly obvious in recent years - particularly Southern California, which is one of the MANY reasons a lot of people want the hell out of there now.

Please. There you go generalizing again. First of all, I never said that the way people are treated is ALWAYS their fault. The majority of the time, yes, I think it is. I deal with Hispanic men every single day. I've only found them to be respectful to me as well as the women who are ten and twenty years older than I am.

I think your comment about hispanics being raised to "hate whitey" speaks volumes about your attitude. I don't care how polite you *think* you are, I'm sure how you really feel comes through loud and clear.

Ya know, for the record your comment about how you have a degree in sociology and my response better be good was obnoxious. FYI.

ETA:

It's the young Hispanics that seem to boil over just at the sight of me and I have no idea why

This? Just astounding. I think you may be a wee bit paranoid Mira.

[Mira]

Yeah, it was obnoxious, because I felt your opinion about my post was rather uncalled for as well.

All I know is I've been in stores where I've been treated badly FOR NO REASON AT ALL. And it's not because they're picking up "some vibe" either It's because I've noticed that the treatment is different than in the past. That.is.all. And I specifically mentioned it was YOUNGER people toward OLDER people who were of different color.

As for your thinking I'm paranoid, there again that is your opinion as you have no idea who I am, what I'm like and what the situation was. Christ I'm sorry I brought it up. Now I'll probably get bashed by god knows who for taking Jesus's name in vain even though there are others on this board who do it.

Obviously we disagree about this issue and I'm not going to waste my time arguing with you about it.

[Picara]

Originally Posted by Mira

Yeah, it was obnoxious, because I felt your opinion about my post was rather uncalled for as well.

Why? Can't I post my opinion as well. Even though I'm not as prolific of a poster as you, I still have a right to voice my opinion, whether you feel it's uncalled for or not.

As for your thinking I'm paranoid, there again that is your opinion as you have no idea who I am, what I'm like and what the situation was.

My opinion was based on what you wrote.

Christ I'm sorry I brought it up. Now I'll probably get bashed by god knows who for taking Jesus's name in vain even though there are others on this board who do it.

Please, stop with the victimization whine. Your post revealed your racist attitude. I called you out on it. No one is picking on you. Your sorry that you revealed more about yourself than you'd like others to know. You stereotype and generalize. End of story.

Obviously we disagree about this issue and I'm not going to waste my time arguing with you about it.

Finally! We agree about something.

[ChangingEventually]

I live in a very wealthy neighborhood in LA and I go to school in a horrible neighborhood. It's a great school, just in a bad area. About 10% of the students there are middle class or higher. Everyone else is...um...not middle class or higher and I think out of 700 of us, there's probably less than 50 fully Caucasian kids in my school. Everyone else is another race or mixed races. Anyway, point of all of this is that I see how people around where I live and where I go to school are like.

Mira, I'm definitely not trying to call you out on anything. I respect you and overall agree with a lot of the stuff you say on here:

So, what I've noticed is that the wealthy Caucasian people around my neighborhood always act rude to my friends when they come around but my friends don't play that shit. They'll come at you if you disrespect them. And then the older white people complain about how they were being nice and not doing anything and the kids just gave them attitude.

Also, I'm half white and when I tell people around my school that, they don't really care much. Of course they make the "white" jokes but I don't really look or act like much of a "white" girl so they stop with all that because if one of them takes it too far, they know I'm gonna get on them. But anyway, it's not that others have a problem with authority or that they're jealous, it's that they just don't like you.

Like I said, you might be nice on the surface and all that, but most people DO get vibes. I had someone sort of like you walk by me before and she was acting very nice too, but she had this vibe and this strut and this look in her eye. I was ready to knock the bitch out.

It's not just the way you act, it's the vibe and the way you handle yourself. I've seen you make posts on here about this all before and no offense, but if you give off that kind of vibe in life, hell, I'd look at you with hate in my eyes too.

Like I said, not trying to call you out or anything. Just something I noticed on here about you and about the situation in general.

[celeb_2006]

When I used to work at the airport in the nineties, i worked quite often with customs agents, the ones that worked in the international passenger arrival area. Most of them were a bunch of wankers with chips on their shoulders. Some of them treated passengers from foreign countries like shyte. I sincerely hope they improved a bit on the customer service side of things since then.

[pacific breeze]

Originally Posted by Picara

So do you have problems with every younger customer service employee, wherever you go? If that were true, every older passenger would be having problems with customs agents, not just you.

I still believe most problems are the fault of the attitude of the passenger. If you want to be polite and accomadating, you experience will be better. Like I said, there are those that they no doubt profile, but a middle aged white mother is not on the list.

I don't think you have a clue what you are talking about. Sorry, but you don't. I have travelled back and forth to the States on business and pleasure most of my adult life and the attitude of Customs people is so hostile now that my husband and I have decided not to travel to, or through, the U.S. until things change.

We are white, middle-aged, polite, possess no criminal records, and know enough to keep our mouths shut and never volunteer anything unless asked. And yet we have been harrassed, treated like criminals, searched, and abused at more than one U.S. airport. And we weren't even staying in the U.S., these were transit flights to Australia and Europe!! Friends of ours who happen to have brown or black skin have been treated far worse, and they didn't have criminal records or anything else, either.

I've had good experiences (and bad) in the past with Customs' officials on both sides of the border, but 9/11 seems to be an excuse for far too many to abuse their power. Until things change, we won't be back, however much we'd like to visit.

There was a show about Windsor, Ontario, a border town and people on both sides of the border were bitching about how the current nastiness toward people who are clearly NOT terrorists is hurting business, especially the Americans. One trucker was getting out of the industry because he couldn't deal with the everyday hassles. I really don't think all of us are the problem -- it's a mindset to see how unpleasant they can be, which doesn't have a whole lot to do with their actual job.
__________

[Picara]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

I don't think you have a clue what you are talking about. Sorry, but you don't. I have travelled back and forth to the States on business and pleasure most of my adult life and the attitude of Customs people is so hostile now that my husband and I have decided not to travel to, or through, the U.S. until things change.

I'm sorry, but we were discussing specifically flying in and out of Southern California. Did you have bad experiences there as well Pacific Breeze? My posts were limited SPECIFICALLY to that area. If you go back and read the post, you'll be aware of that little fact. Also, clueless or not, I still contend that the way you treat people can greatly affect the way people treat you. Of course abuses in power happen all the time, in many different situations. So I'm not contending that it NEVER happens. But in Southern California, which my post addressed, which we were SPECIFICALLY discussing, I have NEVER had an instance of someone treating me badly based on the color of my skin. Again, if you carefully read the posts, Pacific Breeze, this is what Mira was contending. So while I may be clueless in your eyes, I happily travel in and out of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. And I have yet to be harrassed by any hispanics who hate me because I'm a white woman.

Whatever.

[pacific breeze]

Yes, both my recent experiences happened at LAX. Sorry for not mentioning that.

[Picara]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

Yes, both my recent experiences happened at LAX. Sorry for not mentioning that.

My sympathies then. Just call me the Lucky, clueless traveler. I hope my luck continues!

[ChangingEventually]

Originally Posted by Picara

I'm sorry, but we were discussing specifically flying in and out of Southern California. Did you have bad experiences there as well Pacific Breeze? My posts were limited SPECIFICALLY to that area. If you go back and read the post, you'll be aware of that little fact. Also, clueless or not, I still contend that the way you treat people can greatly affect the way people treat you. Of course abuses in power happen all the time, in many different situations. So I'm not contending that it NEVER happens. But in Southern California, which my post addressed, which we were SPECIFICALLY discussing, I have NEVER had an instance of someone treating me badly based on the color of my skin. Again, if you carefully read the posts, Pacific Breeze, this is what Mira was contending. So while I may be clueless in your eyes, I happily travel in and out of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. And I have yet to be harrassed by any hispanics who hate me because I'm a white woman.

Whatever.

I've never been harassed either and I've traveled a lot. As has my mother (Spanish and Hispanic) and my father (French and Caucasian). Neither of them were treated badly. I traveled before and after 9/11 and yes, security has gotten tougher but not many people I know were treated badly. Well, some people I know were but in my opinion, they deserved it a little bit because of their attitudes. I'm not saying that's the case here, but people don't truly know how they act or the vibe they give off.

Of course, some people abuse their power. That's for sure. But not always and not always in one area. I mean, after a while when more than two or so people at the airport are a little pissed off with you, isn't it time to look at yourself and see if it's not you who's the problem?

[Picara]

Originally Posted by ChangingEventually

I mean, after a while when more than two or so people at the airport are a little pissed off with you, isn't it time to look at yourself and see if it's not you who's the problem?

So true!

[moomies]