Would You Cross the Borders?

"...you go by the laws of the country you are in." Absolutely. Do we not expect people when they visit our country to respect and obey our laws? Are they not subject to our legal system and courts? I travel to canada all the time, and truthfully, have never had a bit of trouble with it. It truly depends on the country your visiting. I wouldn't for example travel to a country like say Saudia arabia knowing I could theoreticaly be beheaded for an unknown simple breach of shiria law. Oh, the case point you made, it was in singapore, the kid commited vandlism. But vandleism is ilegal pretty much anywhere in the world so its not like the kid had no idea he was brealing the law. even if he didn't realize the penalty was so harsh, it was still the law of the country he was viviting.

I am in Canada and I would cross over into the United States in a heartbeat. As for you crossing into Canada, you have to remember that here, the party follows the dictates of their party leaders, we have long emergency room rates, our money is different, it snows more up here, and we are supposed to love hockey and curling. Also there are no rights for the unborn here. So if a friend of yours who was pregnant went into Canada and her husband followed her, the creep who did not want children, and kills her he would only be punished for murdering his wife. In the States, he would be punished for only one murder. Mind you, about Europe, I would not mind going to Great Britain and Ireland and Wales, and Spain and Italy, but I would hesitate to go elsewhere and since I would not carry a Canadian flag, would be in serious trouble if someone mistook me for an American. Maybe I could pretend I have relatives there. They are all over the place.

Why would you expect another country to uphold OUR CONSTITUTION. Don't you realize that any traveller who enters the US has to follow OUR rules, not their country's rules? That's silly. Sure, there are places that are dangerous to travel to: Columbia, Sudan, North Korea - there are places where travellers are in danger, just because the country is war torn, or places where lawlessness is rampant, and you are likely to get mugged or kidnapped. GUESS WHAT!! Muggings, shootings and kidnappings happen in the US TOO! I used to work for a multinational corporation, and they had a page on their intranet showing the danger levels for foreigners travelling to other countries. Blue being safe, and RED being an advisory NOT to go. Guess what? The UNITED STATES WAS ORANGE! Many European countries were yellow and green. iceland was blue. :) This was when I was preparing for my honeymoon in Peru. Peru was yellow - mostly because a band of rebels hiding out in the jungle may be a threat in certain areas. I never once felt unsafe in peru. Sure, I didn't carry a big purse that was easy to grab, and kept my money underneath my shirt where it wasn't accessible, and I held my head up high. But it isn't going to stop me from travelling. I think it's actually something that encourages seperatism, exclusionism and xenophobia - to think that other countries are less safe. Honey - YOUR country isn't safe!! As for that kid who got caned in Singapore? His parents should have known better. Singapore has VERY strict rules regarding graffiti and public cleanliness. If you have ever been there, you will note that the country is probably one of the CLEANEST and most CRIME FREE places you could visit - because they uphold strict rules. What that kid did was a very large crime in that country, and sorry, but he deserved to pay. If you are going to visit someplace else, learn their rules and behave yourself.

I was just in Mexico last February. I didn't give it a second thought leaving the country. I knew I was going to a private resort and I intended on not leaving the resort and going into town. My belief is you can't live in fear of what might happen.

To make a correction on the young man who vandalised a car and got caned, he was caned in Singapore, not China/Japan. Easy mistake to make. The young man shouldn't be afraid of leaving the US, he should be more concerned with breaking their laws and receiving the punishment. He still didn't learn from his mistakes. It's a shame. Now, for me, I would be ok with traveling outside of our great nation. I may have no choice, my husband is in the military. I know there are many who fear flying within the states even! My father is one of those people and I can't say I wouldn't worry a little bit myself, but I can't live in fear my entire life worrying about if my plane is going to be hijacked, or if I reach another country will I be kidnapped? Those are things I can't worry about. If I were to worry so much about it, I would fear just about everything going on around me. We have just as bad threats here in our country.

I have. I had no problems. 3 years ago I went to Australia. I've been on airplanes since the 9/11 attacks years back and I've been to a whole other country since the war started. I'm not gonna live in fear because of what's going on. I'm going to live my life the way I choose to live it because you never know when you're not going to get a tomorrow...

Really when you go to another country you try to abide by their laws. If all he got was a caning he was very lucky! Most countries would throw ya in jail and throw away the key adn no one reports that you are there so no one knows where you have got to.

Well... I think that the best thing to do is to find as much information about the place that you want to visit. Because u can fight fear with information. If you know a lot about the place where you are going you will be less afraid to actually go. The US is big so u dont have to worry about it being to small even if u dont ever leave. But I live on island so you can get very bored of the things that are around you very fast so its better to get to know the world for me. I have been to many places in my life and i know a lot about a lot of cultures so im never afraid. I know 4 languages too so im not afraid of not being understood either.

I have never been out of the US and can't really afford to take a trip that would require me to cross the border, though I have been close. Once I was only 3 miles from Mexico when hubby decided to go look at some land in West Texas. Even being that close we didn't consider making a brief stop since we didn't have any papers to prove our citizenship and didn't want to risk any problems even back then. Things have gotten much worse in the last decade so we tend to stick close to home. :)

Well, I can see your point in this matter. However, I am planning a trip to Japan in the spring and I am looking forward to it. There is danger everywhere and look at how many people lost their lives on American soil on 9/11 and it was all due to hatred! We can't live our lives being afraid of people like Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.

I would cross the borders into friendly nations, fully knowing the risks of leaving the protection of the US. The airports and planes are a big concern for me so I will not be going anywhere outside the US soon. Thinking on today I may rethink flying in the US, but I am not going to live in fear. I enjoy traveling and I intend to when the chance arises.

Each country has its own laws which they feel will maintain law and order in the country. Some may be very strict, but then they curb violence and crime. Actually it is unwise to go to a country which is torn in violence. It is so easy to be held hostage in such a country. Better to be safe than sorry. Many workers who went to Afghanistan after it got its freedom from franatics, got caught up in the turmoil and held hostages. More so, be careful when you visit a communist country.

Oh yes, I would absolutely cross the border. There are some places where I would not go because it doesn't interest me but I have no problem travelling internationally. I live in Michigan so I frequently go to Canada. I also travel a lot for work to England and Scandinavia which I have no problem with. Sure there are rules in other countries that are different from here but you just have to be careful. I personally don't feel bad about that kid who was caned. I mean, WTF was he thinking by committing that crime? It was a stupid thing to do and he would have had consequences here, it's just that the consequences there were more extreme. If you go to another country and act like a normal person and don't do stupid things you'd be fine. I can't think of a place I'd go where I'd do something so stupid as to be held hostage for it. For me, NOT being able to travel and be stuck here in the US forever is like being held hostage.

I have only been out of the country once and that was to Canada when I was a kid. It scares me to leave the United States, but I was informed by my husband today that the likelihood of us being sent overseas has just risen. It doesn't scare him at all. He is overseas right now.

No way for me too, I am happy just staying in my own little safe house, I feel safe and secure here, it is my own little world within the world...

Not now I wouldn't. Before sept. 11th we went to aruba and the bahamas and those were the only places I have been outside the country. I won't do it now for fear of getting caught up in something that would cause me my life or get me placed in some horrible foreign jail.

I think its silly not to leave the US for vacation because of whats going on across the world. Yes, many hate america right now...but they hate our government, the regime that runs it and their right-wing policies. I recently traveled to europe, and had no problems. and that was 2 days after the bombing at the glasgow airport, which I actually flew into. I also traveled 2 weeks after 9/11/01 and has no problems. You just have to remember to act like a normal person, not like an idiot nor a self-centered american while abroad. then you won't have any trouble. you also have to be careful where you travel to. I wouldn't travel to areas where its ill-advised to travel to, but i have no problem traveling to europe, canada and similar countries.

Hey there. I'm a proud Canuck. I would welcome you to visit me anytime. I understand you would be worried or scared to go travelling but what I want to implore you to understand is that when you see on TV this country or that country hates the USA etc... or this person is on a news show bashing you or threatening etc... This person doesn't represent the whole. I find that with TV and newspapers general media, they try to pick the loudest people to talk to. I'm not going to lie, there are Canadians that do not like the USA. There are Canadians that hate the USA and Americans as a general. BUT!!! There are a lot of us Canadians that love you guys. I go to New England all the time and you know what???? We are the bloody same, well except them Mainers---they talk funny LOLOL Just joking! Anyways.... The point I'm saying is that the majority of people who you see from other countries are not the majority of opinion, they are the small few that are MOUTHY and well that makes news so of course everyone everywhere is going to see and hear and read about it. You aren't going to hear abuot people who don't "hate you" because, well, its not going to sell newspapers or get viewers to watch a program now is it? I wouldn't be afraid to travel and I wouldn't stop traveling, twoey, seriously, you shuold be proud to be an American. I am a very proud Canadian, I love my country I love my people. You don't know how many times I've seen news articles and heard many bad things said BY AMERICANS about me and my country , my politicians, my fellow countrymen prime example listen to some of the stuff Ann Coulter (American) has said about Canada. I can't quote her verbatim but on a news show she once said that Canada is nothing without the USA and that we should shut up because we are lucky that America hasn't rolled over in it's sleep and crushed us. But you know what? I don't listen to that SOD because it's CRAP. I go to the USA almost on a monthly basis. I have wonderful friends there that I consider family. I think your country is beautiful, I think your people are wonderful. Just because some people don't like me and my people or my country is not going to stop me from being proud to be Canuck nor travelling around and meeting people and showing them that I am not evil or dumb. I implore you to not give up, hold your head high and get a passport. We only have one life, don't let some stupid ignorant narrowminded angry bitter fools stop you from living and enjoying life!

I'm with you on this one, twoey. I don't feel that this would be a good time at all to travel the world. As you stated, anti-American feelings are running high in many countries right now, and I don't think it is wise to travel. However, people are going to do what they will, so I am certain this will not prevent many of them from traveling. I remember very well the incident involving the boy who was caned. In fact, he was from the area I live in. People need to understand that some of the things that are done in our country are just not acceptable in other parts of the world.

What I can't understand though,...here in this country though why is it people from other countries with have immunity from any punishment from any wrong doing especially if they are "diplomats"? Nothing can be done to them, yet if someone from our country is out of line for the slightest thing, they are punished?? Just a thought here.