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Thursday, February 9, 2017

How Idiotic Is This?

The Hill published a "report" detailing how a woman named Ibtihaj Muhammad says she was "detained" by customs when entering the country a few weeks ago on the very day that President Trump's executive order regarding limitations on entry to the USA from seven countries went into effect.  Muhammad is an American who also happens to have been a member of the US Olympic team in 2016. She won a bronze medal in fencing.  Somehow, the medal makes her an expert on immigration and customs matters.

Muhammad says that she thinks that Trump's Executive Order is not limited to just those seven countries.  That's why she was "detained" by customs. 

Then we learn that Muhammad was "detained" for just under two hours by customs and that she has no idea why she was delayed in getting through customs.  No one told her that it was because she is a Muslim.  No one told her that it was because of the Trump EO.  In fact, no one told her why she was delayed.  She just "knows".

Okay, it's fine that this woman has a theory why she was delayed in getting through customs.  It's her right to speculate as to the reason.

What is really disgusting is for a publication like The Hill to report nonsense like this.  There is no proof that Muhammad was detained other than her claim.  No one spoke to the customs agents to ask if Muhammad was detained and, if so, why that happened.  Muhammad's claim that the Executive Order covers more than it actually says is ridiculous on its face, but The Hill is still publishing that claim.

Here's the real question:  have you ever encountered an unexpected delay going through customs?  I have.  I once spent an hour as the officials went through every item in my suitcase.  No reason for the delay was given.  I think it was because I had batteries for my electric razor in the suitcase, but I'm not sure.  Another time, a dog sniffed the scent of my wife's vitamin supplements in the suitcase and we spent time explaining what they were.  Those were unanticipated delays going through customs, but I didn't blame the Trump Executive Order for them. 

The Hill should be embarrassed, but I'm sure they are not.

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