You have got to be kidding me. From the NYT:
Andrew Feldmar, a Vancouver psychotherapist, was on his way to pick up a friend at the Seattle airport last summer when he ran into a little trouble at the border.
A guard typed Mr. Feldmar’s name into an Internet search engine, which revealed that he had written about using LSD in the 1960s in an interdisciplinary journal. Mr. Feldmar was turned back and is no longer welcome in the United States, where he has been active professionally and where both of his children live.
Mr. Feldmar, 66, has a distinguished résumé, no criminal record and a candid manner. Though he has not used illegal drugs since 1974, he says he has no regrets.
Thanks, Hugo!
OMG, that’s so sad. Does he have any recourse?
Wow – that is great news! I just typed George W. Bush into an internet search engine and discovered that he has been arrested for DUI, that it’s generally assumed that he used cocaine and marijuana, and that he won’t deny that he did. Thank God that maniac won’t be allowed in the USA any more! I think this policy has legs!!
He is allowed to apply to Homeland Security for a waiver – he was given the application by the Guard who interviewed him after he admited that the article was true, however, he stated that he does not want to apply.
According to one article, even those with decades old DUI arrests are barred and must apply for a waiver.
Scary.
It’s a good thing those Islamic fundamentalists are always getting arrested for DUI’s and drug abuse! Now we’ll surely catch the terrorists!
What if the Googled result had been below the fold? or on a second/third page? Would the “guard” have let him on in. Wonder if Technorati-like “authority” would have swayed the decision. I mean… a Facebook or Twitter account might have made all the diff!
Regardless, his paid SEO program worked a little too well I’d say.
(tongue now out of cheek)
As for the politics of the thing… Was his choice to apply for waiver or not. Wonder if when his kid go to visit him in VAN they’ll be “allowed” to return stateside or if our wonky screening methods are one-way turnstiles.