I came across this article in the Guardian in which Elena Lapping details her deportation from the United States. Apparently you need a special visa now to enter the U.S. if you are a journalist. News to me and to her as well. She was treated in an abominable fashion. Questioned, searched and locked up for the night in a tiny cell with no place to lie down. I know worse has happened to other people, particularly Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib, but this shows how much fear and isolationism have taken over our country. I blame the government for this. The terrorists may have punched us in the gut several years ago, but Bush is responsible for the repeated kickings while we are down (a poor analogy yes, but the best I can think of right now). He and Ashcroft and the others have used 9/11 to separate us even further from the rest of the world and damaged us all in the meantime. The best solution is to vote their asses out of office as soon as possible. C’mon everyone, can we show the bastards the door?