Will our "Wall of Fear" Ultimately Destroy Tourism?

[true_notes]

The Alitalia incident today forced me to ask this. People here in Europe are now traveling around their own continent, instead of flocking to the US, much like they did throughout the 1900's. I think this is due, in part, to a more relaxed tourism industry here in Europe, vice the United States.

Lets face it folks, America has an invisible shield around it's coasts, and if you are of Arabic or Aisan descent, then you are more or less suspect when crossing that coast. It isn't paranoia of the tourists that try to come here, rather it is the paranoia of us, the people and the government that want to keep potential "terroists" away from our borders.

With that said, when we go on vacation, we do not want to be singled out and then when the plane touches down be interrogated by a secret police force. We (The US) have already taken a fall in college students wanting to flock to our schools, and now our tourism and immigration are beginning to disinigrate under the flame of paranoia.

Ultimately, people will give up on the states. It's a shame on us and our government to let such a great country get such a grimy, macabre image in foreigner's eyes. The Cons say that we shouldn't worry about the rest, but the "rest" is what settled and built this country, and who are we to say that this land belongs only to us?

[whistle]

1. Something like an "Iron Curtain" perhaps.....

..."Mr. Bush, tear down your wall!" :banghead:

[unhappycamper]

2. Would you have taken a trip to Germany in 1937?

They were in the fifth year of the fascist takeover, much the same as us.

[whistle]

4. As a Jew, not very likely, but as a rich American businessman...

...like Prescott Bush, those were times of great opportunities, which by the way, other major U.S. business people were doing. Those were the times that fascism was looked upon with great hope by America's wealthy as the salvation of capitalism. Yes, times are very similar today.

[Paintedlady]

3. It's not only the border paranoia

My best friend from Sweden, with family of four canceled their trip to visit me this year because they didn't want to contribute one dollar to the war. They went to a couple of countries in the Mediterranean instead.