I was first stopped at the *exit of the plane* itself for a passport check. I was stopped a second time at immigration and questioned rather extensively.
What do you do for a living? Who do you work for? For how long have you done this work? Describe what Product Management is (detailed discussion on this). How long have you been doing this work again? Which company was your last employer? What does *that* company do? How long did you work for them?
He asked the same questions multiple different ways, in the same style I've seen the police do questioning.
After immigration, I went through luggage control and was questioned again by another officer. She motioned me to yet another officer who also asked me a whole series of questions, typed all my answers into a computer, then checked all my bags by hand.
All tolled, I was questioned in detail by 3 people and had to show a passport to four people. Everywhere, there were people in uniforms with the 'Homeland Security' badges. Over the loudspeakers, we heard proclamation of an "Orange Alert". This was my recent re-entry into the US. The change in environment was palatable.
It felt un-*us* -- 'us' being American.
With this being just a small sample of recent changes, I have to ask, "In our attempt to protect ourselves, are we compromising those things we find of greatest value - privacy and a sense of freedom?"
And does this approach really make us any safer?
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