"Democracy Now's" Amy Goodman detained by Canadians over...the Olympics?
Border issues can be weird sometimes. As someone who's been briefly detained at the US-Canada border, I can attest to the fact that it's difficult to read the bureaucracies on both sides of the line.
But this one is very peculiar. Public radio host Amy Goodman, whose left-of-center program "Democracy Now" is a favorite with many listeners was detained on the way to Vancouver.
CBC reports that Goodman says border officials in Canada were afraid that she would be speaking about the 2010 Olympic games, coming up this winter in Vancouver.
She was also ordered to leave Canada within 24 hours.
Watch an interview with Goodman here.
"I was surprised...I felt, as a journalist, violated," Goodman told CBC.
posted by Brian Mann @ 11/28/2009 10:07:00 AM
8 Comments
8 Comments:
1. Does left of center mean wacko?
2. How can you feel violated as a journalist?
Tong
Well, I think you feel violated as a journalist - especially in a democratic country - when your freedom of speech is curtailed. She's a journalist with a pretty well known radio show and a tv presence. You cross the border into Canada to do a story and are denied the ability to stay for...well, no apparent reason. It questions integrity.
I'm not sure how you equate left of center as wacko...how about progressive or liberal.
Left of center is a good description. Democracy Now is properly classified as "alternative radio". It is certainly not as "wacko" as some of the radical right on Fox. "Wacko", to me, has connotations of extreme, and beyond reason.
BTW Democracy Now is moving from their long term offices and studio digs to a new location. In the meantime Amy Goodman is on-the-road.
It seems the Canadians have taken a page from the USA book on censorship by removal of the reporter or journalist or protester from the scene of action. It's not a bad tactic. It obscures or confounds 1st Amendment issues.
Yeah, they're removing her, which is effective...
FOR THE WRONG REASONS!!!
She doesn't give a crap about the Olympics.
And they detained her because they "thought" she did. The biggest thing about wannabe totalitarians, and that includes a lot of Yanks, is that they're idiots.
Anyway, reminds me of this look at our neighbors up north:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9cs4l_king-of-the-hill-mowing-while-intox_shortfilms
The Canadians have denied the Stephen Colbert sponsored team of U.S. Olympic speed-skaters adequate and reasonable time to practice on the ice they'll be competing on in Canada.
Amy Goodman's detention by the Canadian government (and Labatts)
is just their way of playing mind games with the U.S. of A..
Beware Canaduh, we have "nucular" arms and we don't believe in using 'em for huggin'!!!
FREE AMY GOODMAN or face the wrath of ACORN!
Anyone in North Country who has passed through the Canadian border frequently can tell of at least one border agent who took his/her job over seriously and used it at an excuse to ...um for lack of a better word...harass people. I suspect that the agents involved will be under intense scrutiny in future.
Having family in Canada, I've crossed back and forth for years. When I was younger I was repeatedly harassed by a certain agent. In telling my story to others, I learned that many people in the North Country were very familiar with him, having had similar experiences with him or heard of people who had. Turned out he was almost a minor legend.
After one particularly, dare I say nasty encounter, I sent a strongly worded letter off to US Customs detailing my treatment. I received a very polite letter back thanking me for informing them and telling me that the agent in question had several incidents pending and was presently under investigation. It was many years ago but I still remember my relief at never seeing him work alone again at the border and not long after never seeing him again period.
All that being said, it's not an easy job, especially since 9/11, and the majority of agents on both sides of the Canadian border are generally good ambassadors for their prospective countries.
It is unfortunate that Ms. Goodman had to suffer such treatment but it is certainly not on a par with that of Roxana Saberi's in Iran or that of the two journalists detained in North Korea.
so what could she have really been there to report on, that those mooseheads had to get all north korean on her ass? harper buy a new blue sweater?
Is Amy's encounter with the border guards old news now? I have crossed the border to Canada many times, and most Canadian border patrol officers are polite, friendly, and professional. Most.
But this sounds like policy, far different than a few hosers with badges. Sorry, Canada. I live close but I won't be attending. It ISN'T OLD NEWS, Canada. We remember.
Tim in Olympia, WA
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