I had this particular news tidbit passed along to me today from an American I speak with online.
As a Canadian, no more than a 45 minute drive from the US border, I find this horrendously disturbing. Day trips to Niagara Falls, NY or to Buffalo were regular events for my family. Now, we will not be able to experience this kind of travel without some creepy “Minority Report”-esque proof of identity.
I can understand a need for greater security, but this kind of thing just seems a little too bizarre for me. The US is going to shut themselves away from the rest of the world and live in fear from attacks from all sides. Isn’t that what the terrorists strive for?
I am having a horrible time wrapping my head around this one, as I do see it from both sides, but keep coming back to the thought that this is wrong and disturbing. Perhaps if I were on the other side of the border, I’d be able to understand it more. Are Americans really willing to all but close themselves off from the rest of the world, unless they have advanced biometric proof of ID? Is this going too far or is it a great advancement for security and technology?
To me, it seems wrong, an infringement of personal privacy, and simply disturbing.