Democracy Land of the Free

[j.sabourn]

How many can remember in the 50"s and 60"s the immigration officers coming on board and interviewing everyone individually and those famous words "are you a member or have ever been a member of the communist party" I remember 1 AB jokingly saying he was, he was refused permission to go ashore. How would this stand to day with the Goody Goody brigade re free speech, religion and political freedom. This was Democracy not so long back. I am of course referring to The United States of America, the land of the free. John Sabourn.

[Jim Brady]

I remember a story knocking around in Liverpool about this scouser being interviewed in NY by the US emigration officer.He was asked any mental health problems in your family,yes he replied my sister.What mental health problems does she have he was asked,his answer "She married a Yank"
Regards.
Jim.B.

[alf corbyn]

i remember it very well. it was during the Mc'carthy witch hunt. they also went through the movie industry. the only one i can remember is the negro singer who sang old man river, and i think they also accused sinatra.

[John Pruden]

alf was it paul robeson?jp

[Ivan Cloherty]

My first visit to the States aged 16 (early 50's) "State your name" reply "Ivan Cloherty" shock waves around the room. "Ivan !!!!!!!!!!!" nearly two hours of questions about my family and communistic tendencies, there were none of course. At 16 years old and of Irish/English descent I was a real threat to their country. Just as well that I didn't mention that my paternal grandmother was alleged to have had an affair with a Russian Naval Attache in Dublin in 1900, which is why my grandfather named my father Ivan to remind grandmother of her indiscretions, anyway my father was an exact replica of my grandfather and so am I, but that was pre-communism era not that it would have made any difference to our across the pond cousins as their knowledge of history leaves a lot to be desired..


Even today entering the States and make a flippant remark about something "American" whilst in the Immigration queue you will be subjected to an inquisition and possibly refused entry

[John Albert Evans]

It wouild appear that things haven't changed much over the years.

Visa.jpg

John

[Neville Roberts]

I remember the soap box guys at the peir head at home . spouting about anything and every thing. if you got up in New york or any US city and started spouting about communism you might just get shot or severly beaten up . the Amercan public are some of the worst indocrinated people in the world . and an awfull lot are so narrow minded to think the US is the centre of all the world . the Land of the Free ,bullcrap nothings free here .My missus and I have been lucky enough too be healthy and work our asses off to get what we have .Amerca is a great country it has every topography in the world from mountains to deserts ,to alaska and hawaii.but you have to look behind the scenes ,a lot of poverty and even starving kids and ghetto,s of the cities . the best education and the worst .$$$$$$$$ talks buulcrap walks . gotta get of my soap box now I hear a a beer calling.

[john sutton]

I worked round the coast on the ardetta and in cardiff the skipper made us close the hatches when the dockers had finished.While we were waiting around ,I knew the skipper was within earshot so I started telling the lads that when the revolution came we would no longer be put upon
by the officer class.He had the mat fire me at the next port
john sutton

[Tony Morcom]

Am I right in thinking that I remember the Immigration coming on board in Baltimore with a couple of huge thick black books full of names of those not allowed entry? This would have been around 1975ish

[Tony Wilding]

I remember arriving in Detroit at about 2AM, ON MV Wanstead, we were all woken up and lined up by Immigration and Questioned, it felt very intimidating, not a friendly atmosphere, i thought then a strange way to treat Allies, felt like a Russian, then we were issued with an ID Card on which it stated , you are an Alien Seaman, never went back tothe USA after that, not on ships anyway, the next time was 50 years later, travelling from UK to Trinidad, via Newark, in transit 5 hours at Newark Airport, through Immigration again both ways, same surly treatment, such ignorant treatment there by the Hispanic Airport Staff. USA is not on my list of favourite places.