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The headline on that pepper spray article makes it look like it’s the guard’s fault. Actually, it’s the Canadian’s fault. Seems he’s done this before and didn’t learn his lesson. Hopefully the pepper spray will have convinced him not to be a smartass in future.

I have to agree at least partially with Ling, although pepper spray was probably unnecessary. What this guy said wasn’t on the same level as saying bomb in an airport, but giving the border patrol agent grief is never going to end well. At any border you just do as you’re told and thank God when you get across without too much hassle. It doesn’t matter if the agent is rude, is on a power trip or whatever, unless you are experiencing a serious violation of your rights just keep your mouth closed and complain later about the awful agent. I loved the bit about the Canadian agent saying please though. Canadian agents really are way nicer than the American agents.

I’ve got to disagree, Ling. I mean, yeah, everybody knows you don’t make a fuss at the border and take whatever crap they want to hand out, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay for border guards to assault people. I wish somebody would teach America’s border guards a lesson, instead—about basic human decency. They routinely treat people like garbage.

I should clarify—I think the guy was acting like a fool. But I don’t think that excuses violence on the guard’s part. An idiot asking you to say “please” is clearly not a threat. By all means, turn him back from the border if he won’t comply, but pepper spray? Seriously?

C’mon. These guards work under terrible pressure. That guy is lucky he hasn’t been banned from entering the U.S. Next time he turns up at the border and wants to hear please, they should pack him off to Gitmo, stick a couple of wires in him, and make him say please all night. That’ll make sure he never wants to hear please again. Ever.

Not a big believer in human rights, huh? Wow.

There is a high chance that demanding any person of authority to do anything isn’t going to turn out well.  While I’m not condoning the border guarde’s “rudeness”, last time I checked there was no law requiering politeness. Lesson learned:  don’t pick a fight that you can’t win and don’t throw a hissy when you do and it doesn’t turn out your way!  If it had been me and he demanded that I say “please”, that’s the last thing in the world that he would have gotten!  This is kind of akin to a child demanding a cookie from their parent before they are willing to go to bed!  Most parents with any common sense wouldn’t be suckered into that!  If the guy hadn’t refused to turn off his car he never would have been sprayed!  End of story!!

How stupid, he’s lucky he’s not in jail