Molly barred from USA (Molly Meldrum; journalist visa)

[Sapphocrat]

January 20, 2004 - 5:32PM

Australian music guru Ian "Molly" Meldrum was today refused entry to the United States and was ordered to return home. ...

Meldrum was not holding the correct visa to be able to work in America and was refused entry at Los Angeles Airport, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said. ...

Australian officials unsuccessfully tried to have the decision reversed.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said American authorities had been too tough on Meldrum. ...

More:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/20/1074360757539.html

Notes from Sapphocrat: Molly Meldrum is no small potatoes Down Under -- he is to the Australian music world as, say, Leonard Maltin is to the American film world.

Yes, I know, visa rules are visa rules, but there's going to be a major stink about this (already is, if the breaking-news flashes on Aussie TV are any indication) -- especially in light of Sue Smethurst's recent "tough" treatment at the hands of U.S. customs agents.

One more thing: When Alexander Downer opines a negative view of the handling of an Aussie, that's significant in my book; Downer -- always careful to court American corporate interests for Australia -- is a major suck-up to the U.S., AFAIC. So if he's not pleased, you can bet he's REALLY not pleased.

[oldshoe]

1. That's the second Aussie I've read about...

.... who was denied entry. It happened also to a journalist who had always used a tourist visa before, but now they suddenly cracked down. She was held 12 hours incommunicado and the asked all sorts of questions about her political beliefs and and what questions she would have put to Madonna, her intended subject. She was even threatened with arrest for a while, then put on the next plane out instead.

[foreigncorrespondent]

10. It is a total...

...of four Aussies that this has happened to in as many months.

When the woman from New Idea magazine got rejected there was also another two Aussies that got rejected around the same time. And now Ian "Molly" Meldrum.

Very sad times, indeed.

[rooboy]

2. You know America's screwed up when Molly Meldrum can't get a visa.

The guy's completely harmless!

[Polemonium]

6. you never know what might be under that hat

:crazy:

[rooboy]

7. I vividly remember Molly declaring the Human League's 'Dare' album..

to be bigger than the Beatles' White Album. That is about as close to a terrorist act as he's come, I think.

[NJCher]

3. it's an extension of the Iraq War philosophy

Go after anybody but the enemy.


Cher

[R Hickey]

4. I think this is part of a plot to prevent ordinary US citizens from travel

Is Bush trying keep America safe from terrorists, or is he trying to get the countries whose travelers we abuse, to reciprocate, and thereby prevent Americans from traveling abroad?

Didn't Nazis, and Stalin sometimes try to prevent their scapegoats from leaving their dictatorships? Is this part of Bush's "War against the Middle Class?"

Perhaps Carl Rove, or some former Enron scam-artist, now employed by Bush, has already secretly named the project "Operation Bottle-up."

I'm sure Bush knows that when German scapegoats did manage to ship-out, that we in the "Land of the Free" would refuse them entry, and send them back to their death camps. Do we now await the same fate?

Is this the aim of Bush's latest scheme? Will this all soon be part of Bush's "War On International Travel."

I don't understand it and I don't like it, but for some reason, it appears to me that the government of this country, with the current largest prison system on earth, with the largest non-violent prison population since Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot, now wants to make it more difficult for ordinary US middle-class citizens to travel abroad.

Americans haven't been able to travel to Cuba now for 45 years. Next, we won't be allowed to travel to Brazil or even Australia, or anywhere else, and naturally, Bush will blame it all on the foreign countries.

[rooboy]

5. I think there is an ulterior motive to discourage travel too...

I certainly know that I won't be travelling to the US whilst this junta is in power.

[opihimoimoi]

8. ARROGANCE

Peterism run amok.

[jonoboy]

9. I think there is great credibility to this idea

all the people I know who are well seasoned travellers, most all love the States but everyone is saying they are frightened to go there.

Sue Smethers was grilled as to whether she had written 'bad' things about the USA..for god's sake she's editor of a women's mag that carries your grandma's recipe for apple pie.

I think the Bush does not want tourists..and does not want Americans to travel.

vote him out..pleassseeeee:thumbsdown:

[foreigncorrespondent]

11. Jono...

...my partner lives in the United States. We don't see each other all that much. In the last two years we have seen each other for the grand total of 56 days. Yes I blame Bush*. If it wasn't for his ecomony Sapphocrat's and my financial situation would be a lot different. Not to mention the fact, that he has me totally terrified to return there to see her.

I an am out queer, all over the Internet, so I have no idea what damage that might cause me when trying to get back there to see her.

And the last time I was there, I overstayed my visa by four months. It wasn't my fault, but rather the fault of the INS. Sappho and I had applied for an extension on my visa two days after 9/11 (the day I was due to fly back to Melbourne.) Our immigration lawyer told us, that the visa would most likely be granted because of the circumstances surrounding the request.

Four months later we got a letter saying that it had been rejected and I had to get out of the country ASAP. Sappho and I only got another three days together, before I had to go. And I haven't been back since.

My immigration lawyer took the INS to court, she won the case for us, but we have no way of knowing if they removed the mark against my name, or if I am indeed on a blacklist.

On top of that, Sappho doesn't want me there, because she fears for my safety with the anti immigrant backlash that has been sweeping the country.

Times are truly dangerous.

[DBoon]

13. It's a plot to keep non-US reporters out

Keep control over information. The reporter's visa may take a week or more to get. This will keep non US reporters from covering breaking news. It also allows more control over reporters (they are identified as such on entry), stifle non-traditional alternative news sources, and in general intimidate them.

The US press is already kept, gotta make sure those foreigners don't say the wrong things.

[GregW]

12. To put this in perspective for the 'Murkins ...

... this would be the same as if Australia denied entry for Dick Clark.

[WildClarySage]

14. Be reasonable, people

you know how dangerous those Australian terrorist musician reporters can be.