The Trump presidency

US border agents are checking people's facebook pages for their political views before letting them into the country. Hope you are not friends with anyone going to the US soon.

Big Brother is watching you

I thought the US had always monitored people's emails etc

Front The Independent:
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-muslim-immigration-ban-facebook-check-iraq-sudan-syria-mana-yegani-a7551256.html

"A spokesman for the Alia told The Independent that they had heard what were anecdotal reports of people’s social media accounts being targeted – this tactic had been used by border agents for *several years despite doubts over whether it has been constitutional".

So checking social media sites is nothing new in US Border Control. Obama allegedly did it. Bush allegedly did it. But you're only outraged when Trump does it? Again, whilst I agree with you that the current state of affairs in US is deplorable, it really makes no sense to post half truths/false news just because it supports your opinion of the situation. Unequality and unfairness has been rife for decades and you've just not noticed. Until now.

Good post Chewbacca.

The hysterical reaction to all things Trump-related is getting ridiculous.

You're spot on Jalima, they have. Especially since 9/11. Checking social media sites is very common now. Nothing new with this, but it sounds sensational when used in this context doesn't it?

Apparently the Roman Empire collapsed because of mishandling a refugee crisis. It's all in Gladiator!

Not even the US are allowed to read people's facebook accounts and ask questions about their political allegiance before letting in people who have a right to live there.
I wonder if republicans realised what they were letting themselves in for when they chose a paranoid president.

You may say that Ana but I don't agree the reaction is 'getting ridiculous'. Judges the US don't find the objection to his decision to ban people from entering 'ridiculous'.
I'm trying not to over react to Mr T but finding it very difficult.
He has such power, he is unstable, misogyinist, racist etc etc. I know some people posting here don't agree with that assessment but I stand by it because that's where the evidence takes me.
I do not see him as a stabilising figure in a world that is so much in need of that currently.

I'm not saying otherwise, Iam64 (in fact I'm horrified by some of his actions) but all these threads and petitions won't have any real effect and some posters are certainly getting a bit carried away with their prophecies and doomsday links.

Far from being a stabilising figure, he is deliberately provocative.

The ban on nationals from seven countries, the wall on the Mexican border, the intention to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. All these policies and so many more unpredictable, unjustifiable measures can only provoke bitter and hostile reactions. Why? Is this unstable narcissist trying to start another war?

You missed out commenting on the part which said 'despite doubts over whether it is constitutional'. Was that on purpose? It has been illegal for over fifty years.

Did any of the other presidents say that people from various countries couldn't come in?
Did Obama and Bush cause such chaos and outrage? No, they did not.
They did not ban whole Muslim groups, while allowing in the very ones whose countrymen caused 9/11 just because they had business dealings with them. They did not set just about the whole of the world - apart from you three - up against them just nine days after being elected president.

Never have liked and probably never will like Donald Trump, however the petition to get him banned from UK is hypocritical, Banning a man from a country because of his ideology and conviction because he is suspending entry to some because of their ideologies and convictions. Many countries in the affected regions undertake extreme vetting and do not issue visas to aliens without the extreme vetting many not knowing why their visa request is rejected. Many certainly do not allow permanent residents of faiths other than the indigenous majority faith.
The suspension is clumsy and should not have been applied at least there should have been prior notice and less haste, but it is not unique to USA.
We are better than Donald Trump, we should allow this trip to continue and if necessary stage protests to show our disagreement. There are millions of Americans who disagree this action and there are millions who agree it, these are the ones who see the flag burning and overt hatred of the USA and blame this country for all the worlds ills (rightly or wrongly) and they are fearful of the potential sleeper cells that may are potentially infiltrating the country as is apparently happening in Europe.
Mr Trump needs to revisit his executive order and the U.K. Needs to enable this visit. Keep your friends close and enemies closer. We have no influence if we do not communicate.

600,000+ signatures.

Perhaps you ought to read the petition before criticising it.
It is not to ban him.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928/signatures/new

'We have no influence if we do not communicate'?
This petition is communicating.

Iam64 no argument with you there! But there seems little point in posting titbits of a news article that only give part of the information that supports one persons opinions, don't you think? To post only the most inflammatory bits doesn't give anyone the opportunity of seeing that, actually, checking social media sites has allegedly been done for quite sometime; certainly before Trump came onto the scene. The current situation is alarming enough, without an alarmist making it look worse!

Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.

Donald Trump's well documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Therefore during the term of his presidency Donald Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official State Visit.

Chewbacca, when I post links to whole articles I am regularly told that nobody reads them.
You have been just as selective as I was.
They don't check people's phones at the airport do they? Never have done for any of my family who visited for holiday or seeing family there.

I've signed the petition, more because it will lead to a debate in parliament and highlights the genuine concerns of many UK citizens. I'm not worried about the Queen's sensitivities. She will have met many despots in her long reign and I'm sure she can manage the Trump. I'm not sure of the politics of cancelling the invitation to an official State Visit. I'd like the man to be held up in one of his own airports for a long time, the fate he seems to believe is acceptable for many citizens who just happened to be born in what he sees, as the wrong place.

I certainly feel that the concerns about him need to be highlighted and the petition is one way to do that.

No, dj let him have his state visit, i am sure HM is able and willing to treat him with the cold courtesy that is due to the head of another state. I am sure she could also give him a banquet containing all kinds of good things, none of which come from the US but all come from places he hates - a Mexican course, a Chinese course, a Somali course and so on (anyone got any good recipes to send to the palace? Then, when he praises the food, she or maybe the D of E can remark that he won't be getting those items in future as he won't be letting them into the country, will he?

durham You missed out commenting on the part which said "despite doubts over whether it is constitutional Was that on purpose?
But I did put that there were doubts over whether it was constitutional, please return read my post.

It has been illegal for over 50 years. Say what?! We haven't had email OR social media for 50 years! Facebook was only launched in 2004!

Did any of the other presidents say that people from other countries couldn't come in? Yes. President Obama banned all processing of applications for Iraqi refugees, for a 6 months period, in 2011. In addition, Jimmy Carter and Chester Carter were also among US Presidents to restrict immigration by nation state. Link below:

refugees-did-iraq-iraqi-muslim-trump-jimmy-carter-iran-iranian-immigration/

Not sure what you mean about "you three", so I'll let that go.

Durhamjen how can we communicate if we alienate?

I haven't been "selective " at all durham, quite the opposite in fact. Whilst I have continually agreed with you in your condemnation of Trumps actions, I've been stoically insisting that where quotes are given from news articles, they should be given in full. Not just the bits that support ones own arguments. Hence, I cut and pasted from The Independent article. And provided the link for those who wished to read the full, unexpurgated article.

I would not ban DT from visiting UK. I object to a state visit /pomp and ceremony. Of course it is important for heads of state to speak toothers who have power even when they dislike what they say. It is important to keep open all lines of communication.

Though I do remember some folk on here slating Jeremy Corbyn for meeting with those with influence in the Middle East.

The Queen is well used to receiving Heads Of State ( including China fairly recently) I doubt that she will be at all bothered by meeting Donald Trump.Why all the fuss?

Whoever would have thought, back in the day, that Her Majesty would meet, and apparently get on with, a member of Sinn Fein? And yet she met Martin McGuiness, in October 2016, and Prince Charles met Gerry Adams in May 2015. I'm pretty certain that she can handle DT without any qualms whatsoever.