Growing up in Southern California, you get used to putting your rights as a U.S. citizen on hold in order to get back into the United States from Tijuana once in a while. Right?
And the militarization of the border has only gotten worse post-9/11: We're all potential terrorists and would-be drug dealers now. Still, sometimes the invasions of privacy reach absurd levels:
The California-based Center for Investigative Reporting found a novel way to illustrate the heartache and indignity of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
The organization commissioned actors and had them read real Yelp reviews of crossings and checkpoints, including takes on two in Southern California.
One actress says:
There were no illegals in my trunk. It's barely big enough to fit a car jack and a few bottles of Kahlua. Unless you were looking for midgets. And I don't go in for that sort of thing.
Another notes that his Mexican beef jerky set off a drug-sniffing dog, prompting agents to allegedly tear up the vehicle in question.
All in good fun. All in the name of homeland security. Enjoy:
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