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charisstomaAccused of having an incorrect visa, Mem Fox detained by immigration officials at LA airport
DEBORAH BOGLE, Books Editor, The Advertiser
February 22, 2017 9:33pm
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/accused-of-having-an-incorrect-visa-mem-fox-detained-by-immigration-officials-at-la-airport/news-story/aa712d3867d1509c52c3608798e19db5
AUSTRALIA’S best-loved children’s author, Mem Fox, was left sobbing and shaken after being detained for two hours and aggressively interrogated by immigration officials at Los Angeles airport.
Fox says she’s unlikely to ever travel to the United States again after being made to feel like “a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay”.
President Donald Trump had created the climate for this sort of behaviour, she said, adding: “This is what happens when extremists take power.”
Mem Fox. Picture: Matt Turner
En route to Milwaukee for a conference on February 9, where she was to deliver the opening keynote address at a literacy conference, Fox was ushered into an airport holding room and told she was travelling on the wrong visa. This was incorrect and the US Embassy in Canberra has since apologised. Fox, 70, said that by the time she checked in to her hotel she was shaking and sobbing.
“I am old and white, innocent and educated, and I speak English fluently,” she said. “Imagine what happened to the others in the room, including an old Iranian woman in her 80s, in a wheelchair.
“The way I was treated would have made any decent American shocked to the core, because that’s not America as a whole, it really isn’t. It’s just that people have been given permission to let rip in a fashion that is alarming.”
The irony that the two most popular of her more than 25 books published in the US, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes and Whoever You Are, are both about diversity, was not lost on her. Nor was the fact that the theme of the conference she was attending was inclusivity and diversity.
Fox has visited the US more than 100 times since 1985, and is widely known there as an author and literacy educator.
After returning to Adelaide, she made a complaint to the US Embassy in Canberra, and received an emailed apology. An embassy spokeswoman told The Advertiser consular cases were not discussed with the media for privacy reasons.
Her experience has confirmed in Fox the importance of her new book, I’m Australian Too, about multiculturalism, illustrated by an Indian-born Australian, Ronojoy Ghosh. Fox wrote the book in late 2014 in response to what she saw as a rising tide of antagonism towards immigrants and refugees. “And it’s got worse since then,” she said. “I just feel that the hate speech that is going on is trying to change that aspect of our national character and it would be heartbreaking if that happened.”
Originally published as Mem detained in Trump’s America
DEBORAH BOGLE, Books Editor, The Advertiser
February 22, 2017 9:33pm
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/accused-of-having-an-incorrect-visa-mem-fox-detained-by-immigration-officials-at-la-airport/news-story/aa712d3867d1509c52c3608798e19db5
AUSTRALIA’S best-loved children’s author, Mem Fox, was left sobbing and shaken after being detained for two hours and aggressively interrogated by immigration officials at Los Angeles airport.
Fox says she’s unlikely to ever travel to the United States again after being made to feel like “a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay”.
President Donald Trump had created the climate for this sort of behaviour, she said, adding: “This is what happens when extremists take power.”
Mem Fox. Picture: Matt Turner
En route to Milwaukee for a conference on February 9, where she was to deliver the opening keynote address at a literacy conference, Fox was ushered into an airport holding room and told she was travelling on the wrong visa. This was incorrect and the US Embassy in Canberra has since apologised. Fox, 70, said that by the time she checked in to her hotel she was shaking and sobbing.
“I am old and white, innocent and educated, and I speak English fluently,” she said. “Imagine what happened to the others in the room, including an old Iranian woman in her 80s, in a wheelchair.
“The way I was treated would have made any decent American shocked to the core, because that’s not America as a whole, it really isn’t. It’s just that people have been given permission to let rip in a fashion that is alarming.”
The irony that the two most popular of her more than 25 books published in the US, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes and Whoever You Are, are both about diversity, was not lost on her. Nor was the fact that the theme of the conference she was attending was inclusivity and diversity.
Fox has visited the US more than 100 times since 1985, and is widely known there as an author and literacy educator.
After returning to Adelaide, she made a complaint to the US Embassy in Canberra, and received an emailed apology. An embassy spokeswoman told The Advertiser consular cases were not discussed with the media for privacy reasons.
Her experience has confirmed in Fox the importance of her new book, I’m Australian Too, about multiculturalism, illustrated by an Indian-born Australian, Ronojoy Ghosh. Fox wrote the book in late 2014 in response to what she saw as a rising tide of antagonism towards immigrants and refugees. “And it’s got worse since then,” she said. “I just feel that the hate speech that is going on is trying to change that aspect of our national character and it would be heartbreaking if that happened.”
Originally published as Mem detained in Trump’s America
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no subject
Date: 2017-03-02 08:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-03 05:19 am (UTC)Because she's such an unpublished author.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-03 05:17 am (UTC)"No, I won't do it!" Ren slammed his hand down on the stainless bench top for emphasis. "It's an insult!"
Drew's stomach sank. The restaurant had been open a bare six months, they couldn't afford to turn down a big order like this.
"But . . ."
"No buts!" Ren snarled. "They want BOX cake mix and COMMERCIAL frosting? Tell them to go to fucking Mcdonalds. I make my own cake and my own frosting, and I WIll NOT COMPROMISE."
Um . . . okay then. Drew eyed his patisserie chef and brand new partner. What was more important?
It was an easy decision.
"I'll talk to them," Drew said, his tone low and soothing. "If they won't let you do you thing, I'll turn down the function."
Ren immediately became apologetic as his wishes were aquiesed to, but Drew didn't use that to his advantage.
"No, you're right, sweetheart," he soothed. "If we agree to compromise our standards now, what message does that send? By the way, you're sexy when you're assertive."
Ren grinned, knowing he'd won but Drew wasn't pissed at him. "I can be sexy in all sorts of ways," he quipped, turning toward the staircase that led from the kitchen to their private quarters.
Drew grinned, saying nothing but following Ren toward the door. Obviously, he was hoping Ren would reward him for combating the evils of commercial frosting.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-03 05:23 am (UTC)Ren is worth it!
SO was THIS!
And cheesecake requires no frosting. Ties bow appropriately.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-03 06:25 am (UTC)Drew had to admit, he'd been worried when he'd turned down the big wedding function that had wanted him to cater for them. But he'd also had to admit - Ren was right, the food they'd wanted wasn't within Drew (or Ren's) scope to provide. Drew wasn't classist - there was nothing wrong with mini hot dogs, sausage sizzles, or liking packet cake mix . . . but it wasn't what his restaurant was about. He prided himself on hearty, tasty, comforting homestyle cooking . . . while Ren was focussed on exquisite, quality cakes, patisseries and desserts. It was a combination that worked, and he didn't want to mess with it.
Or with Ren. Speaking of which - his hot arsed salamander seemed to have removed himself from the pizza oven.
"I'm cold," his lover whispered in his ear.
"Not surprising, since we've turned all the ovens off," Drew replied, pretending indifference.
"And horny," Ren was nothing if upfront about his needs. Drew managed to suppress a needy whimper.
"That's not surprising either," he choked out. "But I can help you out if you want to go upstairs."
"Oh, I think I could cope with that," Ren purred in his ear, pushing him toward the staircase. "You know what happens to salamanders when they get cold."
Drew did know - cold salamanders sought out heat as a survival instinct, which made it really hard to cook pizzas. In which case . . .
"Get yourself up there and undressed," Drew ordered. "I'm gonna blow that pretty dick and those pretty brains . . . . you're gonna be so hot you'll think you're a super nova." Because, after all, Ren had an amazing cock - and woodfired pizza was one of the most popular items on Drew's menu.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-03 11:58 pm (UTC)And his own cocking, aching and throbbing and completely neglected until . . .
Ren shot down his throat, salty semen shooting directly into his gut, do not pass go, do not collect $200. But then Ren was dragging him up, fingers digging into his arms, the man had barely finished spurting, but there was a strong hand on Drew's cock, jerking him roughly up and down.
"Oh God, yes . . . yes . . . please, more, do it, do it, almost . . . " Drew babbled as he felt his balls boil over and spill his seed through Ren's fingers. Ren grinned and kissed him, and mind blowing, soul shaking, drugging kiss. They stilled, panting together, skin sticky with sperm. God, did it get any better?
Maybe.
Drew sighed and collapsed onto the bed tugging Ren down beside him. Ren snuggled in, seeking heat as always, his lips nibbling up and down Drew's neck. Maybe there were advantages to having to chase a salamander out of his pizza oven after all.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-05 03:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-22 06:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-05 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-22 06:52 am (UTC)