I had to renew my US passport...

[sheeshkabelle 153]

We bought my plane ticket last week so I can fly to Calgary and spend Christmas with my husband. 99% of the time I drive to Canada, so I've always used a NEXUS card. It popped in my mind the day after we bought the tickets "Oh #######! I think my passport is expired!"

Sure enough it is, and it expired in March. I know, I know.. shouldn't have procrastinated.

I have to change my name to my married name anyway, so I gather up all my documents, get my cashier's check and head to the County Clerk's Office (our local passport acceptance facility)

I had filled out and printed all the forms on-line, so basically all I had to do was hand over the documents, sign the form in front of the Clerk, pay the lady and be on my merry way.

Ms. Busybody County Clerk was reading over my forms. "You're husband ISN'T a US Citizen?" in a really snotty voice, (keep in mind where I live, illegal aliens are abundant). "No, ma'am we have filled for his CR-1 Visa so he can get a GC" She looks at me funny, then says under her voice "He's probably Mexican" I guess she thought I was deaf, or stupid, or didn't care.

"EXCUSE ME?! One, my husband is Canadian, two you are NOT Customs and Immigration, we are doing things the legal way, I just want my passport renewed please, thank you."

So she's looking over my birth certificate, which I made sure was the 'long form' and she says "I've never seen one like this before, where were you born?" "The state of Maryland, it says so on top of the Birth Certificate." By this time I was pretty annoyed at the lady.

Then she says, "Oh how did you end up in Tennessee?" The only reply I gave, "I moved" I guess she was trying to 'suck up' after she knew she made me mad.

Mean while the girl at the other desk looked like a deer in the headlights. When Ms. Busybody went to make a copy of my driver's license, girl B. looked at me and said "Oh my God I can't believe what she just said to you" I just shrugged my shoulders.

I worried for five days if Ms. Busybody sent my stuff off to Atlanta like she was supposed to. I got the email today, my passport is in production. Yay!

But the more I think about it, the more p*ssed off I get. I love this little town, I love the schools, I love the Great Smokey Mountains are my back yard. But I can do with out the backwoods rednecks preaching about immigrants, legal or not. I've had more than one rude, snide comment made to me about the fact I'm married to a foreigner and American's were not 'good enough'.

[Piefre 15]

I hate it when people just make assumptions about someone based on what they see on a piece of paper. I may have been born in another country, but I was raised and educated in Canada and proud to be a Canadian citizen. Heck, I'm as Canadian as they come. On many occasions I've had people assume that:

a) I can't speak English.

b) I'm not a Canadian citizen.

c) I'm "mail order".

Sometimes it's a combination of all three. Very annoying.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

She looks at me funny, then says under her voice "He's probably Mexican" I guess she thought I was deaf, or stupid, or didn't care.

I would've totally lost it!

[Darnell 8,478]

she did you a favor, really, as

all renewals are to be sent in, to some national address

and

the 'local office' isn't to touch them.

[sheeshkabelle 153]

I would've totally lost it!

I almost did. I just can't believe how rude some people are. And this woman is an elected official!! It was THE County Clerk, not one of her underlings. Guess who isn't getting my vote next November?

she did you a favor, really, as

all renewals are to be sent in, to some national address

and

the 'local office' isn't to touch them.

True, except in the case my passport was over 90 days expired and I had to do a name change, the reason why I couldn't just mail in everything myself.

[dukeandduchess 141]

I would fire off an email to her employer about what happened. It may not accomplish anything but whoever is in charge should at least be aware of her despicable comment towards you.

[hikergirl 277]

You can use your NEXUS card to fly as well: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/facts-faits/043-eng.html

It sucks about the County Clerk though. I can't believe she would say stuff like that. Maybe she got dumped by a Mexican

[sheeshkabelle 153]

I had the retina scans and all done, but the stupid NEXUS kiosk hates me. I never can get the damn thing to work. (making sure my bangs are out of my eyes, my contacts are out, I open wide.. erg) Usually they just wave me over, scan my card, ask a few questions and let me through. I was hassled a few years ago when I flew with only a NEXUS card, "You need a passport" Not really in the mood to argue with CPB, so the next time I took the passport with me.

I could email the mayor or city counsel or someone, but I'm sure it wouldn't get too far. There really is a BIG problem in this part of Tennessee with illegal immigrants from Mexico. Every day is another story in the paper about ICE doing busts, or some one was arrested 'with out status', and just recently a big human trafficking ring was busted here.

But even the legal ones, who have green cards are hassled, just because they are from Mexico. I was at the store the other day and some poor guy just wanted to buy a pack of smokes. The woman at the till asked for ID, he showed her his green card. "I has to be a TN issued ID" The guy didn't even argue with her, just said "Ok" and left. I then went up, asked for a pack she didn't card me. "So because I'm white and speak English you don't need to card me? I'm at least 10 years younger than he was"

What she said next appalled me "We don't need to put up with them kind 'round here" "Really, If you can only take TN ID, then how in the hell do the tourists that come to the National Park get their beer and smokes? 'cause he was a green card holder, which means he LEGALLY immigrated to the US. AND the guy who owns this store is from India!"

I was talking to my professor the other day about how I understand why people come here illegally, I don't condone it, but I understand. Immigration is broken and all that's been done is put band-aids over band-aids.

I moved here from the 'North' I'm a 'yankee' to these southerners. I moved here for the reasons I stated before. But dang some of these uneducated, misinformed, white trash rednecks REALLY get on my nerves.

I really worry about my husband when he moves. The culture shock he's going to have to deal with. He says he'll be fine, he's a big boy, but I sometimes lay awake at night thinking about it.

[dukeandduchess 141]

I'd still email. As I said, it may not accomplish much but I don't think people should be disrespectful like that.

Don't worry about your husband, Canadians are tough and fairly thick-skinned. I'm sure he will be just fine

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Hehe, your husband is Canadian - he will probably 'play along with the joke' getting enormous fun out of their ignorance and getting the last laugh out of it, while they won't even know they are being laughed at . You'll find him straight-faced telling them about how we Canadians now have a national igloo (you know it snows up there all the time, right?) and that when our old people are too old, we abandon them on ice flows. Oh, and we got indoor plumbing last year - has made a world of difference not having to chop through the ice to haul in water anymore.

Yes, it is appalling the ignorance of some people and the attitude towards immigrants - legal or illegal - in many parts of the US. When I was back in Canada two weeks ago I took particular pleasure in the local newspaper reporting on what the town was doing to try and attract new immigrants to the City because the City saw them as assets rather than liabilities - and for many reasons, especially a country with a zero population growth, an aging population and tax-based social programmes - immigrants are necessary to keep the ball rolling, so to speak :-). That is definitely one of the attitudes I miss here in the US - especially in the South.

[pocheros 101]

Wow, what a disgusting attitude. I would've lost my ######! They should send these racist a##holes to New York or Toronto to culture them a bit.

My husband and I always joke that if we go somewhere particularly racist they'll hassle the wrong person- my husband was born an American but he's hispanic, whereas I'm the immigrant but also white. He deals with a lot of people at work who badmouth Mexicans, at which point he reminds them that he IS Mexican and just because he speaks English and works has a professional job doesn't mean he isn't!

Edited November 16, 2011 by pocheros