And another article, this is interesting

[conuly]

Apparently, the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team has been denied entry into the UK for the World Lacrosse Championships unless they travel on US or Canadian passports. At least some of their members instead wish to travel on passports issued by the Iroquois Confederacy instead, which they've done before. This time, though, the US isn't promising to let them back in if they do that, which is why the UK isn't letting them in in the first place.

So there's an article here, one here, and a third one here. It sounds like getting US or Canadian passports isn't the issue, that's been offered, but that they want an assurance that they can use their own passports.

The comments are... enlightening. Apparently, their passports are "fake", they're misusing the word "nation", they're "living in the past", they're "acting like little kids", they should have "assimilated or died", and it's impossible to be a nation unless you're recognized by the UN.

I don't know if these team members are, legally (for any commonly-accepted view of the relevant laws, whatever they are) right or wrong, nor if I agree with their choice or not. (I don't suppose it's any of my business, really. They want to use this passport or that passport... I see what they're getting at, how it's bigger than passports per se, but I don't really have an opinion on it.) But, following my traditional view that the twits in the comments can't POSSIBLY be right, I'll go with vaguely supporting them in their stand, and cheering them on in the games.

Comments

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

I don't think the US *ever* guarantees to let anyone in, regardless of their passport or citizenship.

[conuly]

That was fast. I blinked, and you commented!

Isn't that the point of a passport and a visa, though, that it's a promise by your home government to let you come home when you're done travelling?

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Nope (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/16/world/middleeast/16yemen.html?_r=1).

[conuly]

Well, if he came back via ship, or plane into Canada and then a drive home, they'd let him in, right? The No Fly list is still stupid, but it's not the same exactly, is i?

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Nope, again.

The US enforces our No Fly List by telling other countries that if they don't comply with it, they will be forbidden to use US airspace. Canada and Mexico, particularly, are eager to not have this restriction, since it would immensely complicate their air travel and make things more expensive.

The problem with the boat is that boats are slow, he's in Egypt, and his passport expires in September. That's why he was coming home in the first place.

[conuly]

Well, our government just sucks.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Our government does seem to have pretty effectively exiled a citizen, fer sher. Makes one worry about travel.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

I would bet money that some of the "living in the past" comments were actually written by Indians. Some of the things said remind me very much of my father.

[conuly]

Unless we're dealing with liars, I know some of them were, as they say so themselves.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

I saw that -- they, though, at least seemed to use reasoned arguments for why Iroquois passports can't be honored, like the guy who said he stopped using his because he got hassled in the Bahamas.

Dad's response would likely have been like Twang's, nbtd's or pogoaddict's. They just want publicity they should grow up and learn to live in the US like everybody else. I used to give him the skunk eye when he said things like that.

(My personal view is something along the lines of cuse105's.... >:) )