"It has now become almost impossible for an artist to come and perform in the US"

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http://www.laurentgarnier.com/pgs/ustour.htm

I am very sorry to have to cancel my forthcoming tour in the United States. I have decided to cancel further to what I consider to be completely unreasonable demands from the US Embassy in France in order to renew my working visa.

In order to obtain this new visa, the rules have once again changed since November 2004 and I would now have to not only fill in an exceedingly probing application form, but also be interviewed by a member of the Embassy staff, and provide proof of ownership of my house, details of my bank account, my mobile phone records, personal information on all my family members and more. I consider these demands to be a complete violation of my privacy and my civil liberties and I refuse to comply.

I am horrified by these new regulations and feel really sad that this is what some call freedom and democracy.

It has now become almost impossible for an artist to come and perform in the United States. And until this new legislation changes I will unfortunately refuse to comply with this nonsense.

Thank you for your understanding.

Laurent Garnier

― JoB (JoB), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

Goddamn, I thought for a second this was a MIA cancellation. (Not that this is any less ridiculous.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

american customs don't like european dahnce musick. ;-)

― stevie nixed (stevie nixed), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

Though you start wondering for how long artists with Tamil Tiger relatives will be allowed to work in the US...

― JoB (JoB), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

yeah, maybe i ought to go to the show after all...

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

It could be good fun, m'friend. (I admit I have ulterior motives. I *will* help pay for gas if needed!)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

Well, he sort of admits that it *is possible*, if, he answers a bunch of ridiculous questions...

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

This is lose-lose. If we make it easier to get a visa everyone will remind us how easily the 9/11 guys got in here.

I never had any clue how hard it was to come to this country post-September 11th. Pretty much everyone I live with now is an immigrant (from India, Bangladesh, Russia, West Africa, the Netherlands, France, and a few other places). When I asked them "Are you guys planning on becoming citizens ever?" they all just laughed, as it's such a long, difficult arduous process.

― David Allen (David Allen), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

that won't be necessary, ned. if i do go up, you're welcome to catch a ride! do you have AIM?

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:14 (twenty years ago)

AIM = NedRaggett and I'll try and be on this afternoon and this evening after 5 pm! Thanks, just let me know. :-)

In digging around, meanwhile, I've found this in terms of US government v. Tamil Tigers:

http://library.nps.navy.mil/home/tgp/ltte.htm

Extracted from a later version of this report:

http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2000/2450.htm

Though perhaps this should go on the other thread...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

But if you have thousands of dollars and a good lawyer its a cinch.

― Dude, are you a 15 year old asian chick? (jingleberries), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

My local alt-weekly ran an article on artists being denied visas to the US:

http://www.charlotte.creativeloafing.com/2004-09-22/news_cover2.html

― Mickey (modestmickey), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:00 (twenty years ago)

I'm a US immigrant, yet to receive even permanent residency (work at a higher tax rate (including a monthly "visa fee" on my earnings), will be deported i I commit a crime, have to update my details and address every 6 months), and I've been here, trying to achieve permanent residency ($2500 in application fees later) since 2001.

― paulhw (paulhw), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:24 (twenty years ago)

well this immigrant doesn't have to do ANY of that shit!

― Mr Train Driver (nordicskilla), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:29 (twenty years ago)

So much for freedom George W Bush !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:32 (twenty years ago)

work at a higher tax rate??? my parents were legal immigrants until a few years ago and no such provision exists. most countries will deport you if you are a criminal. fees are expensive but then it's all run by lawyers so that's to be expected.

sounds like laurent just wants everyone to hear him cry. he should fill out a defense dept clearance in order to feel truly violated.

― keith m (keithmcl), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

my parents were legal immigrants until a few years ago

Hm, I apologize if this is prying, but where'd they come from? Just curious!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:50 (twenty years ago)

I don't see how hating on Bush is relevant to dissing immigration policy. Yeah, it sucks, but, speaking as a product of recent immigrants, it was WAY too easy before. Let us not forget how easily the 9-11 hijackers got in.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

performer visas were fucked before 9/11, guys.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:58 (twenty years ago)

I thought this was gonna be a marissa marchant thread.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 4 February 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

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