[Alter Kaker]

According to the the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, the British man who had offered Louis “Chip” Cantor summer work experience, Kevin Shilling, said the British border agent he spoke to in his attempt to get Cantor admitted into Britian made more than one anti-Semitic comment to him during the telephone conversation they had.

Sorry guys, but this smells like BS to me. I am Jewish and I fly to the UK all the time. I've never been harassed for being Jewish. But I have seen PLENTY of people turned back for trying to work illegally in the UK. Might THAT have been what was happening? The guy ADMITS he was only going to the UK to get work experience. Did he have a visa? Because they are extraordinary sensitive to folks -- Americans included -- who try to work on a tourist visa.

[expat1000]

Do you have Israeli stamps in your passport?

[Olog-hai]

How many Israel visa stamps does your passport have?

[Nifster]

You couldn’t be harassed for being Jewish since unless you carry and Israeli passport there is no indication of one’s religion on a US passport. Your argument is invalid UNLESS you have multiple Israel stamps of entry in your passport. You cannot get into Egypt if you have Israeli stamps (from personal experience). In the 80s I had a hard time getting into France with legitimate visa, current passport, lots of documentation for a one week work destination (doing field service), and loops prior recent trips to Israel.

You do not know what you are talking about

[katana]

You are probably correct about this, although it may also be true that the customs agent the prospective employer spoke with threw out some casual antisemitic remarks. I've had that experience in Europe, including Britain, where they assume if you're not Jewish yourself that you'll be on board with it. My usual reaction of "What the f*** did you just say?" tends to steer the conversation elsewhere.

Mr. Cantor may not have realized that being honest and ticking the "Visiting for Employment" box on his landing card would open up a Pandora's Box of questions. When you're in the grasp of Customs they can pretty much do whatever they like with you and "attitude" (not assuming but it's possible Mr. Cantor put on the "Hey, I'm an American citizen!" face. Not good when they have you by the short hairs) makes it worse. And his employer probably didn't take care to either caution him against that or go through the agonizing paperwork to obtain a work permit for him. Far easier to hire someone from the EU or a Commonwealth country than an American.

[Gay State Conservative]

But I have seen PLENTY of people turned back for trying to work illegally in the UK. Might THAT have been what was happening? The guy ADMITS he was only going to the UK to get work experience. Did he have a visa? Because they are extraordinary sensitive to folks -- Americans included -- who try to work on a tourist visa.

There are two sides to this discussion,both of which could make plausible points.There's your view...they were afraid he was intending to work.You're correct in stating that most countries,including advanced ones like Britain,are very sensitive on that score.OTOH,they may fear (most likely without justification) that he's some sort of Zionist whackjob intending to bring the country's 90 million moslems to a hard boil.I'm an Irish citizen (but not Jewish) and when I enter the UK with my Irish passport (coming directly from the US,not from Ireland) I get some pretty curious looks.But I suppose that could be because I sound more like Ed Koch than your typical Mick.

[Marcella]

“I am Jewish and I fly to the UK all the time.”

But do you have Israeli stamps in your passport?

[Conscience of a Conservative]

Sorry guys, but this smells like BS to me. I am Jewish and I fly to the UK all the time. I've never been harassed for being Jewish. But I have seen PLENTY of people turned back for trying to work illegally in the UK. Might THAT have been what was happening? The guy ADMITS he was only going to the UK to get work experience. Did he have a visa? Because they are extraordinary sensitive to folks -- Americans included -- who try to work on a tourist visa.

Yup. I posted this in another thread, it's a screenshot from an interview with this guy:

Note the lack of a work visa - the (voided) UK entry stamp is placed directly on one of the "Visas" pages of his passport.

Seems to me that this guy didn't take the time to learn the requirements for working in the UK (probably figured he was OK since he was going to be there), was denied entry, and is now trying to turn it into something it is not.

[the scotsman]

Thank you.

[zerosix]

Ohhhhhh guy going to UK to "work" maybe "without a Visa."

Who do they (UK) think they are not to "allow someone from another country to work without permission????"