Musical Border Crossing

[Steve Hanson]

Mike LITTLE wrote:
> [this info is a blend of two sources]-Not Getting any better!!! worse!
>
> Mairi Rankin concert at the Skye Theatre in Maine on Sunday was
> cancelled;
> because she was refused admission at the border because of some stupid
> paperwork irregularities. I think she was also playing at a few house
> concerts too, which will now have to also be cancelled. What a crock!
> As the cancelled concert shows, she surely wasn’t putting anyone else
> out of work—on the contrary, two fine Maine musicians, Don and Cindy
> Roy, were also on the bill with her at the Skye and they now won’t be
> paid either.
>  Cultural exchanges should be privileged, not penalized!
Mike -
As a US citizen I agree completely - many of us are fed up with the
continuing encroachments on everyone's liberty for the sake of our
supposed safety.  We're hoping for improvements in the coming months,
but so far I'm not convinced.  So let me apologize both to Mairi and to
your country.  Having worked with a number of arts organizations that
bring musicians in to the US from other countries, believe me, this has
been a continual battle since 9/11, no matter what the political or
other inclinations are of the artists.  Our government has just taken to
seeing foreigners as potential terrorists (and frankly it's pretty hard
to see how anyone could find Mairi threatening - maybe it's the red hair?)

Do you have any sources for this where I could read more, or anyone I
could contact about it?   I'm currently working on a web site for Cape
Breton music, and I'd love to do a story on this.