Canadian Versus US Border Guard’s Pepper Spray: US Wins

I’m sure that you have probably heard about the Canadian who got a face full of pepper spray from a border guard. Some people say that the use of force was unwarranted, but I disagree. I’ll tell you why, but for those who haven’t heard the story, then I’ll tell you a little bit about it.

On March 2, 2009 a Canadian man, named Desiderio Fortunato, was heading into America and was stopped by the border guard. The guard told Fortunato to turn off his car, but he didn’t say please.

Fortunato told the guard that he would like it if he would say “please.” The guard warned Fortunato that if he didn’t turn of his vehicle that he would spray him with his pepper spray. But the Canadian gentleman told the guard that he wouldn’t turn off his car until the he said “please.”

The border guard pulled out his pepper spray and again warned Fortunato to turn off his car or pay the consequences. But the Canadian just wouldn’t back down and again asked the guard to say “please.”

The guard sprayed Fortunato, drug him out of the car, then he was jailed for three hours.

Fortunato justified his own actions on the grounds of respect, saying that if the guard wanted him to respect his authority, the guard would have to respect him first.

I’m sorry, but I doubt the guard really cares if anyone respects him. The guard doesn’t need respect from border crossers. He only needs their compliance.

We live in times of violent terrorism and drug smugglers. People crossing borders need to understand that the guards need to do their jobs. If you don’t cooperate, then you pay the price.