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Will the international travel ban effect any FRC teams?
For the next 90 days, nearly all travelers, except U.S. citizens, traveling from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen will be temporarily suspended from entry to the United States. The 90 day period will allow for proper review and establishment of standards to prevent terrorist or criminal infiltration by foreign nationals.
This comes straight from the United States Homeland Security site. Although this 90 day ban won't stretch out until champs, will this effect any FRC teams located outside of the US traveling in for regionals? I don't know for sure but I don't think that there are many FRC teams if any at all in those countries. I'm not exactly sure but I assume that there are a few FLL or FTC teams in these countries. How will this effect the FIRST community going forward in the future? I believe this hurts the chances of students and people in those countries that want to start FIRST teams let alone travel to the US for regionals/champs. |
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Even if there are not FRC teams in those countries directly, the way everything is headed and working right now will cause problems for people from many more countries.
Even more so, I'm not sure that if I came from a non-English speaking country I would feel so welcomed here right now (don't get me wrong - I'd love to have you here). |
Re: Will the international travel ban effect any FRC teams?
The new edict may also affect many visitors from other countries as well. IIRC, visitors to the US from many other countries will be required to interview at our consulates in person to get their visas...possibly adding considerable time and cost for visa processing as foreigners may have to travel great distances to find one of our consulates to interview at.
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Re: Will the international travel ban effect any FRC teams?
The 90 day ban does extend until world champs. The first day of St. Louis (April 26) is 88 days after the ban (assuming effective Jan 28). So the ban extends to all of Houston champs and until the very last day of St. Louis.
The reason why I know this is because I'm a dual citizen of Canada and Iran so when this news broke I thought I wasn't going to be able to attend champs. But it was later announced that Canadian dual citizens would not be effected so at least there's that. Thankfully, no countries that are home to any FRC teams are on the ban list so I don't think we'll see a case where a whole team is unable to go because of the ban. |
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CNN Politics has an article that may help people see the depth and magnitude to which the new ban applies. |
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This will have a more profound effect on FLL teams.
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Re: Will the international travel ban effect any FRC teams?
If some teams will be unable to compete purely because of this, either competitions need to be pushed back or teams protest the ban, especially when competitions start. FIRST is about having a level playing field, and if the playing field will not be level, we need to all work to make it level.
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The rules FIRST produces go towards making a level playing field by ensuring production time and cost of robots is roughly equal, but they don't make it completely level. Teams with the resources to make practice robots have a benefit over those who don't. Teams that have no snow days during the season have a benefit over those that are locked out of their school. Teams with a local even have a benefit over those that have to drive/fly and stay in a hotel. Teams with events in their country have a benefit over those that have to take a robot through customs (We've actually seen customs officials arbitrarily make teams disassemble parts of their robot and use separate bags for the different parts, requiring extensive reassembly time at the event). And then there's a difference for teams in districts versus regionals. Yes, if any teams are affected by this it really sucks. I wish I could do something for them. But we can't let that stop the season for the other 3000 teams out there. |
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This topic has the potential to explode into politics, but we are in an extraordinary time. My team includes undocumented students and middle-eastern immigrants, and there is legitimate concern about travel plans, since we intend to fly to Utah and Houston. We may have to divide the team up into flyers and drivers based on nation of origin. As the President would say, SAD.
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Re: Will the international travel ban effect any FRC teams?
Doesn't mean we shouldn't try to help those teams affected in some way. Just because the playing field is a little uneven doesn't mean that we should just make it even more uneven.
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Elements of this executive order were obviously poorly considered. (Some will find this an understatement :]) Expect it to change as the ramifications get fully explored. In other words: it is too early to tell.
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Exactly what is it you think I'm supposed to do? What is it you think I actually CAN do? |
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If you feel passionate about this topic, given the structure of our laws and the nature of visas, the best opportunity may be to approach this like the Olympics. Draw attention to the specific nature of the event for those specific individuals and plea for an exception in this case. Making it a general argument about the policy, as others here seem to suggest, is likely fruitless. Making it specific about the event, the culture and spirit of the competition, and keeping it specific to the teams involved is the most likely path to success. Think of it in terms of the exceptions to such rules made during the cold war when the various teams from East and West would still compete against each other in the Olympics. A rational, kind, professional, well worded, and appreciative letter to the federal government officials you feel are most likely to influence the situation is your best bet. |
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To be brief, equality discusses giving everyone the same tools to succeed. On the other hand, equity is providing people will the tools they need to be on a level playing field. An example from the module is that you may need to provide transportation options to someone in a low income area/with working parents/etc whereas you do not have to provide the same options to others for them to have a level playing field and equal shot. Here is a message from Shelley Henderson (Diversity and Inclusion Manager, FIRST): Quote:
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My Representative and Senators are already taking action, adding my voice to the chorus won't change anything they're doing (and if you're going to add your voice, call, don't e-mail. Call's have to be listened to by someone and make them pay attention. E-mail's just get tallied up and mostly ignored). Sure, if I had different congressional representation calling them may have an impact. That's what you do when your Representative or Senator is not representing your point of view on an issue. But when they already are... then what? I've seen lists of Senators opposing the ban, and it includes over half of the Senate! That's half of the US right there that won't benefit from calling their Senator. There are more borderline issues where calling in is invaluable. Issues where calling in may actually help sway your senator. I really don't think this is one of them. For many people, "taking action" just isn't that simple. There are real world considerations and personal commitments that prevent a lot of people from getting involved as they may like to, especially when it's something relatively quick or surprising. Some things, like the recent Women's March, get planned significantly in advance, allowing people to adjust their own schedules if they feel strongly about it. This, however, popped up overnight and is less than a week old. No room to adjust schedules! |
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Everyone takes action in their own way. You can donate (5 minutes), call a legislator (15 mins), or anything in between. I recommend any of these articles:
...and there are many more. I don't mean this to call out anyone's politics but I am simply trying to provide information on many options to take a stand - on whatever it is you believe in fighting for. Quote:
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In what ways are those Senators taking action though? I have only seen a handful of Congressmen taking actual action further than voicing their own disapproval. Calling congressmen who have simply voiced their disapproval can absolutely make a big difference. |
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Maybe such an action will, in a weird and gross way, get FIRST to end the perpetual shafting of its worldwide program, FIRST Lego League by highlighting/uplifting some of the Open Championships that I believe occur in the late spring in places inside and outside of the United States.
I won't go into heavy details, but 422 comes from the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies, which is a very politically active public school. We have relationships with representatives at all levels that we stay in touch with. We are definitely keeping our eyes out for an official date for the March for Science. When going through the public school system, I could feel that we were entering interesting times. As I finish my undergrad, I enter the world with the confirmation that we have many challenges that we will have to face as a combined people, and I hope the skills we foster through our team help the kids we mentor face those challenges as well. |
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