I have studied and lived in the United States many years. I still have dear friends, and even some family there.

I used to like to visit them and enjoyed it. After all the country (intended as the land) is beautiful and the 30% or so of worldly and rational Americans who mostly dwell on its E-W edges are friendly and interesting people.

Now, I refuse to go unless it's absolutely necessary, and even then, I keep it to the bare minimum length of stay.

I do my conference or meeting or whatever and get the hell out of there as fast as I can, thanking my luck that I could get out without some batshit madness happening to me.

Bloody dodgy place it has become.