You are the captain of a ship carrying immigrants to a new land. These
people have scraped together what little they had in hopes of a better
life elsewhere. When you arrive at the new land, the officials refuse to
let your passengers disembark.

While talking with a shipmate, he tells you of a way to sneak into the new
land. You know that if you were to be caught trying to "smuggle" these
people into the new land, you could possibly have your entire family
sentenced to death. On the other hand, you had not prepared for the
possibility of being refused entry to this new land, and are ill-prepared
for the voyage home. It is very likely that your passengers would not
survive the trip back. 

Do you risk all by trying to sneak into the new land? Or do you risk all
by attempting to return home? Keep in mind that your passengers have
little left in the world, and would have a better chance starting over in
a land of opportunity rather than the overdeveloped land they have left
behind.

13 responses total.

*Why * did the officials refuse disembarkation permission?
Quarantine?  Insufficient bribes?  Wrong color ink on people's
passports?  I would certainly look around for alternatives,
with a strong bent toward helping my passengers sneak in *if*
I thought they would have a fair shake once they arrived.

I'd try to smuggle them in. They havn't got anything left, and they were
counting on getting into the new land so I guess it would be my job to 
be sure they got there.

Obviously, I would try to do what Picard would do (*oops* guess I just 
revealed my secret geekhabit to all of Grexdom.  Oh well it would have
come out sooner or later I guess!  (:  )
 
Seriously, I would not presume to decide the fates of my crew and my
passengers without their input.  If it's their lives at risk, who am
I to decide for them?  If there seemed to be no general consensus,
then I woulld try to make the most prudent decision based on the facts
at hand (eg: why they were denied permission, as mentioned above).
Although if the situation is as clear-cut as it seems to be, I believe
there would be a natural majority opinion among the passengers.

am i a resident of the "golden land of oppertunity"?

(it's not likely. think of yourself as one who lives on the seas.)

(you're probably a welcome visitor, though.)

well, i don't know.  i'd probably take them back.

This response has been erased.

I suspect Haiti was in view.

(actually, I was inspired by memories of "An American Tail", but that's
neither here nor there.)

Sneak.

Don't know.  The story goes that FDR turned back boats of Jews that Hitler
sent over before we declared war.  I'd be hesitant to repeat that mistake.

Obey the law of the host nation and turn back, illegal immigrants are not
needed in any nation, and I would not jeapordize my family's life for this.

 
I would take my ship to Antarctica, and see what the penguins were up to.

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