Transit through US a good idea or not?

[DC3]

But there has been some reports of people with an ESTA being refused entry

Although, that is nothing new.

 

[clifford]

I’m never flying to or through the US for at least the next 4 years. Not worth the hassle, IMHO.

I think I've said this before, but I have no intention of going there ever again, even though I'm a UA 2MM (*G for life). The USA has made its decision to treat all foreigners badly, so I'm reacting to that. And my wife thinks I'm being too weak about it.

 

[Human]

I think I've said this before, but I have no intention of going there ever again, even though I'm a UA 2MM (*G for life). The USA has made its decision to treat all foreigners badly, so I'm reacting to that. And my wife thinks I'm being too weak about it.

Serious questions: what about the other nations that "treat all foreigners badly" but which haven't publicised it and/or where it hasn't been reported on by the media? I'm thinking of @drron 's harrowing Japan trip report, about the right of governmenrts such as China (including Hong Kong) to arbitrarily detain foreigners, about the many nations which persecute adherents to the non-predominant religion (or any religion) or on the basis of something else such as sexuality or political beliefs ... do you have a thought-through, intentional way of determining what does, and does not, constitute a level of xenophobia or human rights abuses which makes you unwilling to visit a country? To what extent do you research the official and unofficial ways that governments treat foreigners before you decide whether or not to visit? And do you distinguish between the countries which treat foreigners badly and the countries which treat their own citizens badly, and if so, how? So are you unwilling to visit a country that locks up its own citizens but which generally treats foreigners better, or is it just the other way around?

I'm not having a go at you: as a fellow, but less-experienced traveller, I genuinely want to know how you work out which countries to visit and not to visit.