I happen to be one of the (apparently very few) people in this country that has not only read the Constitution of the United States, but also understands it and — by gosh! — thinks it’s a pretty good way to run a country. So I tend to get really, really upset when presented with a “law” that I know is not a law.
At fozbaca.org I found a link to an excellent article written by a U.S. citizen about how to fly without any identification. You do realize that there is no “law” that says you must present ID to get on a plane, right? According to this article, the airlines just want to make sure you’re not using someone else’s frequent flyer miles. They blame it on the government because, well, just about everyone is a sucker.
My favorite part is the closing:
“If no one complains or asserts their rights regarding travel, then another freedom is “poof” gone. Our children watch this happen, and grow up thinking that the state has both the right to define our identity by issuing documents saying who we are, and also the right to require us to produce them on demand.”
To the best of my knowledge, airlines don’t refer to this as a “law” but as a requirement, which is entirely different.
As the owner of a retail operation, we require a current, state or government issued photo ID for all checks. That’s not a law, but it is our requirement–no photo ID, no way we’re taking the check. Just like the airlines, we need to verify the person on paper is the one standing in front of us.
In the end, it’s up to the consumer. If you don’t like the requirements or policies of a company, don’t give them your business. Keep in mind, though…it’s a long drive to New York from California.
I’d also like to point out – as a pilot now – that like it or not, the rules for air travel changed on 9/11. It hadn’t occurred to most people that someone might KILL THEMSELVES to bring down a plane (all in the name of some big imaginary friend in the sky) – so we have to do what we can to make sure innocent people don’t get killed because of one wackjob trying to get in good with Allah.
I agree with the first poster – this isn’t a matter of law (or even taking away freedoms) – it’s about protecting the lives of Americans. Get over it, and bring your **** ing ID.
Like the 18th Amendment, the 22nd Amendment might as well be abolished, and the current US administration should be allowed to carry out the New Manifest Destiny. The United States should span from sea to shining sea, land, air and ground, from the Atlantic through the Indian and Pacific, and back to the US-Atlantic shore.
The American citizenry will continue being vulnerable to international terrorism until a single United Nation is established. Then, America will simply need to shift their anti-terrorist efforts from international terrorism to that which is “home grown.”
255 is a good number of stars to place on Old Glory. This should not be accomplished in the name of Jehovah, Allah, Yahweh, or any justly omitted relatively unknown pagan gods. Annexation of the yet un-annexed world should be done in the name of America, the only godly country that holds the title, “World Superpower.” There won’t be any borders to secure, if they are eliminated. There will also be no need to determine that an airline passenger is local or foreign through rudimentary credential type checks.
Government interest in enhancing the wealth of the nation will be evident, when the current president asserts a third and fourth term, which is expected to be done for the purpose of maximal national security. “Don’t change horses in the middle of a stream” toward securing a nation that is maximized to the limit with the intention of eliminating foreign terrorist threats. Operation: Iraqi Liberation (OIL) is simply a required means to a fated end. Perhaps, the American people should take cues from Starship Troopers, differentiate between its citizens and civilians, and allow civilians to earn citizenship only through risking a loss of blood for the national good.
All references to God in the Constitution and Federalist papers should be considered references to the Holy Duality: nation and president. In God, our president and country, we trust.
Kelly-25,000 men died fighting during the Revolutionary War because they believed in the rights which the Constitution upholds. As callus as it sounds, if more Americans die because we abolish a practice which restricts those rights then that is the price of freedom. They will have “lied as precious a sacrifice as one can give upon the alter of freedom” and they should be praised not used as a cause to frighten us into giving up the liberties which so many before them have fought and died for.
I have been collecting experiences of people, including myself, who choose to fly without ID. The regulations and procedures have been continually evolving and the TSA and airlines aren’t very upfront with our rights. Anyway, you can see these experiences at my blog, http://flywithoutid.blogspot.com/
Thanks for exercising your rights!