Real ID

If you’re not aware the federal government has enacted law requiring states to store personal information and make it readily available through a bar code on your driver license. In essence what they are doing is requiring us to have a federal identification card so we can be monitored for terrorism. From the day 9-11 happened until now I’ve stood on one basic premise. Giving up personal liberties and freedom should never be impeded by the need to be secure. In other words, the government should not be allowed to treat innocent Americans as criminals without just cause.

With the erosion of personal freedoms and things being suspended like Habeas Corpus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus Americans have taken a step backwards in our personal freedoms. Things like the patriot act have eroded the very core of what this country was founded on. I am of the strong belief that every right we posses and lose is a right that we will never see again. More and more control from big brother in the name of security isn’t necessarily a good thing.

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."

~Benjamin Franklin~

So here we are almost 6 years after the fact and now to move from state to state we need federally approved identification. Is this not erosion of our freedoms as Americans? Is this not something that we despise in countries that encourage communism?

Controlled movement.


One of the real issues with Real ID and how it relates to Trans people is that it really opens us up to more scrutiny in explaining who we are. Not all states are equal when it comes to how the DMV handles changes from one gender to another. For instance in NH you need to have completed surgeries and letters before you can change your gender marker yet in the state of Washington all you need is to be in process of being treated for Gender Identity. So it seems a bit unfair in how this information can be shared or even used.

One thing I’ve always loved about NH is the notion that we are better to govern ourselves than the Federal Government is. Time after time NH has turned its nose up at federal laws in favor of state mandates and held true to the state motto of "Live free or die" We have no seatbelt law, no helmet law, no permit required to own a gun (with a background check) no sales tax, no income tax and many other things that the Federal Government has tried to force on us. When it cam to real id NH again bucked the system and passed a law forbidding us to be involved.

While it is cool to be as free as this it has its drawbacks regarding this new law. Now when I travel I am subject to more scrutiny, something that will cause issues because my ID doesn’t match who I am anymore. This in itself means I am subject to be searched every time I travel. In order for me to avoid this it means I will need a passport just to board a plane to move from state to state, how un-American is that?

What a pain in the ass under the guise of being safe …

~K~