Jun 24 2008

First Reports Of What It’s Like Flying Without ID Arrive

Travelers who willingly refuse to show ID to the Transportation Security Administration are now barred from flying. The new rule went into effect over the weekend. Now, in order to board the plane after forgetting one’s driver’s license, it seems you have to answer questions about your political party affiliation and previous addresses. TSA’s press release said that “cooperative passengers” without ID may be subjected to additional screening protocols, including enhanced physical screening, enhanced carry-on and/or checked baggage screening, interviews with behavior detection or law enforcement officers and other measures. It turns out that “and other measures” include questions about political party affiliation and other questionable invasions of privacy, according to an article that appeared on Consumerist.

Finally satisfied that I didn’t have ID, Laurie took my boarding pass and went away. She came back a few minutes later having photocopied it, and also had an affidavit that she requested I sign. It asked for my name and address, and stated in small print at the bottom that I did not have to fill it out, but if I didn’t I couldn’t fly. It also said that if I choose to fill it out and then provided false info, I would be in violation of federal law.

After filling out the affidavit, Laurie called a service to verify my address. The service needed me to then correctly answer three questions about myself, which Laurie relayed to me. The first was my date of birth, the second was a previous address (which I only got right on my second try), and the third was “You are registered to vote. Which political party have you registered with?” I got all three right, and only then did Laurie clear me to go through security.

As there is no published law governing what conditions the TSA has now placed upon individuals who have the temerity to travel without ID, only by reports such as these will we be able to ascertain what’s playing on the screen today at our nation’s security theater. The cost of admission is but your civil liberty and common sense. Contact us with your story.

6 thoughts on “First Reports Of What It’s Like Flying Without ID Arrive

  1. Pingback: Jesse Bickel dot com » Blog Archive » TSA now enforcing their demands for papers

  2. I read the article referenced also and it emboldened me to to “accidentally” misplace my ID the next time I board a plane just to see what would happen. After reading this it makes me think twice.

    Then i realize that that is the whole point. To intimidate people into giving up their rights voluntarily. That’s how they are getting away with all of this. They know full well that people see their rights as something that just happens naturally. What people don’t realize is that you need to pro-actively exercise your rights in the event that they are being trampled on. You don’t do it because you have something to hide, as the government would like to portray it as, you do it because you’re asserting the fact that you have rights, they are being violated, and you aren’t going to get away with that.

    It’s like the story my mom told me about when she got pulled over with a friend who was driving, my mom was the passenger. The officer, who pulled her over for simply speeding, asked for my mom’s ID. My mom kindly refused. The officer got miffed and remarked, “What are you afraid about that I’ll see on your record?”. My mom stated that her record is absolutely spotless (which it really is) but that she knew she had to right to not show him her ID and he really had no right to ask her for it. He got irritated but let it go because he knew she was right. Most people don’t know that. They just automatically comply with authority.

  3. Pingback: Why do you need an ID? - Homeland Stupidity

  4. Pingback: Papers, Please! » Blog Archive » Yes, you can fly without ID

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