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John Gilmore's Search for the Mandatory ID Law

Posted by Zonk on from the when-making-things-easy-isn't-a-good-idea dept.

powerline22 writes "John Gilmore, the millionare who cofounded the EFF, has been prohibited from travelling because he refused to show an ID while boarding an airplane. He's been under this self-imposed ban since 2002. From the article: "The gate agent asked for his ID. Gilmore asked her why. It is the law, she said. Gilmore asked to see the law. Nobody could produce a copy. To date, nobody has. The regulation that mandates ID at airports is 'Sensitive Security Information.' The law, as it turns out, is unavailable for inspection. What started out as a weekend trip to Washington became a crawl through the courts in search of an answer to Gilmore's question: Why?"

5 of 1,568 comments (clear)

  1. Why, indeed! by Threni · · Score: 5, Funny

    "You've got to have rules, Jerry. Without rules there's chaos." - Kramer.

    1. Re:Why, indeed! by KevinKnSC · · Score: 5, Funny
      Publish your real name, address and phone number here before claiming any special credit.

      Crap, now we have to show ID here, too?

  2. Ho Chi Minh beard by fembots · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe the memory is still lingering?

    But seriously, is $30 million enough for such lawsuit? Didn't we just read that a session of 'Trek costs $32 million??

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
  3. Re:Bullet, meet foot. Foot, this is bullet. by ScrewMaster · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why does the government need to know where you are travelling?

    For the same reason that dogs lick their balls.

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  4. Ironically by Scrameustache · · Score: 5, Funny

    we are being held accountable to rules that we cannot know.

    If we were around women more, we'd be used to it...

    --

    You can't take the sky from me...