Your Right to Travel Anonymously: Not Dead Yet 1353
ChiralSoftware writes "Remember John Gilmore's fight to be able to travel on commercial airlines without having to show ID? It has dropped out of the news for a while, but now it appears that the fight is continuing. I remember in the 80s we used to make jokes about Soviet citizens being asked "show me your papers" and needing internal passports to travel in their own country. Now we need internal passports to travel in our country. How did this happen? The requirement to show ID for flying on commercial passenger flights started in 1996, in response to the crash of TWA Flight 800. This crash was very likely caused by a mechanical failure. How showing ID to board a plane prevents mechanical failures is left as an exercise to the reader. How mandatory ID even prevents terrorist attacks is also not clear to me; all the 9/11 hijackers had valid government-issued ID. I hope the courts don't wimp out on this fight."
It's All About The Lists (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Its not a conspiracy (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Ho Hum (Score:0, Funny)
Re:Why else? (Score:2, Funny)
Knock Knock. (Score:4, Funny)
Zee German Inspector.
The German Inspector w.....
I AM ZEE ONE ASKING ZEE QVESTIONS HERE!!!!
Insert appropriate agency personnel for the inspector.
Re:Its not a conspiracy (Score:4, Funny)
Oh come now, don't get Kerried away...
Re:simple solution (Score:2, Funny)
ID on domestic flights (Score:5, Funny)
I generally leave it up to friends to book my flights because I don't care what airline/airport I fly into and out of but they do. So for a wedding in North Carolina in 1999, the friend put down "Crackpipe Johnny" as my name while booking. I chuckled until we actually got to the airport because I didn't know how they'd react. Instead of showing my ID, I showed my Zippo which had Crackpipe Johnny emblazoned on it. "Ok sir, go right through."
Since then it's been a running joke and even post-9/11 Crackpipe Johnny has had no problem booking a flight or boarding a plane.
I wouldn't recommend trying this, but until someone tells me to stop doing so, I will continue to do so. Just because someone says something is so (in this case mandatory ID carrying) isn't reason to freak out.
Re:I hate leftie slashdot folk (Score:1, Funny)
You have airplanes and shoes in Alabama?
Soviet Express Card. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Its not a conspiracy (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Why else? (Score:4, Funny)
Sorry, man, God knows what sort of crazy terroristic shit you two could be thinking up when you are supposedly 'making love'. They gotta watch, it's for your own good.
Re:I hate leftie slashdot folk (Score:4, Funny)
While there are lots of things terrorists may do on a plane, to f*ck is not one of those things I'd expect them to do there.
Re:Ho Hum (Score:4, Funny)
Is this a new product from Apple? How do I get it?
Re:The soap box and ballot box are nearly dead (Score:4, Funny)
Here's the outrage. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why else? (Score:5, Funny)
As someone who flies regularly...
Please, please, please God, let this be implemented.
Re:remembering 1789 (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why else? (Score:3, Funny)
I would definitely remember if there were dildos in the Bible. There aren't.
Re:The soap box and ballot box are nearly dead (Score:3, Funny)
Um..you were saying?
There's still hope! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why else? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why else? (Score:3, Funny)
Instaed of God as a burning bush commanding Moses, It's Satan as an Israeli PM, commanding a bush to burn Iraq, etc.