Rebecca: I was sitting having a cup of coffee in a local place of business when an off duty sheriff's deputy was talking in a bragging manner of people he'd arrested. He got to talking about identification and I told him I didn't mind any officer asking for ID but I don't use my Social Security Card for identification. He said if he felt he needed "further identification" he'd ask for a SS card. I told him he wouldn't get mine. He said I "take the trip then!"

The guy was a real scumbag. A few months later the Sheriff said his deputies would not be asking for SS cards! "Further identification?" I mean it doesn't even have a picture on it! He was just being a fascist!

It probably has everything to do with inforamtion they receive from Austin. Just guessing! When Wired Magazine did my story I printed it out and took it to the local DPS office and asked Sgt. McBroom to read it! He looked at me in a most insolent manner and suggested he might just throw it in the trash! The higher you go up in that organization the more arrogant you become, it seems to me! Reader's Digest also did my story. I got extra copies and gave them to several state troopers.

We are in trouble and it's only getting worse! 

Ken, I have an interesting aside to add to this. About half a year ago, I was pulling out of a gravel county road onto a highway, with somewhat of a rolling stop, and a DPS caught it. Pulled me over, and gave me a warning. I fully admit I did not come to a complete stop and was grateful for the warning and not a ticket. Strange to me, however, they made me get out of the car (I was dressed in scrubs and going to work) and made me stand between their car and mine while they (there were 2 of them) scrutinized my DL. I am one of those unfortunate people who look like their driver's license pic, so no doubt it truly was I on the DL. It is not expired, and about as valid as one can get.  I have no history of infractions, but I tell you, they appeared to pick apart EVERY letter and bit of info on my DL. They asked me if the address was correct (yes, of course it was), asked me if this was my DL (DUH!), and then proceeded to ask me "Well, weren't you coming off county road (an example here, not the actual road number) 123? No, I replied, I was leaving road 321 (the road I live on; I had just left home, about a quarter mile down the gravel road to go to work) and also the number that my DL states is my correct address. The DPS officer looked at me for a few seconds, then said, "I thought that was road 123 back there". Of course I didn't want to correct him, but had to, as I certainly know the road I have lived on for years. I told him, "No, that's road 321, I live right down that road, and as you can see, I am on my way to work...." He just said, "Oh.". What the?????? I thought. Well, they finally let me go but sure acted like they were looking for something - exactly what, I don't know.....but boy I almost felt guilty even though it was a minor infraction that just recieved a warning. All I can say is, officers seem to be scrutinizing our licenses and IDs like never before. Is this part of the Homeland Security thing? If anyone has any answers, please speak up! Otherwise, I am with you on this, Ken, and I know how you were made to feel! Not a comfortable feeling.....so even if it was road 123, or 321, or whatever, what does that matter? Since when do citizens not have the right to travel freely any road they desire. I felt like they were trying to tell me I had no business being down that road, when I had all the business in the world being there!

Weird.  I have no idea why the system won't allow st.  It's not in our filter list.  We'll check into it.  Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Why has the Advocate blocked out the "St." on the Florida city?

How about it Chris Cobler?

NavyGuy: My son is a PO3 with the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg, Fla.

One hand at the Texas Department of Public Safety has no idea what the other is doing. The officers in the field put their trust in a records system that is 29% incorrect and out of date. What kind of system is that?

Thank you for your service!

Pat: No apology needed. A valid question indeed. My drivers license is indeed valid. The clerk checked the date as she was told to do and I asked why. She said her instructions were that the card had to be valid.

On my Social Security card, which is a signed contract between myself and the federal government, it says not to be used for identification. You shall not be issued a drivers license in Texas without showing that card! This is a gross abomination on the people of Texas! The excuse? So the state can better track deadbeat dads!

Liar, liar, pants on fire! A 67 year old grandmother is surely not a deadbeat dad! This is nothing more than the state using fascist tactics to keep track of each of us.

Enter my name on the google search engine with the words "bad background check" and see what the state of Texas did to me. And now Bush and his "Real ID" scheme will only make it worse.

Evilservo: both the extreme right and the extreme left love this idea. I've always said If you drift far enough to the right or left when it comes to civil rights you'll meet around back!

The question is; how much more of this fascist/communist garbage are we going to put up with before we clean out the legislature at the ballot box? It's time right-thinking Democrats and Republicans put their heads together and voted the entire state legislature out! Democrats and Republicans ALL voting for incumbants! Wouldn't that be sweet?

You reckon they'd listen to us then?