SHOW ME SOME IDENTIFICATION!
By Dan Miller
August 3, 2007
OK, I admit it.... I got a ticket for jaywalking 20 years ago.
Karen and I were meandering along the sidewalk on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles.
It was fairly late in the evening.... traffic was lighter than usual.... and we wanted to get to the other side.
So instead of walking about 50 feet to the crosswalk, we simply scurried across the street, hand in hand.
Mere seconds after safely making it to the other side.... seemingly out of nowhere.... a motorcycle cop pulled up right next to us.
"Sir, do you know it's illegal to jaywalk.... may I see your driver's license please?" he said.
"Well, yes sir, I knew that, and I'm sorry," I stammered.... "but I'm not driving, so I'm not even sure I have my driver's license with me."
"Well, then show me some identification" he said.
"OK, but just for my enlightenment" I asked, "is it illegal to go walking without carrying ID?"
"Are we now required to always have identification papers on us?"
He didn't answer.... and from the look on his face, and the nudge I got from Karen, I figured it was best for me just to be quiet.
I handed him my driver's license (which suddenly turned up in my wallet).
He did a little paperwork and handed me a jaywalking citation.
I believe I had to pay a $25 fine.
I was reminded of this recently when our newscast contained a story about people in Tennessee being arrested for "possibly" being illegal immigrants.
From the accounts I heard, they were taken into custody initially for "not having proper ID."
Now, whether or not they were illegal immigrants is not the issue here....
My concern is that people were detained for nothing more than not having identification on them, even though they weren't driving a vehicle, or doing anything else that would require identification papers.
I've not done a lot of research, but as far as I can determine -- in our country -- nobody is routinely required by law to carry ID with them at all times.
True, it might actually be a splendid idea to carry ID of some sort.... but part of being "free" is that we don't have to.
It's something to think about.
By the way, after that Los Angeles police officer gave me the jaywalking ticket, my instinct was to ask him why he would give me a ticket, and NOT give one to Karen, who was walking right beside me, holding my hand.
Wisely, I didn't ask.... and that was a good thing for the peace of all mankind.
Karen likes to say the cop assumed she was my daughter.
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