5-11 Campaign Action: DON'T FORGET TO WRITE

5-11 Campaign Designs Constituent Letter against Real ID
a BeatTheChip action exclusive

Through the magical convention of today's Internet, we can instantly create ways to communicate with our neighbors and legislators about the issue of Real IDs. Your phone calls and letters hold the most impact. Without your effort and outreach- your concerns won't move an inch toward your benefit. Let's start with those nearest to you.

First, the plea to your friends and enemies to defend freedoms they may take for granted:

Please take note of today's date and then count the days until Real ID becomes the newest American reality, May 11th, 2008. Many believe Real ID to be a true treachery against the US people. This unfunded Congressional mandate is now widely understood to be the "Trojan Horse" in HR 1268- a bill meant to expedite aid to the Indonesian Tsunami victims and bring more reparations to the US troops in 2005; not to have federal tracking devices in our wallets.

This bi-partisan issue has members of both parties expressing their disgust at the prospect of state payouts for what stands to be pan-american ID. We won't be able to enter a Postal Office without one and stand to wait up to 2 hours to board a flight if you don't have a passport. Since when does an American flying from San Diego to LA need a passport? The language surrounding the "official purpose" of Real IDs are deliberately so vague anyone could be manipulated who had one.

Bills to repeal and to halt spending for Real IDs are on the rise against this unpopular bill. The money to develop them will come from state taxpayers to install expensive insecure identity systems where non-profits like AAMVA, will function as an "information clearinghouse" about what you use your ID for. It will have some form of biometric facial grid scanning and possibly a Radio Frequency ID chip. It's just another bill that makes citizens going through their daily lives vulnerable to being cast as a terrorist.

Don't let the Department of Homeland security tell you to take the finance of Real IDs from Education programs, or Art funding or Welfare-to-work programs "or else". Or else what?

You decide. Beneath this are action letters for those in CA and out of state to submit to their public representatives.

Please send your letters today and forward this to your concerned friends.

Best Regards,

[YOUR NAME HERE]
5-11 Campaign against Real ID

From here you attach the following letter fit to send to your Congressional Rep or Senator and your Governor. I stress the uses of letter writing and phone calls to your Governor's office, the Secretary of State's office, and the states DMV heads to ask questions about costs and to tell them a Real ID is not a good use of your tax dollars. If you add your sentiments to the rhetoric below's copy-paste in a legislators contact correspondence.

REMEMBER: Call Washtington before 5 PM (EST) .

Thanks Again to 911 Blogger for their contribution to the 5-11 Campaign

PLEASE COPY-PASTE LETTER TEXT BELOW FOR CONSTITUENT USE:

I am very disappointed in the passing of House Resolution 1268: this resolution contained the appropriations for the REAL ID which will harm the privacy of all Americans (plus, is illegal).
California will have to pay 10.7 to 14.6 billion plus individuals will have to cover an additional 7.8 billion.I am disgusted that I will have to pay for something that will make my identity less secure (Why didn’t you ask the people in our state?).

REAL ID increases identity theft because of the databases that will contain more information that can be stolen of left on laptops). The regulations don’t include any protections against identity theft.The illegal part; the law that created the Department of Homeland Security prohibited a national identification system; thus that law is being broken and our (public) trust is being violated.

I suggest that you also read the Privacy Act of 1974 was includes: the right to limit the use of personal information collected by the federal government, access the data collected about them; correct any mistakes in the data; and turn to the court system to apply for redress.Please, I urge you to oppose this national ID system and support the repeal of REAL ID.

All levels of government officials (state and federal) have a duty to protect the privacy of American citizens.

I hope you will be very vocal and supportive of the following message.

I urge you to support the repeal of the REAL ID Act and stop any further implementation of it; I am an American who cares about individual privacy and real national security. The creation of the national ID system is illegal:

1 - The law that created the Department of Homeland Security prohibited a national identification system (thus by trying to implement REAL ID, DHS is breaking the law and violating the public trust).The REAL ID has real problems:

2 – REAL ID will create a system without adequate privacy and security safeguards: it will make it too easy for identity thieves, stalkers, and corrupt government officials to get access to such personal information as a home address, age, and Social Security number.

3 - It will also make it more difficult for people to get driver's licenses.

4 - The regulations endanger the privacy of domestic violence survivors' personal information, exposing them to stalkers in all 50 states.

This is very important:
5 - If the regulations are not withdrawn, then the Department of Homeland Security must FULLY APPLY all provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 to this REAL ID system, including the right to limit the use of personal information collected by the federal government, access the data collected about them; correct any mistakes in the data; and turn to the court system to apply for redress.

We the people were unable to speak during the rushed passage of REAL ID.

Please, I urge you to oppose this national ID system and support the repeal of REAL ID.

Regards,

[Constituent-Voter name]
[Location and State]