Views from DHS Insiders ; 5-11 Campaign Press

Do you see the hidden irony in Jim Toroks artwork? 

*L -I-A-R

Does this sentiment look familiar?  DHS is telling you "Things are okay."  

READERS: What are your thoughts? Please comment on the corresponding forums:

Homeland Security is notorious for adding a "for your security" claus right before they strip you of some element of freedom.  Usually these are freedoms you actually need to go about your natural way of life as an American.  The corresponding sentiments from DHS ring to the tune of, "Things will be more secure - more okay- if we do it this way."

Bad news kids : 48 states went for the Federal Grants for Real IDs.   Part of the conditions for accepting federal monies is that the States are in full submission to the Real ID implementation policies. They accepted the "okay-ness" of Real IDs for your state.  Again - this happened while you were going on with your life.  We have a high maintenance government who is behaving badly.

You can ask your state to reject the federal funding for Real Ids.

Jim Harper, a DHS insider explains his point of view:

"Were there ever any doubt that Real ID was a national {now confirmed International} identity system and a step toward cradle-to-grave, government- mandated biometric tracking, Family Security Matters has helped clear that up."

The blogging friends of the DHS deliver a positive report on the "effectiveness" of carding flyers at airports (6/23):

"We're 48 hours into the new procedure and things have been smooth so far.  Approximately 650 people have shown up to security checkpoints without ID and a total of 20 people have not been allowed to fly. That is .0005 percent of the approximately four million people that flew this weekend. "

Way to go? I'm curious about the 20 people who didn't get to fly.  Were they bad people or did they just insist on invoking their civil rights on not having to show their papers to fly. For those who visit the link here you will see some of the responses people left.  Among the gems (typically from Anonymous posters) :

"If they get a pat-down and bag check, who cares if they're on their way?  This is the point you continually ignore as you lie to us about the "supposed" security this nonsensical policy change provides.  In fact, you know as well as we do that this new policy does nothing more to make anyone safer, and by diverting resources from things that WOULD make us safer, like screening cargo, actively makes us less safe."

Missouri:  A reluctant target for Real ID implementation  

Missouri is the first stop for the Real ID electronic network in America.   Missouri is not so enthusiastic about the $17 million  development of AAMVA's Real ID hub,  but they still get to wear the"guinea pig"name tag for this development.  Whoopee. Yay.

Missouri Rep. Jim Guest, head of Legislators Against Real IDs,  will be speaking on Derry Brownfield's show, July 3rd - 10:00 AM (CST) about what an electronic hub in Missouri means for the rest of the US .  You can catch the show online at GCNlive.com  

DHS also passed out $1.2 million in government cheese to states Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and Wisconsin willing to road test Real ID's.  Nevada and Wisconsin fought against allowing state funding for the implementation of Real IDs.  Florida and Indiana have not filed any resistance whatsoever in the development for Real ID's.   

Other "5-11"end states are Washington and North Carolina.

What does it mean to be "5-11"ened?  Please check out Carol Broulliet's radio program, Questioning War, Organizing Resistance - Hour 1: Katherine Albrecht &  Jim Guest ,  Hour 2 : 5-11 Campaign speaks