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Originally Posted by kindlekitten
Never been bothered when I've left the US, even forign customs people have never given me even a second glance, US ones though..... Maybe I radiate dislike for authority real or imagined.
I have however (and still am) stopped constantly by ferry workers, airline workers, railway workers, because apparently there is something about my demeanor or the way I carry myself, if there is a person that needs assistance, I manage to be the joe citizen at large that gets tagged to be the "helper". so for whatever reason, I don't exactly fly under the radar.
while it is indeed difficult to determine whether we are REQUIRED to carry ID, it goes to show that the need for having one outweighs not having one. if you are a student, you are required to have ID at all times on ANY school campus. if you are seeking medical attention, you are required to have one. if you are employed chances are you are issued a company ID, and if not, you certainly had to pony up some id to get the job. you need to show id to use public library services. in short, there is very little you can do as a productive legal citizen without having id on you[/I]
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Originally Posted by Iphinome
Yes and the local police probably think they're being helpful. I just try to find a way to both be polite and fail to answer any questions I'm not legally required to.
I can't speak for where you live but where I live there's no requirement to carry ID nor have I ever needed one to see a doctor. I was required to carry one while i was at university but not once was i ever required to produce it for any reason other than checking out library books. Company ID is not government issued and not really useful for much outside that company so I don't think that example is useful to the discussion. I can visit a library without ID though I would need one to get a library card to check out books with. So while I admit what one can do in society is limited without and ID card that doesn't justify any requirement to carry one at all times. I grew up believing it was in those evil communist eastern block places where your were stopped and the authorities demanded to see your papers but in a free country people were able to go about their buisness unmolested. I still think of that as a requirement for a free country.
Since anytime a policeman stops and says hello to you it is a lawful encounter and since they are free to say hello and ask questions of anyone they want to, this Arizona law basically sets up the situation we prided ourselves on not having during the cold war.
I understand these people are frustrated by the federal government not doing as much as they'd like, but just as I am not a police officer and can't just decide to enforce laws I don't see why Arizona feels they have the power to take on federal duties.
There's also the matter of what this can do to the crime rate. If someone is living outside the law they're already an easy target but if it were safe for them to interact with local (not federal) law enforcement without fear they can report other criminal activity. Call me silly for placing some laws above others but I'd much rather they catch someone who rapes or kills an undocumented worker than catch the undocumented worker themselves. No I don't hold to the argument that if they weren't here they wouldn't be victims, it would just happen to someone else.
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REALLY do not appreciate you re-arranging my words especially in that fashion. it's one thing to do this when goofing around, but this seriously pisses me right the f*** off. probably goes to show why law enforcement is in your face on such a regular basis