Letter in the Press Register

The Mobile Press-Register ran my letter supproting Rep. Cam Ward's efforts to thwart REAL ID implementation in the state of Alabama.

I'm glad they ran the letter....but I am very disappointed that they edited out the best line which, referred to the writer of the editorial as a 'government-loving boot-licker'. I guess it's cool for the editorial writer to call those of us who have serious reservations about the REAL ID Act 'paranoid' but I can't imply that he/she licks the boot of government.

Oh well, not printing it doesn't make it any less true.

Info wouldn't be secure

When I read the April 9 editorial titled "The federal ID law isn't strong enough," I didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or get sick.

Taking it seriously wasn't an option. Who could possibly take seriously the notion that we'll all be safer if we just turn our most private information over to the government and let the government keep it secure in order to "protect us"?

How is the government going to keep it secure?

Let's take a moment and look at some of the other programs the federal government has created under the Department of Homeland Security, and see how well they have worked.

Transportation Security Administration: I can no longer fly with a tube of toothpaste over three ounces, yet there have been numerous instances of passengers getting box cutters onto planes since the inception of TSA. In May 2007, about 100,000 personnel records were stolen from the TSA database.

The No Fly List: It currently contains over 300,000 names of what are supposed to be suspected terrorists. There have been numerous misidentifications involving nuns, infants and members of Congress. One instance involved a veteran pilot for American Airlines, whom U.S. customs agents have stopped about 80 times since 2003.

FEMA: Do I really need to explain that one? Its slogan should be, "It's not a disaster until we get there."

All of these agencies fall under the Department of Homeland Security. Guess who will be overseeing the Real ID program.

Clearly, the concerns raised by Rep. Cam Ward and others about Real ID are anything but "imaginary."

LORETTA NALL

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