{"id":56,"date":"2005-02-09T18:40:01","date_gmt":"2005-02-10T00:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/UnhinderedByTalent.com\/Phi\/archives\/2005\/02\/09\/letter-to-collin-peterson-opposing-hr-418-real-id-act-of-2005\/"},"modified":"2005-02-09T18:42:57","modified_gmt":"2005-02-10T00:42:57","slug":"letter-to-collin-peterson-opposing-hr-418-real-id-act-of-2005","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/UnhinderedByTalent.com\/Phi\/archives\/2005\/02\/09\/letter-to-collin-peterson-opposing-hr-418-real-id-act-of-2005\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter to Collin Peterson opposing HR 418 (REAL ID Act of 2005)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As your constituent, I urge you to oppose the REAL ID Act of 2005 (H.R.
\n418), which is an uncalled-for assault on immigrants and would force
\nstates to deny driver\u2019s licenses to undocumented immigrants in violation
\nof their own policies. I believe our borders can be protected and our
\nsecurity ensured through proper responses to critical needs, not misguided
\nproposals on a nationalized drivers licenses and new requirements for
\npeople fleeing persecution.<\/p>\n

I am concerned by this bill for a whole host of reasons as it represents
\nanother slip away from the freedoms that we speak so highly of, but which
\nwe seem intent on dismantling piece by piece in response to the horrors of
\nSeptember 11, 2001.<\/p>\n

My ancestors came to this country from England, Scotland, Switzerland, and
\nBelgium, and elsewhere. Some were well off and comfortable when they
\ncame, while others were in fairly desperate straits. Some became
\nlumberjacks, some dairy farmers and bankers, and others lawyers. All
\nraised families, sent their kids to school, and contributed to the dream
\nand success of the United States.<\/p>\n

This bill is a slap in the face of all that history. It forgets our past,
\nand limits our futures.<\/p>\n

And for me this is not an academic exercise. My wife of nearly 16 years
\nis a British citizen and a permanent resident of the U.S. (“green card
\nholder”). Our son is a dual citizen of the U.K. and the U.S. I would
\nhope that at these internationally difficult times, we might value the
\ndiversity my wife and son represent. Bills like HR 418, however, serve to
\nmake honest people afraid and do little or nothing that would actually
\nhinder Bad Guys. In what universe, for example, does it make sense to
\nrequire asylum seekers to obtain supporting evidence from the
\ngovernments they are fleeing?<\/p>\n

Particularly distressing is the open-ended nature of the provisions regarding charitable donations. My wife has been very generous over the years to a variety of causes in this country and back in the U.K.; she has been one of George Bush (Sr)’s “Thousand points of light”. Can that continue if this bill passes? Will past donations to organizations such as Amnesty
\nInternational<\/a>, Habitat for Humanity<\/a>, and the Center for the Victims of Torture<\/a> be seen as
\n“acceptable” in the future, or used as grounds for deporting her? What does this teach our son about the value of compassion, charitable giving, and democracy?<\/p>\n

Once again, I urge you to oppose the REAL ID Act of 2005 (H.R. 418). I
\nbelieve our borders can be protected and our security ensured through
\nproper responses to critical needs, not misguided proposals on a
\nnationalized driver’s licenses and new requirements for people fleeing
\npersecution.<\/p>\n

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.<\/p>\n

\n

The first and last paragraphs are ACLU<\/a> boilerplate. The Politech<\/a> mailing list did much to raise my awareness on this issue.<\/p>\nNo tag for this post.\n\t

Related posts<\/h4>\n\t