By (Eric Peters)

Do we live in a police state? What other state forces non-criminals to submit to fingerprinting in order to obtain permission to drive? Or merely to exist? The state of Texas does. So do the states of California, Georgia and Colorado. Soon, the entire United States is likely to require it. Indeed, already does – under the auspices of the REAL ID Act.

Under the USA Patriot Act the state of Michigan (and other states) requires over-the-road truckers not merely to be fingerprinted but also that they submit to a background check once every four years, if they wish to be able to transport “hazardous” materials.

How does all this make you feel? Free?

The state will claim that forcing people to queue up like cons and submit to being “inked” is merely (here it comes) for their own good. To protect them against identity fraud and so on. But what has this to do with driving?

So, this idea that one can opt-out of being fingerprinted by electing not to get the state’s permission to drive is preposterous. It is akin to demanding that people either submit to fingerprinting in order to use a computer (or a telephone) or give up using computers or telephones. No, it’s worse than that. Because it is feasible – though difficult – to live without a computer or a phone. It is not feasible to live without a government ID.

Original Article Here