I went to school in Bowling Green from 1st grade till I received my computer science degree at Bowling Green State University in 1984. Mayor Quinn was my teacher for my favorite thing I did in high school. (Prosecuter in the mock trial of a true hero, Eugene Debs). Sergeant Al Carsey of the Police Department was a drinking buddy. My parents still live here and I came home for Christmas to stay at their home.
Tonight, I was at the club "Uptown" for the 4th time this week. The first 3 times I brought my passport. This evening, I forgot my passport and told the same door man and the same cash box guy from the previous 3 times that I forgot my passport, but I did have an expired ID, when YOINK! The cash box guy grabbed it out of my hand.
I never got it back.
Now, what exactly gives a cash box guy the right to grab something out of my hand?
When Office McClure arrived, the doorman gave her my ID. First thing she did was radio me in. What gave her the right to check my legal status? What was her probable cause?
She explained they train the Uptown people to snatch IDs. I asked to ask Al Carsey. If he could handle it, and return it, if it was mine. She explained the state of Massachusetts owned it, and it would be immediately destroyed. (The Uptown cashbox guy showed me a stack of about 50 IDs he is illegally possessing, as they are not his).
Officer Reinhart was also on the scene. He told me there was a warrant out for my arrest in Massachusetts. He would not say why. I do have an unpaid stop sign ticket from 1998. I gave up driving when my license expired in 2002. I was never told there was a warrant and I had been arrested at protests (critical mass!) in Boston in April 2001. I was found guilty of disturbing the peace on 9/1/2001. My 2 years probation is long over. I am aware of a warrant out for my arrest in California, for riding my bike on the sidewalk, (slowly, in Berkeley, at 1 am, on a raining Tuesday), where it was a 278$ crime. He said if Massachusetts was closer, they would arrest me.
Now, I do not feel very nice about my home town. I wonder about my country. Is my freedom is on such a fragile string because I will not get a new State ID? If it is so important to the State, why don’t they print me one?
What if I don’t want to carry one? Will you all want me in jail? Why isn’t a passport sufficient?
Has University town Bowling Green come to this?
I have never been threatened with arrest before without at least saying something about cars killing the earth, (and grandfathers and daughters), or Bush killing Iraqis, (and Afghanis and Hatians). If you disagree with the government, beware the Police. (Even on vacation in your home town).
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