NH: Man without I.D. vows to board flight or be jailed

NHfree.com ^

[Dada Orwell]

From NHfree.com Man Without I.D. Vows to Board Flight or be Jailed

Manchester, NH May 21, 2005

Inspired by New Hampshire's "outlaw manicurist," another Granite Stater is stepping forward to peacefully defy license-related laws. Thirty-five-year old Russell Kanning of Keene has announced he will approach a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Manchester airport on June 11 and refuse to cooperate with the requirement to show ID. "I will either board the plane without I.D. or be arrested," he says. "In a free country you do not need government permission to travel."

Kanning has a ticket to Philadelphia and, if allowed to travel there, plans to celebrate by visiting Independence Hall.

Two months after the September 11th attacks, the Aviation Security Act federalized airport security nationwide and granted new police powers to the TSA. Now, an ID is mandatory to travel by commercial aircraft, passengers must travel alone past security checkpoints, and random full-body searches in public are considered normal.

Kanning stresses that he will not resist arrest or do anything that might be perceived as physically threatening. He says this act of nonviolent resistance will follow the model laid down by Gandhi, who used peaceful noncooperation to expel the British from India. "We will tell them everything we're going to do ahead of time. We are not going to disrupt the operation of the airport," he says.

Kanning says the parallels with Gandhi's situation go further than a shared belief in nonviolence. "In South Africa (where Gandhi's protests began), Indians had to have special I.D...so it's very similar that way, and he wanted to burn it...He was appealing to that same basic idea that we have rights to not have to have paperwork to be able to move freely."

Earlier this month another Gandhi admirer, Mike Fisher of Newmarket, used the Mahatma's techniques to protest business licensing. After announcing he would perform an unlicensed manicure in front of the state licensing offices, he carried out his promise, earned a brief trip to jail and received heavy regional media coverage for his viewpoint.

Kanning says Gandhi's and Fisher's examples inspired him to take similar action against the growing "surveillance state." He believes the Real ID amendment passed by the Senate this month will make things even worse. But he says it's important to stay positive. "The goal is we want to get to the point where we can travel without having to have paperwork so, this is the beginning of that. We see light at the end of the tunnel. "

Currently the plan is for Kanning to approach the security checkpoint at 12:30 PM. Journalists and supporters will want to be there by noon.

Summary:

What: Civil disobedience against ID requirements under federalized airport security. Where: Manchester Airport in New Hampshire (exact spot to be determined) When: Saturday, June 11 @ noon Who: Russell Kanning of Keene, NH, supporters from NHfree.com Why: To draw attention to the recent and continuing loss of privacy and freedom due to federalized airport security and National ID. How: By approaching a TSA checkpoint with a ticket but no ID, refusing to show ID, and refusing to cooperate with the law until arrested or allowed to board the plane. Contacts: You can find out more and post questions to the discussion boards at NHfree.com

[whd23]

Yeah, only a real loser would actually stand up for his Rights.

The airline might be called "US Air" but it isn't owned by the US government. If a group of private companies require you to provide ID to make use of their service, that isn't a violation of your rights.

[jpsb]

The government can sieze your property any damn time they feel like it, and there is not a thing you can do about it. The Government can break into your home any time they feel like it, if you carry cash the government can sieze your cash and there is nothing you can do about it. These days you almost have to ask the government for premission to take a leak in the government approved tolet. We are not longer a free people, but keep voting GOP for more (much more) of the same.

[Controlling Legal Authority]

It was a domestic flight from the midwest to the east coast in a regular jet. I hadn't flown on a commercial airliner in several years.

[BobL]

"If a group of private companies require you to provide ID to make use of their service, that isn't a violation of your rights."

...except that it is the government doing the screening. We saw how good the airlines were at providing security on 9/11.

[Racehorse]

The real goal of terrorism is not to destroy lives and property, but to provoke such an overreaction that the targeted government . . .

The goal includes destroying lives and property, but the overriding goal of terrorism is most definitely to cause an overreaction from the government.  Why?  So we loose confidence in our government and then start to look upon it as the real enemy.

This is what it looks like:

. . . will become more of a menace to its society than the actual terrorists. If we don't wake up, grow up, and end this lunacy, a handful of terrorists will have gotten their way.

What can we do?  Hold the Congress accountable every time we go to the polls, keep pressing government to remove unwarranted, overreaching action, and never permit the terrorists to turn us against each other.

How this guy in New Hampshire intends to make his protest is a simplistic expression of this lunacy.

[Always A Marine]

How this guy in New Hampshire intends to make his protest is a simplistic expression of this lunacy.

I wholeheartedly agree. But the greatest expression of simplistic lunacy is the sheeplike passivity of most Americans -- including many Freepers -- in the face of government nullification of their basic freedoms. All in the name of security, of course.

[MichiganConservative]

We saw how good the airlines were at providing security on 9/11.

Yep, they let some people on with items that were NOT contraband. Then the people on the planes assumed the government-approved victim-position instead of fighting back and you know the rest.

Thanks to decades of propaganda from government officials at all levels, especially local law enforcement, Americans are conditioned to wait for "authorities" to take care of criminals/terrorists instead of fighting back. It took the first two planes hitting the towers which convinced the heroes on Flight 93 to do what should have been done on the others: fight back. I blame government a lot. It is largely responsible for creating the conditions that were conducive to 9/11.

Political correctness and the lawyers (ACLU) who work to institutionalize it are also to blame for discouraging sensible profiling with the fear of lawsuits.

[BobL]

You do have a point there.

I was only meaning to say that the airlines weren't proactive about security. If the gov. says look for guy, but not knives, then they were fine with that. Heck, before TSA, I once set off a scanner - no one came, so I continued to the airplane. The airlines were lax - and yes, so were the feds.

[SamAdams76]

Usually those who make a big case over having to present IDs are the sames ones screaming about all the illegal aliens streaming across the border.

Ids? We don't need no stinkin' IDs!

[OnRightOnLeftCoast]

I can guarantee you that if I flew again, I'd rather be seated among 100 passengers with the mindset of this "free stater", than 100 passengers with the statist mindset of many posters here. The former would likely resist a hijacking. The latter would likely not resist.

Agree. The 'free stater' crowd took action on the "Let's Roll!!" PA flight instead of just sitting there with a docile 'good stupid sheep of the herd' mentality.

[mewzilla]

Why is an ID necessary if you've already been searched?

It's not just for security purposes, but also to ensure that you haven't fraudulently obtained your ticket, by screwing with the terms and conditions of a frequent flier ticket for example.

It's their airline, they can tell you what you have to do to board it :)

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Many of the responses leave me worried. Calling this man a dope for protesting the erosion of freedoms is baffling to say the least. The government in an ever expanding program of IDing everyone and monitoring our movements is setting the stage for Orwell's prophacy of statist control. The commonsense approach with our security is to remove those who will do us harm. Deport the illegals. We did it before a hundred years ago. Yet, El Presidente holds hands with the Saudi Prince of Darkness and calls for illegals to come on over and do the jobs Americans won't do. And Freepers bemoan a lone protestor from New Hampshire while our government pours billions into fighting for freedoms of others on the other side of the Globe. Who are the Freepers? Sleeper cells from the DU?

[sweetliberty]

"I don't go anywhere anymore; if I have to go somewhere, I drive."

Same here, but I fear we'd better get it out of our systems before the government intervenes there as well. It's coming. Mark my words.

[FreeReign]

Please cite the Congressional declaration of war?

It's been cited here many times.

[OnRightOnLeftCoast]

I would stress it this way: thousands were killed because we did not comprehend the nature of a suicide mission.

As a program also pointed out, if it were not for the horror of 9/11, one couldn't come up a better plot for a comedy. There was...you pick the word: stupidity, bias, negligence, derilection of duty, misfeasance, malfeasance, etc. at every level of our government leading up to that day; especially relating to intelligence, immigration, and law enforcement to name a few.

The morons in government just don't get it. Remember the 'Profiling' issue in the aftermath?

[FreeReign]

Usually those who make a big case over having to present IDs are the sames ones screaming about all the illegal aliens streaming across the border. Ids? We don't need no stinkin' IDs!

Passports will be required for all entering this country by 2008. Even from Canada and Mexico. :)

[Racehorse]

. . . the greatest expression of simplistic lunacy is the sheeplike passivity of most Americans -- including many Freepers -- in the face of government nullification of their basic freedoms. All in the name of security, of course.

I agree, but I'm not so sure about most . . .

If I had died in 1948 and found myself resurrected today, disregarding all the great technological advances, I would not recognize this country.  Values have changed and many of the changes have been dreadful.

Fifty years ago the notion of national identity cards ("your papers, please."), informing on your friends and neighbors, having the government intervene almost on a whim in your personal and family affairs, those were all insane notions found only in iron curtain countries, and of course in the recently destroyed NAZI Germany.  Those things could never happen here.

Two rules handed down to me were "A good man makes his intentions known" and "A good man always keeps his word."

How do you know I'm not a terrorist.  Wael, I told you I'm not a terrorist.  You don't believe me?  You calling me a liar?  Them's fighting words.

Bad men lie and they seldom make their true intentions known.  The problem we face in this new world of diminished, increasingly restricted freedom is how do we weed them out?

Wish this thread had been more about the culture changes in our values . . . Wonder how age relates to how folks would post.

[GovernmentShrinker]

The Free Staters' movement has the potential to be a wonderful thing, but it will quickly tumble into oblivion if it doesn't root out and disavow this sort of stunt. What kind of libertarian thinks he has an unfettered right to board a privately-owned aircraft, without the owner's permission? Last I heard, all the major airlines were happily complying with the TSA policies, and the TSA was being receptive and responsive to suggestions from the airlines as to how to improve the process without compromising safety. The TSA checkpoint agent certainly wouldn't be the last obstacle to this bozo boarding the plane.

[FreeReign]

The government in an ever expanding program of IDing everyone and monitoring our movements is setting the stage for Orwell's prophacy of statist control. The commonsense approach with our security is to remove those who will do us harm. Deport the illegals.

Ya can't deport the illegals without an ever expanding program of IDinig. Your post is a glaring cintradiction.

[pageonetoo]

"No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope that it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve.

This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?

For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth -- to know the worst and to provide for it. I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House?

Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation -- the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies?

No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject? Nothing.

We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer.

Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament.

Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope.

If we wish to be free -- if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending -- if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak -- unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of the means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.

The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable -- and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come!

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, "Peace! Peace!" -- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

-Patrick Henry - March 23, 1775