Gilmore stays close to home while making a point about privacy

[davidinalameda]

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/05058/462446.stm

John Gilmore's splendid isolation began July 4, 2002, when, with defiance aforethought, he strolled to the Southwest Airlines counter at Oakland Airport and presented his ticket.

The gate agent asked for his ID.

Gilmore asked her why.

It is the law, she said.

Gilmore asked to see the law.

Nobody could produce a copy. To date, nobody has. The regulation that mandates ID at airports is "Sensitive Security Information." The law, as it turns out, is unavailable for inspection.

[mattclearing]

1. Isn't that interesting?

Only in Bushworld can you be held accountable to laws you can't see.

[RobertSeattle]

2. Great story - thanks

We all should ask to "see" the law more when some police officer or bureaucrat says "it's the law".