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Many states are moving toward the realization that the collecting
of fingerprints or other biometric information is unconstitutional.
Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue signed legislation at the end of
this legislative session that will abolish this practice that
has been in effect since 1996. The question that I have is multi-fold.
Why does the new legislation not come into effect until July
of 2006? What happens when Washington and the Department of Homeland
Security demand that States collect this kind of information,
after all, it has been decreed that the motor vehicle and drivers
license issuance now come under their auspices. Is this a real
step toward freedom, or is it just a ploy to divert our attention
until the big guns can take over? If it is unconstitutional,
how can they continue this practice for another year?
On a different note, legislation was enacted by the State of Georgia
to require any pregnant female requesting an abortion to wait twenty-four
hours and obtain counseling before having an abortion. There is
also a requirement that the minor’s parents or guardian must
give permission. All this seems rather reasonable compared to the
insult that follows: The woman must present proof of identity.
The attending physician must report all abortions to the State
of Georgia, including the name of the woman who receives the abortion
and information on how many abortions that physician has performed
and how many abortions the woman has had. What an outrage! If a
woman wants to have an abortion, it is her body and her business.
How dare any governmental agency keep records on her personal life.
This kind of record keeping could discourage parents from giving
their permission for the girl to have the abortion for fear of
public embarrassment. Haven’t we lived too long under fear
of embarrassment and oppression? Do we need to re-live the humiliation
of public whippings and dunking? I can’t help notice the
internet postings and “The Sunday Papers” front page
full of pictures of Georgia’s sex offenders. Maybe that’s
not such a bad idea; it’s a safety measure to protect our
children, but what records might be made public in the future?
The Scarlet Letter Returns?
Sherry Henderson, Editor & Publisher |
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