Viewpoints: Letters / Opinions
Checking ID, Assumed Guilt and a Lack of Common Sense
By Amanda Mitchell
July 05, 2014
Saturday PM
I wanted to bring to light a recent local experience in our town of Ketchikan. My husband and I went into Safeway. After picking up a few items, we walked together into the liquor store where my husband purchased beer. My husband was carded, but he was almost refused beer because I didn’t have my identification on myself. I have been into the same liquor store with my kids to pick up beer and my kids were never carded. As much as I would like to say it, I do not look like I am in my 20's. It was automatically assumed if we are with another adult we are guilty of buying alcohol for minor. However, I literally can have a minor with me, who is not carded, and be sold alcohol. To the cashier's credit, who else gets to decide whether or not the person who is purchasing the alcohol is going to commit a future crime and has the intent of purchasing to/for a minor? The cashier position has just gotten really cool as now the job duties includes being a detective, judge, jury and psychic. Move over, Miss Cleo!
When I said I didn’t have an ID on me, I was told I could be arrested for not carrying ID on my body. Where do you draw the line with this one? I now can say I don't want to get arrested while swimming or running or doing yard work or going for a quick trip to the store with my husband..... this could be a blessing in disguise.
I want to add one other story to our local experience that is quite humorous, but puts a greater idea on how ridiculous things are getting. Awhile back, I had to mail packages at our local post office. I messed up on the address label and said, “Oh, shoot”. The gal behind the counter ducked, because she said in her recent training saying ‘Oh, shoot’ was a serious threat. I could have cussed at her like there was no tomorrow, but that would have been just a rude customer. Add ‘oh, shoot’ to the mix and we now have a homegrown terrorist who doesn’t know how to label addresses on a package. Ok, I honestly didn’t mean to, but I had more than one package that I messed up on and said ‘oh, shoot’ several times. Yes, she ducked every time. This is months ago and I highly doubt I am the only one that has said ‘oh, shoot’ when messing up. Hopefully, common sense has prevailed since then.
Moral of the story: Laws and rules can lead to a lack of common sense and become just enforcement with the paralyzing trail of preventative measures.
Amanda Mitchell
Ketchikan, Alaska
Received June 26, 2014
- Published July 05, 2014
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