Papers, Please!

A US marine just back from Iraq was detained by TSA as a suspected terrorist.

A New Jersey politician is legislating to outlaw anonymous speech on the Internet, because an online forum for his home district contains a slew of pseudonymous posts that tend to be unkind to local politicians. We suggest getting on that forum and telling him, anonymously or otherwise, that he’s a censor, a bully, and a traitor to his oath to support the Constitution. Anonymous speech and publication is fully protected by the First Amendment.

Pennsylvania’s law requiring an SSN before a gun can be purchased or a concealed carry permit can be issued is illegal under the federal Privacy Act, ruled US District Court judge Juan Sánchez. The case was brought in 2004 by US Army Major Michael Stollenwerk, a noted privacy activist. The opinion states:

Pennsylvania’s requirement that an applicant disclose his Social Security number to purchase a handgun or receive a license to carry a handgun is invalid under the federal Privacy Act. On Michael Stollenwerk’s complaint, I will enjoin the enforcement of Pennsylvania’s statute and the State Police from requiring a Social Security number to conduct a background check.

Congratulations, Mike! It’s refreshing to see a federal employee and member of the US military who’s working to uphold civil rights. May we find many more such brave officers.