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.

Prevent Genocide has a nice collection of identity documents from around the world. They’ve focused on how these documents have enabled genocide or racial/religious hatred toward minorities.

Check out the USSR travel permit and compare it to what we have today in the USSA: “A valid propiska was required in order to work, get married or gain access to education or social services. Individuals were required to present their passports and propiska for internal travel or on demand by authorities or employers.”

And read the chilling “Sources” — news stories about how mobs, cops, or soldiers stopped ordinary people, demanded to see their IDs, and then used the ID information to kill or imprison those people — in country after country.