July 26, 2013

• Grinding My Gears

  I know there isn't much time left for me to air out my always righteous indignations for all of you to emphatically and empirically agree with here.  But I am one of those who will go down with the ship. Because I believe in it. Because nothing else fits. Because I can't settle for shallow when what I crave is depth. (And I have more of an idea of why I need so much depth here, now. I'm discovering a lot through counseling, both about myself and about the man I married. But I don't wish to air my dirty laundry, only my righteous indignation.) Right on.

  You know it's a bad state of affairs when the government prevents her law-abiding citizens from abiding the law (by making it so difficult to comply), and yet will still hold them to that standard. Yes, it's a universally known peeve of most that driver's license offices and employees are notoriously unhelpful or even rude. To me, this North Carolina office took the cake. Let me explain why. In order for us to swap our Texas licenses for North Carolina licenses, here is what we needed (all listed, not a combination of some - ALL):

  1. My Texas driver's license

  2. My original birth certificate

  3. My social security card

  4. Proof of residency

  5. Proof of insurance

  and the one that took the cake for me, just one step WAY too far:

  6. Proof of middle name

   

  WHAT THE FRANKENSTEIN is "proof of middle name?" OK, let's back up here. I started getting effing annoyed at all the requirements anyway, but number 6? Proof of middle name? I want to know what the purpose of that is and what they consider "proof" if it isn't any of the other means they already required. Let's take it another step, who does this rule make life more difficult for? Women and Immigrants. Let's explain why.

  Women often change their name when they get married. Men don't do this. Often, the middle name is dropped or added on to and the last name changed.

  Immigrants. Other cultures don't always (or often) give middle names. It's kind of an American culture thing. Or Westernized culture thing, at least.

   

  So what if one doesn't HAVE a middle name at all? What happens then? And why does it matter if the citizen trying to get a DRIVER'S license can't prove their middle name status IF they have their social security card and birth certificate and an official photo id? What are we trying to prevent or authorize at this point?

  My question is, what is the point of this requirement, period? How do I know it's required? The rude dude at the desk told me so, peon.
  

   

  Another thing that annoys me is the general fact that states require all of the information IN ADDITION TO the driver's license from the previous state. Do you know how many times I've had to provide these documents at this point in my life? Seriously, about every 2 years for the last 8. At what point is it going to be good enough to stand? North Carolina says Texas must not have verified my identity - they need my documents, too. Texas said Florida must not have verified my identity, they needed them, too. And so on. WHILE they require my "unverified" driver's license, as defined by their lack of acceptance of said proof of identity, in order to help verify my identity. Do you see the contradiction here? Either it's valid proof of identity or it isn't.

  That isn't even to address the REAL ID Act or PASS ID which some states do participate in.

   

  I guess it really just got my goat that North Carolina has the gall to ask me for proof of my middle name. On behalf of women who might change their name upon marriage everywhere, and on behalf of the peoples of other cultures who might not be able to participate period - I'm offended. What are we trying to do?

   

  • 3:49 pm
  • 2 Comments