yet more ways the US is whacked

[mickeym]

By way of tabaqui:


The US State Dept. wants to make it more difficult to get a passport. The proposed new Form DS-5513 asks for all addresses since birth; lifetime employment history including employers’ and supervisors names, addresses, and telephone numbers; personal details of all siblings; mother’s address one year prior to your birth; any “religious ceremony” around the time of birth; and a variety of other information. According to the proposed form, “failure to provide the information requested may result in … the denial of your U.S. passport application.”

Go here to let them know what you think about that idea. (Apparently they think it should only take the average USian about 45 min. to gather all that information. o_O)

Comments

[missyjack.livejournal.com]

how ridiculous, especially as - how would they verify it all? I notice though the article says only "some applicants" would be required to do this. I am sure we can guess who that would be.

At present only about 37% of Americans have passports (compared to over 70% of Australians) - you really don't need more discouragement !

[deathbymutation.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I'm so happy to be Canadian. I've moved 6 times in 2 and a half years so naming all my addresses would suck balls and my mom has moved over 30 times in her life. She barely remembers what she had to for lunch yesterday let alone what address she lived at before she had me.

I have a spare room, IF YOU CAN GET A PASSPORT!

[ms-nerd.livejournal.com]

Any religious ceremony? Like a Christening? Or a Briss? I can't IMAGINE what else they'd want to know about.

It's funny (I'm on a roll here) that the US Government DEMANDED a few years ago that Canadians and Mexicans need passports to enter the country by land, sea or air and forced this stupid North American travel fuckery. Yet the US Government makes it so hard for their own people to travel. Why don't they just post signs at all airports and borders saying HERE BE MONSTERS, STAY HOME WHERE IT'S SAFE!!! It's like you're all living in the Truman Show.

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

well, no passport for me. i have no idea of employers since that was pre-tbi. no idea of addresses -- we moved 2/yr when i was in k-3, and my mother's long dead and even longer divorced from my stepfather, who've i never seen since the divorce in the 70s.

and how in the world would one know one's mother's address before one was born, espeically if said mother is dead.

and religious ceremony? there goes the separation of church and state.

man...

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

Well, I guess I'm never leaving the country then because I can't remember anything past 10 years. *lol*

[cereta.livejournal.com]

Oh, Lord. I mean, I was baptized before my adoption. I don't know the date, or the officiant, what if any name was used. And full employment history? Have these people met grad students? I worked jobs I don't even remember the name of, much less the supervisor.

[slothy-girl.livejournal.com]

wow... that's really stupid *sigh* the US gets up to some ridiculous crap, but seriously- stupid :|

[fromcainwthlove.livejournal.com]

wtf? is this for real? i couldn't possibly find all of that stuff. i have no idea where my boss from the bookstore i worked at when i was 16 now lives.