I was asked to show my papers last night.

I was doing something I've done a thousand times, in a place I've been more times than I can count over the course of the last 32 years and this time an official with a badge demanded that I show my identification.

I wasn't at the airport.

I was at my neighborhood highschool, from which I graduated 29 years ago and have  been attending sporting events regularly for the last seven years.  I couldn't get into the gym without showing my I.D.

Afterward, I wondered; what could I possibly have shown him that would've precluded him allowing me to pass? If I had been from North Dakota, would he have let me in?  What if I had not brought my purse?  He wasn't interested in my bag or anything I may be bringing into the gym with me, just my I.D.

WTF??

The last time I checked, this was Minnesota, not Beijing.  In the United States of America, we're not supposed to have to show our papers when engaged in non suspicious activity in public places.  What is going on?

Zack tells me that there's a new policy in town; students are not allowed in the gyms of other schools unless their team is playing.  This means that Zack, a basketball aficianado, is prohibited from going to see North or Henry, two city teams that are perrenial State contenders, play any conference games.

Why?  Apparently there was some 'incident' last year.  Here in one of the most Liberal cities in America, when there's an 'incident', our civic leaders solve the problem by treating everyone like a criminal.

Today a basketball game, tomorrow the park, next week the grocery stores.

Get used to it, Minneapolis; you voted for it.

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion