My Problem With The Prove-You-Are-American Scheme

 Basically, at the end of this discussion....you'd have to talk over two issues.

First, can you read AND write....thus comprehend?  

I'd say near around 3-million Americans...on these three things....can't read, or write, or comprehend.  What exactly will you do with them?

Second, none of this identify-BS works....unless you issue out ID cards, which I know.....no one wants to do that.

I'm not against the prove-this or prove-that stuff....just that we need a complete conversation, and admit one-percent of society is pretty stupid, and we can't talk about that problem.

(This is where I tell  a US Army story from 1982.  Roger got recruited and signed up from eastern Kentucky. His momma drove him to the bus station.

The Army took Roger through boot-camp and told him....for his 2 years remaining....he was to be sent to Germany.

Roger arrived at the unit, and handed them his records....in particular the finance folder.

Roger spent the 2 years with no issues.  About 3 months before his discharge, the Army brought Roger in and was doing the checklist.  Then they discovered Roger had NOT been paid since the end of boot-camp (nearly 2 years ago).

Sarge brought Roger in....asked various questions.   The Captain asked more. Roger seemed not to have missed the monthly pay business. Momma sent Roger a crisp twenty-dollar bill each month, and he mostly ate out of the chow hall.  Occasionally, momma would send a box with socks and underwear.  

The Army then realized that Roger probably wasn't that bright, and just seem to take everything in stride. 

They added up the missing money...in the $25k to $30k range.    They called his momma and reported the situation (she was worried he'd gotten into trouble). No, said the Army.....just that when she picked Roger up at the airport...he'd have a check for his service and she needed to drive him to a bank.

I would imagine out of 300-million Americans....there's probably at least two million 'Rogers' out there, and surviving mostly because of fate or luck.)

I should add....if you had to go and ask Roger to prove his American status...he'd be totally lost.