Ok, maybe I did not know what I was stepping into posting for the first time in this forum. Well maybe once a long time ago, but I cannot remember. I was not trying to make a political statement or say that there are not blaring civil liberty issues etc. I travel A LOT. Not as much as some here, but more than a few as well. I don't like the screening and I certainly do not like its inconsistencies. I think it is hilarious that I have to take my shoes off in the US, but not in Europe. I think it is crazy that the baggage screening in Germany makes me remove the batteries from my Mach 3 shaver. I think it is criminal that the screener in Bishkek takes all of my spare batteries from me. I think that it is laughable that in Italy I can get on an airplane without EVER showing even a passport and fly all the way to the US without ever being checked. They claim that somebody else in the EU must have already screened me.

So I get all of the heartburn with terrible rules and even spottier equal application. My heart goes out every time I see a young mother have to pull sleeping twins out of a stroller and have them patted down.

The only point I was trying to make was that, all of this to the side, I am shocked that there are people that do not know that you need to prove who you are to fly. That is it. No comment about how the ID could be fake or some sort of real ID political statement. I was just surprised that a lady came to the airport and was then shocked at being asked for ID.

Now if you want to start a thread about why I can fly into and out of Italy without ever presenting a passport, I'll chime in on that thread as well