"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
news:%uPdd.508857$8_6.37858@attbi_s04...
"Gig Giacona" wrote in message
...

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
The big deal, from a civil liberties standpoint, is the criminalization
of knowledge--the criminalization of teaching and learning, unless you
produce a government document that qualifies you for the privilege.

If the TSA can get away with that regarding learning to fly, then why
not regarding learning to drive, or learning high-school chemistry or
biology, or other potentially dangerous subjects?

Well, in most states you do have to present a birth certificate to get
your first driver's license. Further, you have to present proof of
residence to enroll in school.

That's not at all analogous. Yes, proof of age or residency can be
required for a license or for receiving a government service (such as
public education). But you're not required to prove anything to anyone in
order to obtain the government's permission to privately acquire knowledge
of driving, or chemistry, or biology.

There is a whole bunch of "CYA" going on within the government. Who can
blame them.

Anyone who expects responsible government can blame them.

Would you want to be the guy that has to appear before congress after the
next terrorist attack that has to say, "Well we had a plan that would
have checked flight training applicants ID but I thought it was to much
work."?

Huh? Who's talking about "too much work"? The point is that it is
totalitarian to require the government's permission to convey or receive
general knowledge. Yes, there are some attacks that can we can avoid by
subordinating ourselves to totalitarianism. But it's not worth it.

--Gary

Totalitarianism is a little strong for this particular situation. I have
intentionally stayed out of most of the political threads that have shown up
lately in the aviation newsgroups so I really don't know what you political
leanings are neither do I really care.

But, Gary, what they are requiring is that you prove US citizenship, or the
authorization from the US government if you are not a citizen, to receive
instruction from a person certificated by the that same US Government to
give said instruction. Plus, that particular instruction, not on could be,
but has been used in an attack on the citizens of the US.

Gig