In an age where everyone is so concerned about privacy, I was astonished to find that you have to provide your social security number to obtain a Pennsylvania fishing license.I am just an ordinary mother, with a son who just turned sixteen. We decided to take him to a nearby creek to fish and have a picnic for his birthday and a mother's day combo. Well, that seems easy enough right? I gathered him up and took him to KMart to get him a fishing license, since at the age of sixteen you must obtain one to have the priviledge of putting your line in the water whether you catch any fish or not.
After standing in line for a good little while, the harried employee asked me how he could help me and I replied that I needed to get two fishing licenses. I wanted one for my son and one for my husband. He then asked me if we had a drivers license, which I thought was a little curious. It had been years since I had purchased a license since I took my son fishing previously and I didn't fish so hence did not need to purchase any licenses. I said yes that I had a license and handed it over. I asked if you had to be present to obtain a license and he said that you had to provide a social security number to get a license in PA! I was astounded. So, in effect, my trip was wasted since my son's ssn was not registered and imprinted in my brain and the card was at home. I couldn't even get one for my husband, since first of all, we have been married a short time and I didn't know it, and second, I would NOT have given his ssn without his knowledge for something like this.
I am just wondering what in the heck is in the minds of the government, besides invading our privacy. I was so pissed about this that I demanded the guy hand back my license. He said, "you don't want to buy one then?" Since I told him that I wanted a license for my SON and HUSBAND, what the hell did he think he was going to do with MY license anyway?
I stomped home and lamented to my poor husband (the quiet one) about the idiocy of our government. Here they are issuing laws to protect our privacy and deter identity theft, and then go about finding more ways to put our information out there in someone else's databanks.
We decided that instead of buying fishing licenses and giving the identity thieves breakfast, we would just let the dogs do the fishing for us!
When I came to work today, I decided to find out what was up with the requirement for the licenses. I found out their brilliant idea was to catch the people who owed back child support while they are buying their licenses. You have got to be kidding me. Now, if a guy (i will use GUY for the purpose of this post although I know there may be some GIRLS out there owing) is dead beat enough that he refuses to pay for his children...i doubt he is a stand up citizen enough to go out and spend $22 bucks for a damn fishing license. Also, it apparently doesn't apply to all the jerks who simply owe support that don't pay...only to the ones who have a COURT ORDER that they can't buy a license! Are they kidding themselves with this, or is that just another excuse to watch over our shoulder big brother?
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