The Fingerprint Requirement... Where does it end ?

"There are some bad people, therefore we must all give up our basic liberties so we'll be safe!"

"There are some bad people, therefore we must all go straight to a facility after work and check in so we'll be safe!" 

I somehow don't think we're all defining the word "safe" in the same way.  Go up and read what Ben Franklin said about this very issue and think about whether it applies to you when defending these kinds of things.  I suspect that's why he said it, so that people would think about what it means as applied to themselves.  

And why is it "just the day and times we are living in"?  Because people said, "Oh, that's just the way it is," and didn't protest.  

Karen, I agree, we would be "safest" and "most secure" under the circumstances you outline.  Free?  Not hardly. 

Just think, Karen, if old Ben and the rest of the Founding Fathers (and those who joined them) had had that attitude - we'd be singing God Save The Queen instead of the Star Spangled Banner.  

Karen Anne, I saw this article on CNN and thought of you and this post of yours and thought you'd find it . . . well, let's just say "interesting", shall we?

Karen:

I agree with you and am equally frustrated at things like this. It won't be long before the State politicians will just pee on us to mark us as their territory. Ha.

Very interesting subject Karen, I wasn't aware that real estate agents are required to provide fingerprints in any state.  It wouldn't have even occurred to me.  However, some real estate companies in our area require back ground checks on all of their agents.  I wouldn't be suprised to see North Carolina follow the trend and start requiring finger prints also. 

I take personal offense to this practice though, do they think we are all potential criminals?

Karen Anne: I find it rather sad that if one objects to this kind of governmental intrusion, the first line that is tossed out is "What do you have to hide?" Gee, I have nothing to hide. Maybe we should get fingerprints of people wanting to look at real estate. I mean, REALTORS aren't out there killing clients, but there are the occasional broker getting killed, robbed or raped on a showing. 

I am a certified relocation specialist with Coldwell Banker. I had to have a background check done. I was able to obtain the report. Good to see that I am indeed NOT on any watch list. I have no problem with this. I had a background check when I worked at a financial brokerage house in the 1980's. No biggie. 

Karen, I am good friends with our TAR field rep and the Chair of the TAR PCS Committee and everyone at TAR was strongly in favor of this requirement.  I let them know that I wasn't a fan and they seemed surprised.  We have this law because of an agent in Houston was a sex offender in another state.  And when they did the criminal background check in Texas nothing came up because he was registered out of state.  This agent didn't go anything criminal in Texas but this is what got the ball rolling for fingerprints here.  

Also, from my understanding they take your fingerprints and run you through the system now.  But just because you have your fingerprints taken doesn't stop someone from during a criminal act in the future.  I think it gives a false sense of security.  It just weeds out those you have previous records.   Which is good but I'm not a criminal and shouldn't be treated like one!!!

As you know, this requirement makes me so mad but on Thursday I'll be having my privacy taken away from me. Oh, I mean my fingerprints taken.   

If I'd known about it in advance, I would have been telling TAR before the law was passed that I wanted them to lobby against it. 

And that's even though I had my fingerprints taken for a job application some 40 years ago.  It's the principle of the thing - that was a choice, for a law-abiding citizen, as it should be.  This is not.