October 4, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Friday, October 4, 2019 Opinion Page “ElkCituNews THE BoY WHo CRIED KussIA wer ouiha sy Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 WEL! A 16 TRUMP EN New license law takes effect next year Wo? Don Munsch, Editor Do you have the star? You're going to need it if you fly anywhere in the country at this point next year. Tsaw a news story about the new REAL ID law Wednes- day, and this was the first time I was fully aware of it. I rarely fly anymore — just twice in the last 11 years. The law requires people to have a driver’s license that has a star on it, verifying a person’s identity with the REAL ID system, in order to fly on domestic flights beginning Oct. 1, 2020. Congress passed the REAL ID law in 2005 to address security issues after the 9/11 attacks, such as the ease for people in obtaining driver’s licenses, according to a story from NPR. The 9/11 Commission recommended the move to a REAL ID system, the story said. But this portion of the law — every airline passenger be- OvniRens S MEM EL comics.com EMAIL: [email protected] ing required to have a REAL ID compliant driver's license Greed or acceptable kind of identification — will not begin its of- handle all the incoming calls Lack of courtesy hit an all ficial rollout until Oct. 1 of next year. and assist her in taking in time high when her husband, From the Department of Homeland Security website: the business. One day soon after making an appointment “The REAL ID Act establishes minimum security stan- after, I got a phone call from to talk to her, was left in the Glynda Lomax is a Chris- her that another company waiting room for hours. dards for license issuance and production and prohibits had recruited her and she Seen hurrying from office Federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driv- tian author and podcaster who resides in the Ozark wanted to take me with her. to office, the woman was er’s licenses and identification cards from states not meet- Mountains of Northern Ar- The new company pro- never satisfied with higher ing the Act’s minimum standards. The purposes covered by kansas with her two very vided her with an office in numbers and seldom smiled. the Act are: accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear bossy dogs. She wrote her the most prestigious location Talk of helping others be- first About Life..column in in the city and showered her came a distant memory. She power plants, and, boarding federally regulated commer- with benefits — an expense bought a grand new house 2003 for a newspaper in cial aircraft.” Dallas. She is planning her account, carte blanche on and threw a party no one at- DHS stated on its FAQ portion of the website that TSA. next book. furnishings, a full staff of tended. Her husband moved will not require children under 18 to provide identification personnel at her beck and out and eventually even her lieved the woman of her po- when traveling with a companion within in the U.S., but “Money doesn’t talk, it call. The woman clearly own mother stopped call- sition and she left for parts swears.” ~ Bob Dylan enjoyed her new found suc- ing her. She had no time for unknown. The — beautiful that companion will need acceptable identification. cess, lavishly furnishing her anyone who wasn’t increas- The next year leading up to the deadline date serves as high rise office now stands Whatever you feed greed, corner glassed-in office and ing her income or raising her as empty as a fallen dream. some sort of period to educate the public. it will never be enough. throwing expensive parties social status. Morale dropped. and one Stephen King said it best Happy to do my part. Tonce worked for a wom- to announce to the world she an who claimed to be a mil- had “arrived.” by one disappointed em- when he said, “Monsters But I’m not happy to report the next part: Oklahoma Working days, nights and ployees began transferring are real, and ghosts are real, lionaire. In the beginning of is one of a few states that has not complied yet with the her career, she seemed to be weekends, she climbed to to other departments or leav- too. They live inside us, and REAL ID law, although it was granted an extension, as the a good-hearted person and ing the company altogether. sometimes they win.” even higher levels with the two other states — New Jersey and Oregon — were. we enjoyed discussing our new company. She talked Having hired some of the More isn’t always better, From the DHS website again: “Federal agencies may not lives and similar beliefs. I of nothing but success and most specialized _person- sometimes it’s just more. liked working with her and money and before long, her nel available to assist her in We must be wise enough to accept for official purposes driver’s licenses and identifi- wanted to help her take her personality began to change. growing the new office, the know when we have enough, cation cards issued by states that do not meet the require- sales to the next level. We Soon a high stress, totally company’s disappointment driven atmosphere prevailed at what they saw must have and when the price for get- ments of the REAL ID Act. However, the Act authorizes often talked about giving to the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant extensions charities, helping the less been great. As grievances ting more is simply too high. in the beautiful new office fortunate and making a dif- and every person work- began pouring into human “A Native American of time to meet the REAL ID requirements to states that ing for her wore a worried resources about the working grandfather talking to his ference in the world around provide adequate justification for noncompliance. Federal us. frown as they rushed to and environment, recruiters re- young grandson tells the boy agencies may accept for official purposes driver’s licenses The first time we worked fro trying to keep up with alized they had recruited an he has two wolves inside and identification cards issued by noncompliant states that together we collaborated on her constant demands. Old asset that had turned into a of him struggling with each have been granted extensions by DHS.” a marketing project that re- friends and everyday kind- liability. other. The first is the wolf sulted in an unprecedented nesses were forgotten as Although the woman of peace, love and kindness. DHS stated in a press release that signs were displayed response within the compa- she barked orders, criticized drove a Mercedes, owned a The other wolf is fear, greed beginning in April in airports that notified the public about ny. The business that poured people and insisted everyone house in the most exclusive the new law. In August, TSA agents began verbally notify- in was so overwhelming that work overtime on a daily ba- area of the city, made a six and hatred. “Which wolf will over the next two weeks, the sis. She often stated that if figure income and claimed win, grandfather?” asks the ing travelers who did not have compliant driver’s licenses about the new requirement and enforcement date. switchboard to her office not for her, they would not to have everything, I never young boy. “Whichever one was jammed and additional have jobs and they owed knew anyone who had less. I feed., he replied.” - Native ‘So what about Oklahoma and its non-compliance? Here’s people had to be hired to all their time to her service. The company finally re- American Proverb. what the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety stated on Key meetings focus on racial its website: “The current extension expires October 10, 2019, but the state has applied for another extension from the Depart- ment of Homeland Security.” Thursday morning, DHS reported the extension will be granted to Sept. 18, 2020, equality and accurate census count television station KOCO reported. By Oklahoma Institute focused on issues of race the 2020 Census, especially cades and across the world DPS previously said, “Unless another extension is grant- for Child Advocacy CEO equity and opportunities for those ages 0-5, which with nations that do a similar ed, anyone who does not have a form of identification that Joe Dorman for at-risk children. Studies happens to be the low- count. The U.S. Census Bu- is REAL ID compliant (such as a U.S. passport or military Over the past two weeks, show that children of color est percentage of counted reau has been working with ID) will not be able to enter a federal building or facil- I have had the pleasure of continue to face economic, Americans that is recorded early childhood advocates, ity, military base, courthouse, etc., and will not be able to attending two collaborative educational and social bar- annually. In fact, the 2010 like the ones at the Early efforts at the national lev- riers that white children do Census saw about one mil- Childhood Summit, to bring board a commercial aircraft using a non-compliant driver’s el. Both meetings focused not. If we are dedicated to lion children nationwide that the education about the Cen- license or ID card as identification.” on important issues facing improving conditions for went uncounted, which was sus into schools and non- DPS said that after legislation was passed in 2017 al- Oklahoma’s children and all children, those inequities 4.6 percent of that popula- profit organizations and get lowing Oklahoma to become compliant, it was anticipated our population at-large, and must be addressed. Itis nice tion. the word out about under- Tam excited to share the de- to know there are organiza- An undercount will finan- counts. From this gathering, that it would take two to two and half years from the time tails below. tions like OICA in almost cially harm states and com- the attendees formed a Com- a contract was signed by a vendor before any REAL ID- The first opportunity was every state that work on is- munities that miss out on plete Count Committee for compliant documents could be issued, which placed plans in Washington D.C., where sues like this for children federal funds distributed by our region, and I am pleased for implementation into the spring of 2020. I had the chance to attend within their boundaries. population to a wide vari- to serve on this group. the annual Partnership for The next gathering, the ety of programs, including “Tt is now estimated that the Oklahoma Department of The Census Bureau will America’s Children forum Early Childhood Summit, education, food assistance, be working to hire mem- Public Safety will begin issuing REAL ID documents April and visit with staffers for was held by our regional healthcare, housing, loans and transportation. The most bers of the communities be- 30, 2020, at selected locations across the state,” DHS said. the Oklahoma Congressio- US Census office in Denver. nal Delegation. I am happy The meeting brought togeth- recent study by the Census ing surveyed. If you have “REAL ID driver’s licenses and ID cards will be available to say that our U.S. sena- er early childhood educators Bureau found that $675 bil- an interest in working on to all Oklahomans statewide by August 31, 2020.” tors and representatives are and community representa- lion was distributed by fed- the 2020 Census as a part- Additionally, the DPS website states Oklahoma will al- served by dedicated and tives from Western states, eral agencies or programs time job, please check out low people to choose between a REAL ID driver’s license/ knowledgeable men and including Texas, Arizona, to the states in 2015. If our https://2020census.gov/en/ ID card and a non-compliant driver’s license/ID card. If women. I was especially New Mexico and Oklahoma, state has an undercount, it jobs.html for details. someone chooses to get a non-compliant license or card, thankful that Congresswom- as well as representatives will be roughly $1,800 per We also encourage all an Kendra Horn was able to from tribal governments. person that will be lost an- child advocates to attend a he or she will need to present alternative forms of identifi- visit in-person and that I had The other two Oklahomans nually. It was estimated that gathering of Oklahomans cation, such as a U.S. passport, accepted by the agency or the opportunity to see her attending represented the Oklahoma lost tens of mil- on Thursday, October 3 in facility in question. preside over a committee in State Department of Educa- lions of dollars potentially Oklahoma City from 10:30 “Some agencies or facilities may have additional require- which Congressman Frank tion and the Chickasaw Na- coming back to our state am to 3:30 pm to learn more Lucas serves in a leadership tion. because many children were about the US Census in ments to accommodate individuals lacking the correct ID role as well. Much of the meeting fo- not counted. Oklahoma. You can regis- documents,” DPS stated. The Partnership for Amer- cused on looking at ways to Undercounting children ter and get more details by So now you're up to date. I hope you enjoy your flight. ica’s Children coalition ensure an accurate count for has been a problem for de- emailing [email protected].