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Wespeaks:
Passports and liquor policies 

On October 6 2000,a friend of mine who is of age decided to go and buy beer from Club Liquors next to Neon Deli. Being non-American, he carried his passport with him to the store. He could not buy any beer. The shopkeeper claimed that since the passport had the student’s name (withheld) written in handwriting, he did not recognize the passport, therefore would not sell him any alcohol.

Okay, slow down. This is going too fast. Just why did the shopkeeper to refuse someone’s passport because the name was in handwriting? Then how did the student get into USA in the first place? A stowaway in a plane? I guess not. I did not mention that the student in question showed the shopkeeper the page containing his 4-year visa. Well, I cannot blame the shopkeeper for not knowing what his country’s visa looks like. Ask anyone who is not from the "right" countries how much time and pain it takes before that green piece of paper is put on their passport. Then it would even be an insult to carry your passport to any liquor store, let alone have the shopkeeper turn you away for not recognizing the passport.

A few facts here: The American Embassies, wherever they are, I assume would keep a copy of their host country’s passport with them. This would then be used as a reference to analyze visa applicants’ passports to ascertain whether or not they are fake. I assume my friend’s passport underwent the same fate before he got his visa. So Mr. Club Liquor need not worry about fake passports. They are analyzed using all sorts of machines before Big Brother out there at the embassies puts visas on them. Correct me if I am wrong.

Which leaves me feeling just as bad as the poor guy who gets caught trying to obtain liquor with a fake ID. By the way, how do you tell a real ID from a fake one? I am yet to hear of anybody caught using one. Not that I really care about them; I am of age. And anyway, Immigration and Naturalization Services would be on my throat if they found that I dared do such a thing as getting a fake ID. Much as I do not have any powers, I deeply disapprove the fact that we have to drag passports into such petty things as getting a can of Budweiser. Isn’t a passport supposed to be more valued than say, a state ID or a driver’s license? Not that I am trying to put foreign passports above American identification documents. I also do not approve underage drinking, whatever that means here. And since it is the law, I shall respect it. As well, I do not approve of the fact that adults are treated like schoolchildren when it come to matters to do with alcohol when they are allowed to go and die as soldiers at war. But that is just my opinion. I have no say in what passes into law and therefore commenting on
such would a lot of hot air.

Which is why it is painful that my friend could not even use his passport, his only and most valuable form of identification away from home. So now he will be advised to go look for a stated ID, and guess what he will use to prove his identity: the same passport with a handwritten name! How absurd. I wish that the shopkeepers here scrutinized the identification cards people show them with the thoroughness that they use when looking at foreign passports. Then the Police would stop worrying, since they would have people calling them to report underage people trying to misrepresent their ages. 

Good day Messrs. Club Liquors.