Georgia Legislature Passes Bill to Put PTSD Diagnoses On Drivers Licenses
From Bellavia via Fox News:
Veterans groups are blasting Georgia lawmakers for passing legislation that would allow a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder to appear on driver’s licenses.
The legislation, which awaits Gov. Sonny Purdue’s signature, would permit servicemembers and veterans to request a PTSD denotation, which would appear on their driver’s licenses as a specific health problem, much like poor eyesight.
Here is another article from a local Georgia news site on the bill.
State Senator John Douglas (R), one of the bill’s cosponsors, has nothing but good intentions:
“I thought it was something that could help sick veterans and police officers. It would be beneficial to both sides,” Douglas said. “If a law enforcement officer saw a certain move or something like that he may could attribute it to something along the lines of PTSD. Many police officers and deputies are former military themselves and it would help garner some understanding and recognition of something they themselves might well be familiar with.”
Riiiigggghhhhttttt. Douglas apparently served in the Army as an officer for 17 years but was forced out because “of the Gulf War drawdown” according to his website. He never served in combat. Even better, this is a bipartisan assault on veterans’ rights. The bill’s other cosponsor, Sen. Ron Ramsey(D), says it is “completely voluntary”. Here is his genius logic on this:
“For example if a veteran suffering from PTSD was pulled over for a simple traffic violation, a designation on the license explaining the circumstances could inform an officer that the situation should be handled cautiously,” the statement read. “If a veteran does not feel it is necessary to designate this on their license, then they do not have to. Again, it is entirely voluntary.”
Let me say that any veteran that voluntary puts this on his drivers would be akin to a Jew “voluntarily” putting a gold star on their clothing in Nazi Germany. There is a negative stigma attached to PTSD and when most people hear those four letters they usually think of Rambo or Travis Bickle thanks to our enlightened Hollywood friends. I can also see many vets being tricked or “voluntold” into putting this on their license. Want to get a veteran or purple heart license plate? Oh just check this box right here sir and they will put a special sticker on your new license. Might be a stretch, but still this is a DMV we are talking about it. Marvin Myers, president of the Georgia Vietnam Veterans Alliance Inc, brings up some other issues as well:
“What happens if Jerry Smith has PTSD on his driver’s license and he goes into a gun store? The clerk is going to say, ‘Oh no, I’m not selling you that gun,’” Myers said. “I just think you open up Pandora’s box. You’re disclosing too much of yourself.”
Not to mention applying for a job, credit card, home loan, or even buying beer (for us young bucks), all of which require a drivers license these days….
A shitty idea and a shitty bill. The bill is currenting awaiting a signature from Gov. Perdue. Here is his office’s contact info.
Please kindly let him know that this is offensive to veterans.
Category: Media, Veteran Health Care
Another door opening for Wannabee’s. “Officer, I was drunk and driving through the school yard at recess because I thought they were Iraqi’s. Look, it says right here, PTSD. I thought they all had IED’s in their lunch boxes.”
Only someone looking for secondary gain would dare put this on their license. Also, who is to say the person has PTSD? Local doc? VA doc? Local counselor’s/theraptists? Your aunt Sadie? What about women who never served in combat but have legitimate PTSD from rape? Would they had to have served in the military or can anyone with a diagnosis of PTSD get this on their license, like a handicap plate. Would a new plate need to be made? Instead of a wheelchair maybe this new one would be a bed with a stick figure having a nightmare. The possibilities are endless.
I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the people who go for that designation are the fakers anyway, I would bet those really suffering from PTSD don’t want to advertise it.
What prompted this to be an issue? Was there a gunfight between a veteran and a cop after being pulled over? Or did some legislator just come back from watching a StopLoss/Brothers double feature.
While I agree with your thread, OD, I have to take exception with you stating that because he hasn’t been in combat, you are implying that he doesn’t have any knowledge of PTSD. You are forgetting those who are affected by someone suffering the effects of PTSD, whether family and friends, or co-workers, etc. I deal with several on a weekly, if not daily basis and my dad has it, although his was un-diagnosed due to the Vietnam stigma, but that in no way means it doesn’t exist.
Old Tanker is correct. You can feel enough like a freak hiding in your own home not revealing it to anyone. Sometimes if I have problems in public I lie and Blame it on claustrophobia or something else to explain the hypervigilence or the paranoia. Yes, I know it isn’t nice to lie to people. May I have another helping of guilt please?
Hell, if a Vet wants to let the world know that he has PTSD, he can pick up a shirt, a button, or a sticker on this design:
http://www.cafepress.com/frankopinions/6795266
While I have not been diagnosed as such, I surely wouldn’t want it on my drivers license. I suppose that the most of we veterans wouldn’t discriminate against someone with that clarification on their license, I can imagine what some of the loonies would do when seeing that.
Perhaps a tattoo on their left inside forearm,,,,,,,,,,,,
Nuf Sed
I don’t need any damned sticker on my licence. I have a three and a half inch scar running down the side of my face. If the police ask about it I tell them “a fishing accedent on R&R…”
Sen Douglas is a weird guy. Last year he took to the Senate floor and gave a speech supporting me in a 2nd Amendment issue I had with the MARTA Police. Then a couple of months ago I go in front of him to talk about something else, and because I disagree with him on that issue he throws me under the bus publicly while I was testifying to a committee hearing.
He does have good intentions. Every session he brings in soldiers to clerk for him. The problem is that he’s not a very engaged or intelligent person, and he’s also vacating his seat. I just don’t understand how he got the votes to have this thing pass both chambers. It was probably the whole “voluntary” nature of participation. Even so, I do not see how anyone would think that this is a good idea.
I agree with Marvin Myers about this, that it opens up a Pandora’s Box and having PTSD on your license discloses to much of yourself. Like would a woman want to have “Rape Victim” stamped on her driver’s license?
Good ole Marvin Myers; haven’t had a nice conversation with him since November of 2007. Hope he’s doing well.
I hate the D part of PTSD anyway…I have real issues with reality being called a disorder. This is an assinine Idea that needs to go to therapy to get over itself.