Agreed... it's an ID for a REASON!

On the other hand, if you are a Pastafarian (belonging to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster), you can have your picture taken with a spaghetti strainer on your head... for religious reasons, of course.
http://static7.businessinsider.com/image/4e1d97deccd1d5850f310000/niko-alm.jpg

@ Tony
Actually - if you were to go back and research the history of this law, you would find that it was requested by the Amish people of this state. It is against their religious beliefs to be photographed for any reason. It only applies to State Id, not drivers licenses. And given that the Amish are one of the most peaceful non-violent members of any community, who generally keep mostly to themselves, I find no problem with this law.

Also, the Muslim religion has no issues against their pictures being taken, just how the picture is taken. So they would not be exempt from having their photo taken.

Sue, I can confirm that - the Amish, Mennonites and Pennsylvania Dutch are my peeps, and they do not like having their photos taken. Also, I don't know of any of my Muslim friends, including an Imam, who has any objection to photos.

amish are a joke, so we gonna adjust to people that arent even from here orignally geesh.
just take a picture and get over it, its call the law so now we changing law because they dont like it, well i dont like wearing my seatbelt and no one gonna change it for me

Laura, I agree with you that I don't like the law, but your comment "we gonna adjust to people that arent even from here orignally geesh" doesn't make sense - the Amish's ancestors came to this country 200 - 300 years ago. They've been here longer than most of us.

I agree...that one is really stupid. Especially since the law didn't define what "a reasonable time" is. For some of these motorcycle riders, and reasonable time coudl be 2 seconds.

@Ben Rakowski and @Sue N.:

@Russ hit the nail on the head about this law lower down on this comment thread. Some bikes aren't heavy enough to make the light change at the intersection. Interestingly, Gov. Quinn gave the legislation an amendatory veto in order for some of its language to be changed. However, the House and Senate overrode the veto.

Joe Vince
Local editor, Frankfort

You must not be a motorcyclist. Most motorcycles are not heavy enough to trigger the sensor in the street to make the light turn green. It's very common to have to sit through a few light change cycles and never get a green, until a car pulls up behind you and sets off the sensor. It's frustrating sitting at a light for 10 minutes especially early in the morning or late at night with not a car in sight, but unable to run the light because it's illegal. Glad someone finally brought this to the attention of the law makers.

I agree!!!! Who decides " reasonable time" ? Total chaos.

Ben, when you ride a bike, and you are first in line, that light will never change. How woulld you like to be behind that bike waiting for the light to change. I have sat at a light for 5 minutes, and had to signal the car behind me to pull up far enough to trip the sensor, there were 10 cars behind me when I did it.

that is just rediculous now we giving motorcyles the right to run reds.

I got no beef with this law. As the driver of a Honda Civic, I can tell you that I have spent many minutes of my life waiting for a light to change because my car isn't enough to trip the sensors. I don't know too many people who haven't run a red light in the middle of the night with no other cars around.

Maybe instead of letting any small vehicle or motorcycle figure out when they can run a red and possibly be T-boned, something should be done about the timing sensors? Oh, wait. That would cost money, and we have wasted all of ours in this state by indicting and trying our elected officials! I forgot!

If you install a 6 oz. magnet to the underside of you bike it will trip the light. When you pull up try and get the magnet over the strips in the road. Some bikes can't trip it because of plastic or aluminum on the bike. I've seen it done and I have tryed it. It works for me. Don't get a 10 lb. one, you don't want to start picking up screws and nails.

I also think the new motorcycle law is absolutely ridiculous....who is judging this "reasonable time"...the 19 year old who thinks 10 seconds is too long?

Its easy to forget our own history. Previous generations of Americans were upset with immigrants, first the Germans (who resisted learning English), then to the Irish (with their weird and strange religion), then to the Italians (who had the double whammy of having a darker complexion and having a strong community), and then the Chinese (who were an entirely different race - gasp!)

Today's immigrants are no different - they all want to be a part of the American culture, but they also bring part of their own cultures with them. Its no different, and its not bad.

Spare me the lefty claptrap. I'm sure there are those who come aspiring to the American dream, but there are also those who come refusing to respect our culture while reaping its benefits.

Anyone who wants to preserve their home culture is welcomed to, but I don't care what anyone's religion says, State IDs without photos are plain stupid. The wall erected between church and state is there for a reason, and that pesky little first amendment has served us well these 230-some years.

CJM -

You seem to be under the impression that this law is about Muslims - its not. Its about people who have lived in the US since the 1700s - the Amish.

Also, you can resort to name calling, " lefty claptrap", but that doesn't change the facts or history: Nearly every generation of previous immigrants have been attacked by those already here, for the same reasons the current generation of immigrants are criticized: they don't speak English, they keep to themselves, their religion is odd and dangerous, they're criminals.

Instead of political labeling and name calling, this argument would be better if you used facts. Do you know any immigrants who don't want to be a part of the american society and culture?

The Village of Oak Lawn also has electronics recycling collection - its a drop off center, read more about it here http://www.oaklawn-il.gov/pdfs/green/Ewaste.pdf

@Allen De Normandie:

You're right. That was an oversight on my part, although we've been posting items about the law (<a href="http://patch.com/N-cL6r">here</a>; and <a href="http://patch.com/B-pcy">here</a>;).

Frankfort also has set up <a href="http://patch.com/A-p9BY">a home pick-up service for electronics.</a>

Joe Vince
Local editor, Frankfort

Again, the photo id issue isn't about Muslims. Its about the Amish. Here's a link to a story about it http://chicagoist.com/2011/08/18/jesse_white_questions_photoless_ami.php

And your conjecture about the woman you saw is outright racism.

I think that's exactly the reason. I've been at many intersections with a motorcycle in the left turn lane and no one behind them and they don't get the left turn arrow.

@Russ:

If what you're saying is that you're an avid *bicycle* rider (as in not a motorcycle, but an actual bike that you use your feet to pedal with) and you actually obey traffic laws while on your bike, then I would honestly like to thank you. I cannot tell you how frustrated I get when stopping at red lights, stop signs, etc., only to have a bike blow right by me. It never ceases to amaze me, and yet *nothing* is done about it. If our city is hurting so badly for money, I could most definitely recommend a few intersections where police could write tickets all. day. long. to the cyclists who don't seem to even *almost* pay attention to the traffic around them.

So truly, without sarcasm, thank you. It's reassuring to know that there are at least some responsible cyclists in our city. Good for you!

@Stella Nyder:

Ah, thanks! That's a nice note to end the year on.

Joe Vince
Local editor, Frankfort

I hate wearing it in the backseat, too, but using cars is a privilege, not a right. With the nearly 40,000 people who die on U.S. roads each year, it would be irresponsible for lawmakers (and carmakers!) to NOT do what they can to reduce fatalities.

Think about how much we've allowed our lives to be altered because of 9/11, a one-time loss of 3,000 lives. More than 360,000 people have died in car accidents in the U.S. SINCE then. We have to take off our shoes, scarves, belts, sweaters, and be patted down in front of an audience (or be exposed to radiation in a full body scan that shows every curve and contour to a complete stranger) and that's fine, but wearing a seat belt in the back seat (that actually will save the lives of some of us) isn't appropriate?

@Denise Du Vernay.. While I agree that it is common sense to wear a seat belt at all times, it is not something that will impact anyone but the person who is supposed to wear it. What's next? A law stating that I can't touch a skill saw while it is running? That might also kill me, but we don't need a law for that. We are talking about adults here. If they want to be irresponsible where no one else is impacted, I don't believe it should be an offence worth a fine.

Mindy,
How do you figure that seat belt use doesn't "impact anyone but the person who is supposed to wear it"? I'm trying to wrap my head around it, but I can't get there.

@Mandy:

Suppose an adult is sitting in the back seat of a car, unbuckled. The car is hit from behind and the unbuckled adult is ejected from the car, ultimately killing them. Had they been buckled, the likelihood that they would have been ejected from the car is extremely low.

The accident was completely that - an accident - but because the choice was made not to wear a seatbelt, the driver of the car responsible for the accident is now being charged w/vehicular manslaughter.

Just one example of how the choice to not wear a seatbelt can absolutely impact those besides you.

I thought it's called a General Assembly.

Check the definition of "congress". We have one.

Okay, Cori. Here's the definition I found:

congress |ˈkäNGgrəs, ˈkän-|
noun
1 the national legislative body of a country.
• ( Congress )the national legislative body of the US, meeting at the Capitol in Washington, DC. It was established by the Constitution of 1787 and is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives: changes in taxation required the approval of Congress.
• a particular session of the US Congress: the 104th Congress.
2 a formal meeting or series of meetings for discussion between delegates, esp. those from a political party or labor union or from within a particular discipline: an international congress of mathematicians.
3 a society or organization, esp. a political one: the National Congress of American Indians.
4 the action of coming together: sexual congress.
DERIVATIVES
congressional |kənˈgreSHənl|adjective
ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting an encounter during battle): from Latin congressus, from congredi ‘meet,’ from con- ‘together’ + gradi ‘walk.’

See where it says "national legislative body of a COUNTRY"? Tell me if you've EVER heard in Illinois our legislature referred to as a "congress."

And looky here: http://www.ilga.gov/
What's at the top of the page when you click on the link? And what do you think "ilga" means?

Hey Ted,

This is from Mirriam-Webster:
Main Entry:con·gress Pronunciation:\ˈkäŋ-grəs also -rəs, British usually ˈkäŋ-ˌgres\
Function:noun
Etymology:Latin congressus, from congredi to come together, from com- + gradi to go — more at grade
Date:1528

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 a: the act or action of coming together and meeting b: coitus
2: a formal meeting of delegates for discussion and usually action on some question
3: the supreme legislative body of a nation and especially of a republic
4: an association usually made up of delegates from constituent organizations
5: a single meeting or session of a group

So, since we seem to be arguing semantics, technically, we do have a congress even though it's commonly referred to as a General Assembly. Oh, we did refer to it as a congress (among other words) when I spent time there in high school.

...and Tim McVeigh, that nice, white, American Catholic boy who served our country in the Army on a nice, spring morning in April 1995 parked a yellow Ryder rental truck in front of a federal building in Oklahoma City killing 169 people.

And the Fort Hood massacre was committed by an American, too. He was born in Arlington, Virginia.

Roger - Germans fought two wars against the USA, and especially during WWI, German immigrants in this country were vilified. Here in Chicago, a brewery owned by German-Americans was seized by the Feds because they were concerned that the tall water tower could be used as a radio tower to send messages to German spies. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and we put Japanese-Americans into concentration camps. Italy fought a war against the US. And the Irish taught us what terrorism means. I understand your point, but I think your history is wrong.

I know many Arab-American friends, not one of whom is a terrorist or supports terrorism. Do you know any Arab-Americans who do?

KORAN 008.007 "Allah wished to confirm the truth by his words, 'Wipe the disbelieving INFIDELS out to the last"

Nick, the Koran also says that saving one person's life is like saving all of mankind. In our holy scripture, the Bible, God tells the Israelites to commit genocide against their neighbors. Also in our Bible, one of our greatest heros, David, is an adulterer and murderer. I don't think verse quoting is helpful and certainly doesn't justify hatred against our Muslim neighbors.

@Baba:
I just felt the need to tell you how much I love your handle. Hilarious. :)

CJM -

I agree with you about the photoless state id - its not a law I would support.

But you did make it about immigration when you wrote in your first post. "I'm all for welcoming the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but if you're coming to America, then learn our culture and become an American." You were blaming immigrants, Muslim or others. But, you were factually wrong - this law was aimed at making an exception for the Amish a group of people whose forefathers came to this country in 1700s. It had nothing to do with immigration.

I'm not sugarcoating anything - I think many of the comments in this thread are anti-immigrant and racist. I think these comments stem from a lack of knowledge and understanding of our history, especially the history of immigration in our country.

Tony, get a CAT scan or an MRI sometime soon and don't let that hatred and intolerance consume too much of you in 2012, 'k?

Tony, I know many Arab Americans,but not one who supports terrorism or 'honored the killings of 9-11". Do you know some of our Arab American neighbors who do support terrorism?

Also, it would be a mistake to diminish Timothy McVeigh and similar anti-government, white supremist, Posse Comitatus, KKK, and so-called Christian Identity terrorists. By far, most of the terrorist acts committed in this country have been by homegrown terrorists, many of them with similar ideology and motives as McVeigh.

I think we can all agree to denounce terrorism against innocent victims, regardless of the perpetrator - radical Muslims, anti-government extremists, white supremacists, it doesn't matter - they are all evil.

Here's a list of Muslim attacks in the U.S.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/AmericanAttacks.htm

I wasn't happy either, economically I thought it was a bad idea for the United States to attack Iraq & Afganistan. But at least the U.S. didn't consider the invasioins a religous war and our solders didn't yell: ALLAHU AKBAR every time they shot a muslim.

Gee... Where did you think Mohommad got his ideas?