The “civil matter” brought this to mind… and it certainly fits with the topic of bureaucracy-run-amok.

I knew a guy in the States. He was driving along a few miles per hour over the speed limit. Of course, this required a jacking by the cops… speeders are profitable, generally respect ah-thor-i-tee and don’t shoot back too often.

(For the record, I like cops. I have never had a problem with cops. But, as I am an odd guy who does unusual things, I have been jacked by them uncountable times… the results have never been unfavorable… but boy do I have some great stories).

Anyway, this guy gets pulled over and they run his ID. Bing. He was wanted in Florida for hot checks. They arrest him and, of course, tow his car (as the towing companies have a rather unethical relationship with law enforcement).

I could add that he denied everything the whole time… but what does that matter… jails are full of innocent people.

To make a long story short, it was very provable that he was not in Florida when any of these checks were written. It was provable that he was white and the check-writer was black. It was pretty obvious that his identity had been stolen since institutions place “the safeguarding of our customers’ data as our number one priority” but individuals within that institution do whatever they want… (ask me how USFK spread my personal information far and wide on at least two occasions that I know of).

So… everybody from his expensive lawyer to the judge was understanding and sympathetic… but that didn’t pay for the lawyer, bail, the towing charges, a lot of missed work or the hit on his credit report.

And, in the end, while every individual in power knew he had done no wrong… and even told him this… he had to sit through (and pay at) every step of the twisted, non-productive and slightly corrupt bureaucracy that America has become.

This was a great way for America to turn an apple-pie-eating flag-waving working stiff into a guy who would now cheer for terrorists if they would choose correct targets… and there are more and more people thinking like this as the political system coddles the freaks and hassles the normal guys (see comment about how citizenship would be easily granted if the mother had simply gone to America illegally).

While I am not terribly empathetic with JR’s social situation, I am very sympathetic with his dealings with an arbitrary and faceless bureaucracy…

…which is perpetuated by society’s quiet tolerance.

PS, Dave… your thinking generally makes sense… but some might suggest that you had a few drinks or smoked a big one before you hacked out that large meandering paragraph. Just sayin’.

On the other hand, whenever Koreans get involved, arrangements are never as they should be… and, at least around USFK, there is this institutional blindness even when it has a serious negative affect.

If you would like some degree of satisfaction (or even revenge, depending on the outcome) have a Korean contact the two labs and inquire about a DNA test. A hour later, call up in your best Texas accent and tell ‘em the embassy sent you. Compare prices. Make a stink if necessary.

In defense of the embassy, I have always had fast and efficient (though not so friendly) service from them… although I’m skeptical about the number of Korean employees in key jobs… contrasted, for example, with the number of American employees at the Korean embassy in DC.

…where does the $1600 go on a $300 DNA test.

If USFK, AAFES, etc. was involved, we would know where it goes… but I don’t rightly know about the embassy.

I would LIKE to think they are on the level… but… this sounds kinda shady.

Just for fun, I wonder what kind of price they would quote if Mr.Kim-Off-the-Street asked for a DNA test. Would it still be the Embassy-Just-Referred-Me-Price? Or something closer to the industry standard?

Identify yourself, and let’s see where it goes from there – I’ll gladly match my accolades vs. yours, but that’s not really what it’s all about, is it? My efforts were in the truest sense intended to help a friend so surely it’s not the matter-at-hand – it must be a personal vendetta against me that you carry with you, huh?

Yeah, I regenerated this blog trail because I found an online article that troubled me – much more than you do, to be honest – and I wanted to provide my perspective. Last time I checked, both Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press are alive-and-well, as far as we Americans are concerned, albeit slander and libel should be expressly omitted from these given freedoms, don’t you think?

Get on with life (they say it’s too short to be miserable) – and don’t be the little pinprick that tries to burst my bubble…I’ve probably done more notable things in the past decade than you’ve done in your entire lifetime, pal.