Ted Williams, homeless man with radio announcer voice, blocked from boarding plane to New York

[Ruby the Liberal]

A Brooklyn panhandler whose "golden radio voice" made him an overnight web sensation was stuck in Ohio Wednesday afternoon - delaying his long-awaited reunion with his mother in New York.

Ted Williams, 53, had expected to fly to New York to do a live interview on the "Today Show" tomorrow morning and see his 92-year-old mom after years apart.

But TMZ reported that airport officials will not let him board a plane because he doesn't have proper identification to make the trip. Instead, he spent the afternoon at a Columbus, Ohio, courthouse trying to obtain a copy of his birth certificate, the site said.

A convicted felon and recovering addict, Williams was living in a homeless encampment in Columbus until two days ago, when a video showcasing his startling talent went viral on the Internet.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/01/05/2011-01-05_ted_williams_homeless_man_with_radio_announcer_voice_blocked_from_boarding_plane.html#ixzz1ADWBF723

Maybe the Today Show can step in. If they did, it would make this story even bigger, IMO.

Here's hoping you get home to see your Mom, Ted. :party:

[Tunkamerica]

1. I hope he gets there but why should the Today Show have any clout whatsoever

When did we have to show papers to travel inside the US? What year did that become a mandatory thing? I really hope he gets to see his mom, but how many people with normal voices wouldn't get the same treatment?

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. Private plane.

If they have to (or resort to) that, the story grows.

From a TSA perspective, I hope they do make another national news story out of this.

[Sonoman]

2. Seems like someone would have asked a homeless guy...

if he had valid I.D.

Today Show should send a plane.

Sonoman

[pitohui]

3. this is odd, why don't they just secondary him?

i have a homeless friend, he will never be able to get any docs, because he was adopted and then "thrown away" at age 14, long story

he has to be secondary'd -- but at the end of the day, if you leave plenty of time to be seached/patted down/etc. you can board the plane

not having a piece of paper is not a threat to anyone, people fly every day who have been robbed and had their ID taken

i've heard of this happening at another buttfuck airport, where TSA doesn't know their job

if someone doesn't have ID, give them extra screening, but what diff does it make WHO they are as long as they don't have a weapon? i mean, be serious, most homeless people are NOT homeless in their hometowns and if someone gives them $ to go somewhere, they will NEVER be able to get a birth certificate, there is no way to get there from here -- yes, it's funky for someone to give a homeless person a ticket, so yes, SEarch THEM FOR THE DRUGS AND WEAPONS...but once they pass the search, move on and let them board the plane

[goddess40]

4. Since they are strip searching us why do we need ID?

What difference does it make who you are as long as you pay your money and freely give up your dignity to fly?

[pitohui]

5. exactly you don't, someone didn't do their job

i met a young man, same thing happened at CLT, he wasn't allowed to fly because he was robbed of his ID

so if you're robbed...and it's not in your hometown where you can pick up your birth cert...you can never, ever go home?

c'mon, OF COURSE that is not procedure, someone fucked up and needs to be fired and made an example of...BIG TIME

[NYC Liberal]

8. Sort of like that TSA skit on SNL:

Dane: Look, look, look!! The important thing about today is that the TSA is loosening our restrictions on liquids and gels! Now, you can bring three ounces of liquids or gels, as long as thy are inside of a see-through baggie!

Will: Why?

Dane: Why, what?

Will: Why did it change?

Dane: That's a good question. Good. Because the FBI did tests and found that, uh, three ounces of liquids can't blow up an airplane.

Kenan: But, four ounces of liquid can still blow up an airplane?

Dane: Uh, we're still not sure on that. But what is important here is that three ounces can't. < turns to face Chris > So, uh, we're safe as long as we stick withthe three?

Amy: Well, what's to stop two people from each having three ounces, and then meeting on the plane to combine them? < smiles at her own level of genius >

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I knew iT! He's a terrorist!

:sarcasm:

[Better Believe It]

7. I wish him well.

[mudplanet]

9. It's just more control and authoritarianism. I work with the homeless

and losing your documents is a major issue. To top it off, when the local police arrest the homeless, they confiscate their identification and don't return it.

If you don't have a birth certificate, you have trouble getting a job. I help you get a birth certificate and then they want a photo ID. We go to the DOT and they want picture ID to issue picture ID. We have picture ID, they want to see your Social Security card, even though it's illegal by federal law to use it as identification. Your picture ID is expired, it can't be used to prove you are who you are (someone please explain that one to me or I'm firm in my conviction that most cops and convenience store clerks are morons).

I've still got the birth certificate my mother got when I left the hospital. It's photocopy white lettering on black. I had some jerk refuse to accept it as a birth certificate even though I got my passport with it. I've even had some officious prick at a bank refuse to honor my passport as identification. Even though you've got to have a birth certificate to get a passport.

I take a homeless person to get a simple photo ID at the DOT after waiting four months to receive his birth certificate and then we have to wait two months while they send the data to DHS so they can double check the poor guy isn't a terrorist.

The law enforcement agencies maintain this giant database on computer with fingerprints, photos, and often DNA information, and they insist that that data is perfectly adequate for imprisoning someone indefinitely, denying them employment or access to public transit, etc. But they refuse to use that database to issue identification documents. What the fuck am I paying these "public servants" for?

I'm pretty much done with flying anywhere unless it's an absolute emergency. I'm not going to participate if I can help it.

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. And I know someone that

flew just a few seeks ago using a fucking Sam's Card as an ID. TSA hassled them and did a complete search but they were in fact allowed to board their flights going and coming.

[pitohui]

14. coyote that's as it should be

not having a piece of paper doesn't blow up airplanes

if i am robbed and have no ID, and i sure as hell don't have a birth certificate (supposedly, i see by the papers, neither does obama -- ok, joking) then i still have to get home, i'm not jesus, i can't walk on water

there is procedure and the procedure is if you don't have proper gov't ID you have to be secondary'd (searched very carefully) to be sure you're not some loser carrying drugs/weapons

i don't have a problem w. the search in that situation, it makes sense, and what you describe is what happens to my homeless buddy when he travels and one of us buys him a ticket, he has no gov't ID, so he must get a "complete" search

what i have a problem with is some numbnuts just telling a guy with no ID he can't fly at all, that's bullshit

as i said in my other post, we can NOT have a world where a flyer is robbed of his ID and then he is not allowed to go home ever...

they are just fucking w, this guy and there's no reason for it

search him to be sure he has no drugs/weapon and if he's clean, let him board the damn plane, simple as that

[Kali]

11. link to video

in my earlier post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x120520

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. Papers please.

You must haff ze papers!