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01/20/2008: "How appearance freedom opposes security"

Citing Florida's recent plague of bank robberies -- which increased 40 percent in 2007 -- the industry group touted its "No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses" program as a deterrent that has worked in other states because potential robbers are more easily identified when their heads or faces are not covered.

"Obviously, it's going to trigger some First Amendment issues and religious-freedom issues," said Ian Rheingold, executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, a nonprofit based in Washington. "Surely the banks have more problems and better things to do with their time than worrying about what people are wearing."

In Missouri alone, bank robberies fell 47 percent from 2002 to 2005 after the policy was widely implemented, according to the bankers group.

[ You don't get a clearer example of how stupid things have gotten than this. For the pretense of a few appearance issues, we'll expose everyone to more violence. Good thinking! ]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-banks1808jan18,0,2684640.story