My name has an apostrophe: O'Sullivan. There are many other names
which also have apostrophes, and not just Irish names: French, Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese, other European, Asian, Middle Eastern, African,
Native American, and Polynesian names, at least.
However, the United States Department of Transportation (US-DOT) has
decided to do away with all of these apostrophes in names. It is not a
body of lawmakers, but it has acted as if it were.
US-DOT uses at least two databases which track driving records of
all US drivers: CDLIS and PDPS. Because some
lazy programmer in the distant past decided it wasn't worth the extra
few lines of codes to allow apostrophes to be entered in data fields,
no apostrophes are allowed in any name in these databases.
This wouldn't be so bad on its own, but US-DOT has mandated that all
state Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMV) use the same standards.
Consequently, it is now impossible in most US states to get a driver's
license with an apostrophe in your name, should you require one.
A driver's license, however, is a legal identification card. We're not
talking about a card for the local video rental outlet. This ID allows
you to prove your identity in situations where legality is an issue.
Therefore, it should show your name spelled correctly.
My name is not STEFFAN OSULLIVAN. My name, spelled correctly and
legally, is STEFFAN O'SULLIVAN, and my legal ID should reflect that.
While my US Passport does, my driver's license does not. The NH-DMV
refuses to issue me a driver's license with my name spelled correctly,
even though I have tried repeatedly to get them to do so. It is clearly
a case of an insensitive bureaucracy steamrollering human dignity.
If you are in the same boat, or are sympathetic to those of us in this
plight, I urge you to take action to get this situation corrected.
What can you do?
Well, a few of things:
- Contact as many of your elected representatives at the national
level as you can. Actually write them letters. Using the information
above, urge them to require the US-DOT to change its computer programs
to allow apostrophes. (If you don't know how to contact your elected
representatives, see the end of this article.)
- Contact as many of your elected representatives at the state
level as you can. Actually write them letters. Direct their
attention to the state DMV to try to get them to figure out a way to
issue drivers' licenses with names spelled correctly on them. (If you
don't know how to contact your elected representatives, see the end of
this article.)
- Contact the national
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and your local branch of the
ACLU and ask them what they can do to help you. You have the right
to a state-issued legal identification card with your name spelled
correctly on it. The state does NOT have the right to change
your name without your permission. Therefore, your civil rights are
being violated, and it's a case for the ACLU.
At this point, that's all I can think of to do, but check back - I may
be adding more. But frankly, if enough people do these steps, it should
be enough to get changes made. But the key is "enough people" -
elected officials respond much better when there is a critical mass of
opinion behind a request.
Thanks for your attention. While this may seem like a petty issue
to some, think how you'd feel if it happened to you. Suppose your
name is Charles, and the government decided that from now on you
must spell it Charlz, and you have no say in the matter.
(Or Virginia, and you must spell it Virjinya, and you have no
say in the matter.) This is what's happening to those of us with
apostrophes in our names. I was told by my state DMV that I would
accept that spelling of my name or I would not get a driver's license,
period. I suppose the next step is simply to acquiesce and accept my new
name as THX
1138 ...
(If you don't know how to contact your elected
representatives, go to Vote
Smart, a non-partisan site devoted to helping US citizens understand
their election processes. To the left of the screen you'll see a
place to enter your ZIP+4 code - do that, and it will list all of your
elected officials, with addresses and phone numbers. [If using
lynx, use
this page, then choose right frame once you've entered your
ZIP+4 code and selected GO.])
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