Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Monday, February 20, 2006

A Genealogist's Nightmare

Information Is Power -- In These Times outlines proposed changes by the Bush Administration to centralise birth and death records with the federal government but to force states to keep access to such records restricted for 70-100 years. Among other things, it means activists and reporters can't discover public health trends in terms of deaths. I'm wondering what it means for your typical genealogist as well. "Legitimate" research institutions may still access files according to the proposal, and in some cases an immediate relative may obtain the records. But what about the individual who makes his or her living by searching this information out for people. Plus, it will make it harder to trace adoptions.

Sigh. Is it just me, or has this Administration embraced 'knowledge is power' to mean control of such knowledge is the answer?

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