AMERICAN LIFE UNDER A NATIONAL ID CARD

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Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:08:57 EDT

Subject:Re: AMERICAN LIFE UNDER A NATIONAL ID CARD

 

 

 

 

AMERICAN LIFE UNDER A NATIONAL ID CARD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Tom DeWeese

September 20, 2005

NewsWithViews.com

 

“If you have done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to fear

from these surveillance policies in the Patriot Act.†There it was -

the one line that is continually uttered by those who are determined

to turn America into the society of Big Brother. It’s the one line

that will instantly bring out my own urge to kill anyone who has said

it. My patience has run paper thin for such short-sighted, quivering,

knee-jerk reactionaries who are willing to sacrifice our precious

liberties for some false sense of momentary security.

 

Now, during a radio interview on the subject, sitting in my office

on the opposite end of the telephone, I heard it said by my host. I

had been feeling the frustration growing throughout the interview as

he dismissed my fears of an all­seeing, controlling government that

can invade my own home without a search warrant or even a court order

issued by a real judge. To him it was perfectly fine to pat down

little old ladies and children in airports, while those fitting the

profile of a terrorist could walk by, protected by political

correctness. It’s OK that all of our personal lives, our bank

accounts, records of books we’ve read and videos we’ve rented

could be searched. And above all, to him, the greatest idea yet

devised for protecting freedom in this nation was the creation of a

national ID card. “Now,†he said, “we can control who comes in

to this nation, where they go and who they are dealing with.†“And

if you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to fear!â€

 

I lost it.“Have you any idea what living under a national ID

card will be like? Have you given it the slightest thought beyond your

own selfish, primal fear of some unstated threat,†I shouted into

the telephone and over the airways. “Well, I spend a majority of my

time looking into this issue and let me tell you what I’ve found to

be true. And then, you tell me if this will be a nation you want to

live in.†It was surprising to me that my host let me talk at this

point. Perhaps the murderous tone in my voice warned him to stay

quiet. Nevertheless, he let me continue.

 

“The Real ID bill that has just passed Congress and will

establish a national ID card within the next 18 months will transform

all state motor vehicle departments into agents of the federal

government. They have now been told to install a high tech computer

chip into every single drivers license in every single state. That

chip will be used to carry either a finger print or voice print. It

will be used to track almost every single transaction made by every

single American, including buying guns, using credit cards, buying

gas, getting on an airplane or a train.â€

 

“Oh, yes,†I said, “I know what you’re going to say next.

Your ilk always says it. “So what. If that keeps me safe, it’s

OK.†“Well,†I continued, “consider how those ID cards will be

used. Without one, you won’t be able to get on a plane or a train.

You will be denied all government services. You will not be able to

open a bank account. You will be literally shut out or American

society.â€

 

“And all the time the federal government has been passing this

law mandating a national ID card ­ it vigorously denies it is doing

it. It’s not mandatory, they tell us. It’s all voluntary. It’s

just that without the approved card you can’t use government

services. Why have they lied?†Perhaps it’s because Congress knows

full well that the American people are overwhelmingly opposed to being

boxed in like this.â€

 

“But still you say, if you haven’t done anything wrong, so

what.†“Well,†I shouted, “I’ll tell you so what.†“Once

this system is set up, you as an American no longer have control of

your life. That will now fall under the whim of any government

official or bureaucrat that controls the data in your file.†“Do

you know how much information currently in government data files is

incorrect,†I asked. Then I answered my own question; “Over 25

percent. Underpaid, undereducated government employees are paid to

input information into massive data banks. They make mistakes.â€

“Have you ever tried to get credit, only to find a mistake on your

credit report,†I asked. “Have you ever tried to fix it? Now take

that experience and consider what happens when such mistakes block you

from accessing your checking account so you can’t buy groceries.

Consider what might happen if a mistake puts a false arrest warrant

under your name. How do you prove you’re the wrong guy? How do you

get it fixed? Now you have no money, no driver’s license. No ability

to travel. You are completely cut out of society. What do you do now?â€

 

“And to make it even worseâ€, I said, really warming up to the

subject, “what would happen if you actually made someone in the

government mad at you and that person had the power to mess with your

records? What if things that are legal now are illegal in the future?

It happens. Governments change. New laws are made. Drugs were once

legal in this country and they aren’t now. Guns are now ­ but may

not be in the future. It used to be perfectly legal to protect your

private property from trespassers. It isn’t now. Do you ever pay

cash for something so that the transaction isn’t recorded? They are

out to stop that. Laws change. Now tell me, if the laws change and you

are tied to a national ID and total government surveillance, how long

until you suddenly have something to hide from an all seeing

government?†“Will you be so smug then?â€

 

“And,†I finally concluded, “the sorriest part of your

eagerness to abandon liberty for a chance to be safe from the big bad

terrorists… none of these intrusions into American life will do a

bloody thing to protect you. Within five minutes of the issuing of a

government national ID card there will be counterfeits on the streets

and a black market emerging to see them to any pirate, illegal

immigrant or terrorist in need. So we will lose our freedoms for

nothing.â€

 

Finally, I took a breath. There was silence on the other end of

the phone. Dead air time. I felt this interview had come to an end, so

I just finished by saying, “if that’s the kind of nation you want

to live in, there are plenty of totalitarian societies which can

provide you with all the sadomasochistic torment you desire to satisfy

your need for pain and control. Please leave America for the rest of

us who want to be free.†“As for you, this interview is over.â€

 

© 2005 Tom DeWeese -