Identity cards
posted by Rachel at 12:28 pm
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Good point - here's another example:
"In 1994 genocide in Rwanda began, an ID card with the designation "Tutsi" spelled a death sentence at any roadblock. Along with the prior training of militas, stockpiling of weapons, direction of the mssacres by hate radio, the prior existence of ethnic ID cards was one of the most important factors facilitating the speed and magnitude of the 100 days of mass killing in Rwanda."
http://www.preventgenocide.org/edu/pastgenocides/rwanda/indangamuntu.htm
It's just wrong on so many levels - but my main criticism is there's no evidence it prevents anything - let alone terrorism.
Correct me if I'm wrong - weren't the 9/11 suspects in the US perfectly legally with correct ID papers.
Same with 7/7?
Yep, Mike. It's a pointless waste of money with sinister implications. And no-=one has even come out with a sensible reason for having them in the first place.
ID cards would not have prevented September 11th or July 7th.
I am getting absolutely sick of a supposedly Labour Government behaving in this Civil -liberties - trashing histrionic way.
Sorry, but, maybe I've missed something, but what do they think they will achieve? Maybe I'm being stupid but I can't think of a single good reason for I.D. cards, and I've never heard one from, well, anyone to be honest.
I - and I suspect many others - will have great pleasure in refusing an ID card..
Will it be illegal?
Will I be in prison for not having my papers?
Will my family be whispered about and feel uncomfortable in the community?
Might they be asked to move?
Maybe to a special place - that's policed?
Ye gods man I've just given myself the shivers.
yes rachel,that pointed yellow star...is a very scary reminders of horrors that occured in the past ...but i agree with u..national identity cards wont make us safer.
hope all is well in london..we had record snowfall in ny..26.9 inches broke all records...im on of 3 people who made it into work today. everyone else is digging out
cheers,seth :)
Wow, this is a powerful post and the comments are great too!
Hi,
Capital called me, I did a quick phone interview saying, as usual, that I personally thought there should b a public enquiry, and I would prefer a public enquiry to a more permanent memorial.
As you will see from this blog if you type in 'public enquiry' and do a search you will find numerous posts from me, soem of which include other survivors viewpoints as well.
The BBC also spoke to families of victims and to survivors when there was no public enquiry and put their comments in a news story.
I have also given a quote to David Leppard in the Sunday Times twice in the last three weeks saying there ahould be a public enquiry in the context of recent revelations that M15 are 'out of leads' and 'tracked 2 of the 7/7 bombers'.
KCU is a non political group but memebers who feel political besides me have spoken out and said that they want a public enquiry.
You can sign the petition that I and other survivors have signed by clicking on the right in the blog links.
I will pass on the info about the 7/7 Memorial to the group.
Good job they went to war with Iraq to secure enough crude oil to turn into I.D. cards.
Also, probably why they were in such a rush before the price of oil by-products goes through the roof when they invade Iran.
NB-
(PVC-used to make all "credit card" style cards- is 2/3 derived from crude oil)
Its ok the cards are voluntary don't forget..
Oh - only if you volunteer never to leave the country..
It's the deviousness that scares me..
Ah, yes, the good old "Jude" picture - it says so much in one simple, powerful image.
This country is rapidly becoming a place where I no longer want to live. Our bungling MPs have just voted for another cog in the machinery of a totalitarian state. Who, I wonder, will throw the switch?
> there's no way we'll accept the cards
Spark I wish I could share your optimism. I fear apathy will win out.
The good news we can count on utter incompetence.
I predict the cards scheme will be reviewed and potentially scrapped in five years time. (Child support agency ring any bells?)
Happy Valentine's day x
why do we need one? why do we want one? why do they want us to have one? why do they want one?
it's just all a load of tactical political b***ocks
as mike said they'll probably f**k it up anyway
totally with you rach & spark....inquiry not memorial. will put 7th march in my diary
h
Great image - sums it all up perfectly. Hope you don't mind if I grab that and stick it on my website.
Eric, I personally feel quite uncomfortable at the prospect of being forced to carry around ID stating everything about me, including my ethnic background.
There is absolutely no need for it, it will achieve nothing, unless you can point it out to me.
In fact go on, tell me how I.D. cards will "impede" any acts of terrorism or anything else remotely sinister?
yes Eric, since the post consisted of no post at all, just an image, perhaps you can elaborate? On what you think it said and what your subsequent argument is?
Otherwise,you are rather like the drunk in the pub who shouts 'bollocks'' to every argument - and leaves that as their only contribution...
We await, with bated breath for your words of wisdom...
To kick off - how about explaining a) the benefits of an identity card and why it is necessarily different & better in terms of national safety and offers something different to the existing identification opportunities offered by a) a passport b) a credit card c) a mobile phone ( which tracks your signal) d) CCTV
We are not at war for starters.
You have not given a reason why we need an additional compulsory means of identification... can you?
The image is not making a point about modern day Germany - it is making a point about people being forced to carry compluslory ID - and the reasons why Governments want them to...
I am not saying the Government are Nazis. You are very literal-minded, aren't you?I am making a point with a widely disseminated image that labelling people and making them carry ID cards has an inglorious and frightening history and querying whether it is necessary. I have also asked you to explain to me why you think it IS necessary, and I note again that you have not responded.
I am not 'paranoid about Government' - again, why chuck insults around without any basis or justification? and I am more than aware of the effects of terrorism - that point just makes you look silly. What do you mean by my 'inability to accept Islamist terror at face value?' Again - insults - but no back up - explain, please - if you can...
Or are you just trolling?
We are not at war. I suggest you read a dictionary, Eric.
The government claims ID cards will alleviate problems of illegal immigration.
They wont. But if they did, how would it prevent us from terror attacks from British citizens like last year?
The only "war" we should be conducting is against the lack of ownership felt between most young people towards their own country.
I missed your top post Eric. You said Germany has ID cards, yes they do, many countries do, however most are non-compulsary and will not hold the personally invasive data the British one will.
"The German "Personalausweis". is a plastic ID card which contains, on the front side, name, date and place of birth, nationality, date of expiration, signature and photo.
On the back side are address, height, color of eyes, issuing authority and date of issue. Addresses are changed by putting a sticker on the old address."
This is typical of most EU ID cards, some include a fingerprint.
The UK one will have a biometric head scan, iris scan, and digital fingerprint all stored in a national database.
The last time I checked it was your actions which determined if you were a terrorist, not a scan of your iris or the size of your head!