I was just wondering if some of you more well informed people could please explain to me why the idea of a national ID card is so contraversial. What drawback's would it have for me?

Apart from the fact it seems like a waste of money, I cant understand why it is so fiercely opposed and would really appreciate it if someone was to enlighten me on the matter.

Who attacked the US on 9-11? Was it Americans? If it was Americans that flew the planes I would have no problems with Americans being required to carry "papers".
No US citizen is required to carry any id currently. Why should that change? The police can hold you for 72 hours as it is, that is plenty of time to establish identity if it is in question.

The biggest worry is that it has a RFID chip in it. Which means you can be TRACKED.

I think the problem with the national I.d. card is that some of the population fear that the new card would lead to an implant chip that could become mandatory.

And if you were raised a Christen, you have a good idea of what that kind of implant would symbolise.

A National I.D. card would take the place of the standard driver's license we have now. It would definatly make things easier for people, so that way you don't have to switch your old state license for the new state you live in. Already we have the bar code and magnetic strip on the back of most, if not all, state licenses and I.D.'s.

It's a logicall next step, but I can also see how people can be apposed to it.

shooterbrody, you said we as Americans do not have to carry ID on us, but we as Americans DO have to register for a license if we want to drive, and we do have to have a Social Security number. The National ID card is just another way of the government trying to make us take something we don't really need.

shooterbrody, you said we as Americans do not have to carry ID on us, but we as Americans DO have to register for a license if we want to drive, and we do have to have a Social Security number. The National ID card is just another way of the government trying to make us take something we don't really need.

One doesn't have to drive; and one can opt out of social security. I don't see any provisions for one to opt out of a national id. I see it as a means of control of the populous.

Originally posted by shooterbrody

shooterbrody, you said we as Americans do not have to carry ID on us, but we as Americans DO have to register for a license if we want to drive, and we do have to have a Social Security number. The National ID card is just another way of the government trying to make us take something we don't really need.

One doesn't have to drive; and one can opt out of social security. I don't see any provisions for one to opt out of a national id. I see it as a means of control of the populous.

The government here in the UK practically lied to our faces about opting out of the ID card, it technically wasn't a lie what people wanted was an opt out of the entire ID system including the massive amount of info they want to keep on you in a database the UK government thought they could sneak around this by allowing people to opt-out of having an id card. At first glance I thought this was good until I found out that what they said was exactly what they meant, you can opt-out of the ID card but you still have to pay the £90 odd pound and have all your information taken and put on there database.

They have only increased my mistrust in anything the government says.

The problem with ID cards isn't nessisaraly the card it's self its the rest of the system, the amount of information they want to store about you (practically your entire life) on a database that can potentially be accessed by anyone who asks for it.

Its not to keep you safe, its not to reduce crime, its not to catch terrorists a piece of plastic and your life on a database cant do these things. What is it for? How the heck should any of us know, the government has been so cryptic on the matter no one can really know what they're allowed and not allowed to do with the information and even then whats ever stopped the people at the top from not doing something just because its not allowed?

America was founded with the principles of "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Why must I be forced to provide papers to prove that I am an American citizen?

Why must I have limitations in my own country simply because someone committed an act of terrorism (foreign or domestic)?

Why must I submit to a false sense of security, because someone wants to control me?

Originally posted by shooterbrody

One doesn't have to drive; and one can opt out of social security. I don't see any provisions for one to opt out of a national id. I see it as a means of control of the populous.

That's true, you don't have to drive, and you can opt out of Social Security.

The only thing I can really suggest for you is to live off the grid. Don't get a job that gives you a paycheck. Have nothing in your name, i.e.; power, cell phone, debit card, credit card, anything of that nature.

If the government can't get you one way, they're going to get you another.

That's very true Infoholic, and I agree with you.

Originally posted by Valdimer
A National I.D. card would take the place of the standard driver's license we have now. It would definatly make things easier for people, so that way you don't have to switch your old state license for the new state you live in. Already we have the bar code and magnetic strip on the back of most, if not all, state licenses and I.D.'s.

It's a logicall next step, but I can also see how people can be apposed to it.

shooterbrody, you said we as Americans do not have to carry ID on us, but we as Americans DO have to register for a license if we want to drive, and we do have to have a Social Security number. The National ID card is just another way of the government trying to make us take something we don't really need.

But social security cards and driver liscenses don't have RFID chips in them. If the national id card didn't have a radio chip in it, then I wouldn't have a problem.

Originally posted by NegativeBeef
But social security cards and driver liscenses don't have RFID chips in them. If the national id card didn't have a radio chip in it, then I wouldn't have a problem.

I would still have a problem with a National ID, because there is absolutely no justifiable reason for me to prove, on any given basis, that I am an American citizen, regardless of the chip or lack thereof.

You'd need the national id to use a bank account, have a job, get welfare/food stamps if you fall on hard times, drive a car, board a plane, most likely to own a home, etc. Without it you're pretty much a noncitizen and likely to wind up poor, homeless, etc. Thus, it is an undue burdon on innocent citizens.

THREE SALIENT POINTS:

1)The police ALREADY
have the power of arrest and detention if you cannot prove your identity for any reason.

2)It`s a PHENOMENAL waste of money that could be better spent, especially considering the govts poor record on implementing IT schemes(always over budget, inefficient and contracts for implementation done on a very selective basis and almost always not going to the best company.)

3)I have NEVER heard a single argument in favour of these that stands up to logical analysis. `Terrorists` could duplicate any technology we could use, and there is no substitute for mindful vigilance and understanding. Why should we be in danger of losing our liberties and money when we`re the innocent ones?! Having all our records on a database somewhere is surely asking for trouble? If Gary McKinnon could hack into the pentagon using BLANK admiistrator passwords, something`s definitely wrong somewhere. Although, I do muchly suspect that the Pentafgon did this in order to recruit/catch halfway good hackers.

Please somebody give me a good answer as to why we need these things!! How much for a replacement if our wallet gets stolen or we lose them? All these unanswered Q`s and No real answers. Hmmmm...

Every barcode has 666 on it.....scary.lol.

In my previous posts, it kinda sounds like I was arguing for National ID cards. I just wanna say that that is not the case. I'm as much against those things as just about anyone else on here. I think what I was trying to get across was the logic of it being the next eventuall step toward what this section of ATS is all about... New World Order.

On a side note but related, I do believe with the new EPassports they've issued, those have the chip in them as well.

I'll try and find a link for that.