FC: William Safire on a national ID card: "Beware!"

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2001 01:20:52 -0800 (PST)
From: Fred Heutte <phred () well com>
To: declan () well com
Subject: Safire on the national ID idea

December 24, 2001

Threat of National ID

By WILLIAM SAFIRE

... The universal use and likely abuse of the national ID -- a discredit
card -- will trigger questions like: When did you begin subscribing to
these publications and why were you visiting that spicy or seditious Web
site? Why are you afraid to show us your papers on demand? Why are you
paying cash? What do you have to hide? ...

Beware: It is not just an efficient little card to speed you though lines
faster or to buy you sure-fire protection from suicide bombers. A national
ID card would be a ticket to the loss of much of your personal freedom. Its
size could then be reduced for implantation under the skin in the back of
your neck.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/24/opinion/24SAFI.html




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