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Open Letter to Blunkett

A. Freeman | 10.07.2002 23:23

Dear David, I am not a number, I'm a free man.

I will never carry a compulsory ID card and I fully expect to be jailed for it if need be.

The reason I will never accept compulsory ID cards is that if we do, then we submit our rights of freedom of movement and assembly to the whim of every bureaucrat and policeman who crosses our path. If freedom of movement and assembly are no longer rights but privileges granted to us only at the decision of the political powers then we cannot call ourselves free at all.

Therefore I see little to lose in being jailed when there is no freedom outside the prison walls either.

If those in the UK who are enemies of freedom decide that the terrorist attack on the WTC is an opportunity to be taken advantage of to attack all our freedoms, then they align themselves with the terrorists - they are continuing their campaign by other means.

Therefore I see everything to lose by complying with this measure.

Compulsory ID cards are not a measure to fight terrorism. An undercover sleeper agent will not suddenly become visible because he carries an ID card. He will remain indistinguishable from any other member of our society.

Therefore I see the supposed justification for introducing these cards as entirely spurious.

If we sacrifice our freedom for some illusory sense of security, we will certainly end up with neither. But I see you as asking us by these measures to sacrifice our freedoms for absolutely no improvement to our security.

Therefore I see grave danger in not resisting this measure with all my strength, and on calling on others who also see through the sham of justification to the blow you wish to strike against our freedom to join me likewise.

Yours in freedom, and with the intent to remain that way.

A. Freeman

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

We fought the war & the law won!

11.07.2002 00:19

May the ghosts of all the millions that died in the Twentieth Century defending these basic freedoms come back to kill us all should we render their sacrifice needless.

Tommy Atkins


Give me a break

11.07.2002 08:51

Hey that's very lyrical and all...
But what about the poor people who don't have credit cards and other similar stuff to prove their identity, and are getting harassed by the police for that ? That, of course, doesn't bother you as much as a theoretical attack on your "freedom".

Mat


I Choose My Own Identity

11.07.2002 10:26

So ID cards will PROTECT us from police harrasment will they?

Total utter bollocks.

When even a Toty twit like Peter Lilley MP fears the police will use them to harrass people, it really is time to wake up!

Paul Marsh
mail e-mail: paul_marsh36@hotmail.com


Patronizing Git

11.07.2002 11:15

What about poor people who don't have credit cards? Fuck off! I'm poor because I have so much credit card debt!

I have a birth certificate to prove who I am and I should burn that too, I KNOW WHO I AM and I'm not about to carry a chip around, on my shoulder, for Blair and the Bilderbuggers benefit.

We should track them to see what their gonna blow up next!!

I.D. Spair


re mat

11.07.2002 11:19

Hi mat,

er just who are all these people being harassed by the police for not carrying any form of ID? AND IF THIS IS HAPPENING WHY ARE THE POLICE HARASSING PEOPLE FOR NOT HAVING ID?

I think your comment is very misleading.

no cc no driving L


Well exactly

12.07.2002 09:06

"er just who are all these people being harassed by the police for not carrying any form of ID?"

Well yep, you don't seem to know !

The "I have my own identity" comment is just simplistic rubbish, self-serving "rebellion"... If a poor guy wants to prove who he is to collect benefit, issue complaints, whatever function of society, and does NOT have a bank card ... it's really difficult.
And YES, people do get hours of police on their back, go back to their house etc etc because they have no id proof. So please let's have something else than stupid knee-jerk reactions !

I do oppose the use of the ID card for the "War against (bogus of course) Asylum" though...

Mat