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From: msc@qubix.UUCP (Mark Callow)
Newsgroups: net.audio,net.consumers,net.politics
Subject: Re: ID, government issued
Message-ID: <1324@qubix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Aug-84 17:44:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: qubix.1324
Posted: Thu Aug  9 17:44:31 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Aug-84 08:25:37 EDT
References: <150@whuxl.UUCP>
Organization: Qubix Graphic Systems, Saratoga, CA
Lines: 34

From Bill Mitchell (whuxl!wjm)
> I realize that Europeans accept the concept of a government issued
> ID, but this is the USA, and Americans have a long tradition (thank
> goodness) of opposing such police state tactics.

I find this statement rather ironic.  I am from Britain of Europe) and
one of my earliest impressions of the U.S. was that it is much more of
a police state than Britain due to the constant requests to see my ID.

The British Government does not issue any kind of citizen ID.  They assign
a national insurance number (similar to social security) but they don't
even send you a little card with it on.

A British drivers licence does not have a photograph on it.  What is more
you do not have to carry it when driving.  If you are stopped you have
3 days to report to a police station convenient to *you* to show them your
licence.

Other than making sure I took my cheque guarantee card when going shopping,
I never ever carried any form of ID in Britain.  My drivers licence sat in
a drawer at home for years.  On reflection, I realise I did have ONE piece
of ID with my photograph on it -- my student union card.

Now I walk around with my resident alien card (in fear of surprise raids
by the INS gestapo), my drivers licence (so I won't get an extra ticket
if I get stopped), and a major credit card (for the second piece of ID
requested by merchants -- they don't consider a green card good ID even
though it is by far the toughest item to acquire).
-- 
From the TARDIS of Mark Callow
msc@qubix.UUCP,  qubix!msc@decwrl.ARPA
...{decvax,ucbvax}!decwrl!qubix!msc, ...{amd,ihnp4,ittvax}!qubix!msc

"Nothing shocks me.  I'm an Engineer."