Draft resolution against identity cards

Formulated by Steve Wallis

 

Note 1: I handed out copies of resolutions similar to the one shown below in early 2003, at socialist and anti-war meetings (including the conference that planned the 2 million strong anti-war demo in London) and also at meetings of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (since ID cards could be used to prevent people with season tickets passing on tickets for individual matches to their friends). Eventually, a resolution was passed by the socialist alliance that I was a member of, South Manchester Socialist Alliance, on the 12th of March 2003 (amended to remove references to any particular organisation/mailing list) – and it should have been forwarded to the Greater Manchester Coordinating Committee of the Socialist Alliance and to the Network of Socialist Alliances in England (but bureaucrats/state infiltrators in socialist organisations undoubtedly stopped that from happening) and South Manchester Socialist Alliance is now defunct. For more information, including latest news and details of anti-id cards groups, visit my anti-ID cards web page.

 

Note 2: This resolution may be out of date, since I have not checked out New Labour’s proposals recently. To keep up-to-date, join an anti-ID cards discussion list.

 

This organisation notes that:

  1. The UK government is proposing to introduce ‘entitlement cards’, i.e. ID cards.
  2. These ID cards would contain some sort of biometric information such as iris scans or fingerprints.
  3. ID cards would probably be required to work, use the banking or health system, vote, buy a house, receive benefits, drive or travel abroad.
  4. It may not be required to show an ID card on demand to the police at first, but this could change once the ID cards are in place.
  5. Massive resistance forced the Australian government to abandon plans for ID cards in 1987.

 

This organisation believes that:

  1. The primary role of the state is to preserve the status quo, i.e. capitalist society.
  2. Any organisation or individual which threatens the status quo is a potential target of organisations on the side of big business such as the ‘security services’ and police. They would therefore use ID cards to increase the surveillance of left-wing activists.
  3. ID cards would fail to significantly combat crime or ‘terrorism’ since criminals would easily be able to forge the cards or obtain ID cards for other people illegally.

 

This organisation resolves to:

  1. Oppose the introduction of ID cards before they are introduced.
  2. Prepare members for active defiance of ID cards in the event that the proposal goes ahead.
  3. Encourage members to join an anti-ID Cards discussion list on the internet, by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anti-id-cards or sending an email to anti-id-cards-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

 

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