Slashdot Mirror
Are National ID Cards a Good Idea?
Dracophile asks: "The Sydney Morning Herald recently ran a front-page article about a 'smart card' to access government services and that it would double as a national identity card. The article points out that the current Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, who fiercely opposed from opposition the Australia Card idea in 1985, is now a supporter. The article goes on to say that about 100 nations have some form of ID card. Is your country one of them? What concerns were raised? How were they addressed? Have welfare fraud and other identity-related crimes decreased? Have National ID cards improved or deteriorated conditions where you live?"
Speaking about identification.... U.S. even demands our grandmother's maiden name to be on the papers for visiting U.S., then we pay about 10000k of our undervalued currency (about a month of hard work) for examination for entering the holy U.S. soil, and then you got turned down for no reason given by U.S. embassy. As a result you receive something like this: Mr. we exemined you request for U.S. visa and we found you not worthy entering continental U.S. :'( Yes, it is a bold offtopic, yo.
Since the ban came into force, there have been ZERO mass shootings in the last 10 years, compared to 7 in the 10 years before the ban.
However, sword attacks are way up :p
"We returned the General to El Salvador, or maybe Guatemala, it's difficult to tell from 10,000 feet"
and maybe in some other more backwards countries it is a civil right too.
At least you understand the intention that originally was the reason to include ownership of firearms, but you are delusional to think that it really will protect you from an oppressive gouvernment. It only means that the police will have better arms when they raid you. Is it legal (and affordable) to privately own the same arms and hardware the army,navy&airforce have? If not, then your point as private arms being a protection against oppressive gouvernment is moot.
The point of protection against criminals with guns is moot too: they will just make sure they either have the advantage in arms or agression. You owning a gun is not going to make any criminal decide to stay clean instead.
Another problem you are facing is not only widespread gun ownership, but that combined with a cultural tendency to settle disputes with guns(going back to the days of the wild west?). The chance of a dispute settled with guns ending with death is much greater than say a dispute settled by beating someone up.
This space is intentionally staring blankly at you