dxp@pyuxhh.UUCP (D Peak) (08/08/84)
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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.
Bill Mitchell (whuxl!wjm)
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Bill,
Another sweeping generalization .......where is your basis for this ?
In England you don't even need to carry your drivers license when driving !
The police will give you 7 days to produce drivers lic.,insurance and the
equivilent of registration at ANY police station YOU specify.
So tell me what national ID was I supposed to be carrying ?
Give same info for Dutch,French,Belgians,etc etc !!!!!!!!!!
I thought red tape was bad in Europe until I came to the US.What do you call
the current operations of most state patrols along Interstate highways is as
oppressive as the Gaurdia Civil in Spain(during Franco's regime).Don't you
worry about maybe you're doing something wrong whenever you see a state
trooper these days ??
--
Dave Peak (pyuxhh!dxp)
Ye Gods and little fishes !!!!!!!!!!!!!faustus@ucbvax.UUCP (Wayne Christopher) (08/20/84)
In West Germany you can be put in jail for not carrying your ID card with you. A few years ago there was a major effort to decrease terrorism, and the police compiled profiles of the activities of many suspected terrorists. Many people were arrested only because they happened to have rather suspicious habits. Most Germans accepted this sort of control without much complaint. However, a proposal for mandatory ID's in France was recently rejected, and the rationale was that if some dictator like Hitler were to arise, it would make it easier for him if such a system were already in place. (It's ironic that this should be a worry for the French and not the Germans.) But all this sort of thing depends on the character and traditions of the people involved, and I think if any people are likely to reject this sort of control it is the American people. (Whether you want to call it love of freedom or pathological intractibility is up to you...) Wayne