No to IDcards

The No2ID website gives many reasons why ID cards are a bad idea. It argues that having a central data base containing 50 pieces of personal information on everyone of us that may be shared between different organisations is extremely worrying. It also points out that the reasons the government gives for collecting this biometric information and forcing us to carry cards have not been shown to be valid. There is a great summary of all of the problems here <http://www.no2id.net/IDSchemes/whyNot.php>
I think that even if these arguments did not hold, there would still be something terrible about forcing everyone into this - something fundamentally not right. Land - it doesn't belong to anyone - our species has been moving about for thousands of years. Who can demand that I must be labelled, checked, stamped, watched, monitored, measured, just to live on this bit of land when i have not committed a crime? All in this list already happens I know, but it doesn't all get put in the same place, and generally there is a specific good reson for giving the information (e.g. to get a passport, or to check that I am healthy, or to apply for a lisence for something). The info collected for the idea cards is for the purpose of control. It will attempt to stamp out difference - it will take away those few gaps where people who are extraordinary sit quietly and bring richness and liberty and alternative possibilities of living to us to show us we have a choice; people like Knulp - the character by Herman Hesse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Hesse
in a book of the same name (1915) - whose free roaming life dipped into community to bring it poetry and a glimpse into another way. Not everyone can choose to live in this way - but that's ok because not everyone would choose that - but we need the possiblity of escape if we are to feel free. If I want to go and live in the woods, or if I want to simply be nomadic and live outside the majority social system, or join a self-sufficient commune, or if I want to busk everyday and move from city to city - no permanent address - perhaps just a first name - perhaps no documents - perhaps not knowing my age - - - I want these possibilities to exist. If it is illegal for me not to carry an ID card then these will not be possible.

A tutor of mine got angry with me once when I objected to his criticism of people who chose not to get a 'proper job' and instead played music in the streets, or juggled for a living, or something lie that. He said - why should he have to work this hard and feel this stressed and pay taxes that help to support people who are being 'lazy'. And the answer is - you chose to do this job - you have the benefits of being able to buy a house and heat it, to but the things you want, to go abroad on holiday.... why do you object to others exercising their choice and chosing to keep the time and not 'work' for the money. I think we need the variety - my tutor was a teacher and of course we need him - but I think we also need the people who live on the outside and they bring us something that we don't often consciously notice - they bring the possibility of difference. They also bring music, andcharacter, and escape.