geekWithA.45
Moderator Emeritus
Time to Make one Last Push Against the Anti-gun National ID Card
-- Please contact your Senators and Representative
Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
December 3, 2004
It's "crunch time" for the 9/11 bill -- and the future of the
anti-gun National ID proposal attached to it.
Those who want to trade their constitutional liberties for a little
false security are aware of this. They were on ABC News on Tuesday
night, demanding National ID's for American citizens.
Gun Owners of America has been educating the public and rallying the
troops against this horrendous idea. GOA Executive Director Larry
Pratt and former Rep. Bob Barr teamed up to place an editorial in The
Washington Times right before Thanksgiving.
Among other things, the editorial notes how this National ID card
will be "a driver's license that, more than likely, will include a
radio identifier chip and some biometric data, allowing the
government to track individual Americans' movements with ease. Every
time we pass through a toll, or board an airplane, or enter a state
or federal government facility, that will be tracked and recorded."
Will microchips really be inserted into your new driver's licenses?
Well, H.R. 10 does not yet call for that, but the momentum is already
pushing in that direction. Realize that the passports which will be
issued by the end of 2005 will have microchips which can read
electronically from as far away as 30 feet.
And according to State Department documents that were released last
week, the Bush administration has opposed safeguards that privacy
advocates contend are needed to prevent identity theft or government
snooping.
In addition to being used as a method of tracking your movements,
these microchips can be, of course, infused with all kinds of
personal information -- such as your medical, financial and library
records, and, oh yes, even your gun owning status.
Those who love the Constitution, love liberty, and love America need
to be vigilant in fighting for their rights.
National ID cards will NOT keep us safer from terrorism. Israel has
a national identification card that uses biometric identifiers -- a
requirement that has hardly stopped suicide bombers from detonating
bombs in crowded areas.
And no one should think that these National ID cards will be
counterfeit-proof. Despite our best efforts and after using
anti-counterfeiting technology, bad guys have still managed to
counterfeit the new $20 bill.
Right now, no one knows whether the impasse on the 9/11 bill --
otherwise known as the Intelligence Reform bill -- will be broken, or
whether pro-Constitution negotiators have succeeded in finally
striking this abomination from the bill.
But we cannot assume that we have won, or that the bill will die.
Rather, we must make one final push -- and must fight every bit as
hard as those who hate our Constitution and want to take away our
liberties.
ACTION: Contact your senators and representative. Ask them to vote
against any Intelligence Reform conference report which authorizes
National ID cards or creates large government databases on the
private affairs of American citizens.
You can use the pre-written message below and send it as an e-mail by
visiting the GOA Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm on the GOA website.
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear
Those who would trade their constitutional rights for a false sense
of security deserve neither.
Provisions in the Intelligence Reform bill which authorize National
ID cards and create large government databases on the private affairs
of Americans do not enhance our security. They diminish it.
On November 24, 2004, GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt and former
Rep. Bob Barr teamed up to place an editorial in The Washington
Times. Among other things, their editorial notes how this National
ID card will be "a driver's license that, more than likely, will
include a radio identifier chip and some biometric data, allowing the
government to track individual Americans' movements with ease. Every
time we pass through a toll, or board an airplane, or enter a state
or federal government facility, that will be tracked and recorded."
I realize that this microchip requirement is not yet in H.R. 10, but
the momentum is obviously pushing in that direction. I'm sure you are
aware of the fact that the passports which will be issued by the end
of 2005 will have microchips which can read electronically from as
far away as 30 feet.
Let's be honest: allowing the government to track U.S. citizens is
not going to do anything to stop real terrorists. Israel has a
national identification card that uses biometric identifiers -- a
requirement that has hardly stopped suicide bombers from detonating
bombs in crowded areas.
Please vote against the conference report on any Intelligence Reform
bill which contains the National ID card or government database
provisions.
Sincerely,
****************************
Note: You can read the Pratt/Barr Washington Times piece online at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041123-080539-8041r.htm
-- Please contact your Senators and Representative
Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
December 3, 2004
It's "crunch time" for the 9/11 bill -- and the future of the
anti-gun National ID proposal attached to it.
Those who want to trade their constitutional liberties for a little
false security are aware of this. They were on ABC News on Tuesday
night, demanding National ID's for American citizens.
Gun Owners of America has been educating the public and rallying the
troops against this horrendous idea. GOA Executive Director Larry
Pratt and former Rep. Bob Barr teamed up to place an editorial in The
Washington Times right before Thanksgiving.
Among other things, the editorial notes how this National ID card
will be "a driver's license that, more than likely, will include a
radio identifier chip and some biometric data, allowing the
government to track individual Americans' movements with ease. Every
time we pass through a toll, or board an airplane, or enter a state
or federal government facility, that will be tracked and recorded."
Will microchips really be inserted into your new driver's licenses?
Well, H.R. 10 does not yet call for that, but the momentum is already
pushing in that direction. Realize that the passports which will be
issued by the end of 2005 will have microchips which can read
electronically from as far away as 30 feet.
And according to State Department documents that were released last
week, the Bush administration has opposed safeguards that privacy
advocates contend are needed to prevent identity theft or government
snooping.
In addition to being used as a method of tracking your movements,
these microchips can be, of course, infused with all kinds of
personal information -- such as your medical, financial and library
records, and, oh yes, even your gun owning status.
Those who love the Constitution, love liberty, and love America need
to be vigilant in fighting for their rights.
National ID cards will NOT keep us safer from terrorism. Israel has
a national identification card that uses biometric identifiers -- a
requirement that has hardly stopped suicide bombers from detonating
bombs in crowded areas.
And no one should think that these National ID cards will be
counterfeit-proof. Despite our best efforts and after using
anti-counterfeiting technology, bad guys have still managed to
counterfeit the new $20 bill.
Right now, no one knows whether the impasse on the 9/11 bill --
otherwise known as the Intelligence Reform bill -- will be broken, or
whether pro-Constitution negotiators have succeeded in finally
striking this abomination from the bill.
But we cannot assume that we have won, or that the bill will die.
Rather, we must make one final push -- and must fight every bit as
hard as those who hate our Constitution and want to take away our
liberties.
ACTION: Contact your senators and representative. Ask them to vote
against any Intelligence Reform conference report which authorizes
National ID cards or creates large government databases on the
private affairs of American citizens.
You can use the pre-written message below and send it as an e-mail by
visiting the GOA Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm on the GOA website.
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear
Those who would trade their constitutional rights for a false sense
of security deserve neither.
Provisions in the Intelligence Reform bill which authorize National
ID cards and create large government databases on the private affairs
of Americans do not enhance our security. They diminish it.
On November 24, 2004, GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt and former
Rep. Bob Barr teamed up to place an editorial in The Washington
Times. Among other things, their editorial notes how this National
ID card will be "a driver's license that, more than likely, will
include a radio identifier chip and some biometric data, allowing the
government to track individual Americans' movements with ease. Every
time we pass through a toll, or board an airplane, or enter a state
or federal government facility, that will be tracked and recorded."
I realize that this microchip requirement is not yet in H.R. 10, but
the momentum is obviously pushing in that direction. I'm sure you are
aware of the fact that the passports which will be issued by the end
of 2005 will have microchips which can read electronically from as
far away as 30 feet.
Let's be honest: allowing the government to track U.S. citizens is
not going to do anything to stop real terrorists. Israel has a
national identification card that uses biometric identifiers -- a
requirement that has hardly stopped suicide bombers from detonating
bombs in crowded areas.
Please vote against the conference report on any Intelligence Reform
bill which contains the National ID card or government database
provisions.
Sincerely,
****************************
Note: You can read the Pratt/Barr Washington Times piece online at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041123-080539-8041r.htm
