National ID stirs controversy among Americans
By Kayla Amos
[email protected]
Staff Writer
For any that have read the famous George Orwell novel "1984," "Big Brother" government is something that seems so completely and scarily invasive that it has to be fictional.
However, if some lawmakers and leaders of Homeland Security have their way, Orwell's vision of a government power with the ability to monitor citizens' every move may very well become a reality here in the United States with the passing of a piece of legislation called the REAL ID Act.
The REAL ID Act was first introduced to Congress in 2005 by Tom Ridge, leader of Homeland Security at the time. REAL ID would be a national form of identification, much like a state-issued driver's license, listing a citizen's name, date of birth, gender, etc, but in addition to this typical information, one's social security number and possibly a tracking device would be added to the card.
Supporters of a standard identification, with or without a tracking device, cite various advantages. In a post 9/11 United States, now more aware and fearful of terrorism, many think that the REAL ID Act would help to prevent terrorist attacks of any magnitude and keep American citizens safe. If added to the card, tracking devices could help the FBI and CIA more easily hunt down suspected terrorists or monitor suspicious activity.
REAL ID could also aid in the search for missing persons or fugitives. In many cases, it could also prove a person's guilt or innocence in a crime, either proving an alibi or that a person was indeed present at the scene of a crime. Some sources also claim that REAL ID would help to discourage identity theft and help travel run much more smoothly.
However, arguments against REAL ID are also numerous. For instance, when it comes to proving who committed a crime, a card could very easily be planted in an alternate location, while the carrier of the card commits the crime elsewhere. In such a situation, a case involving REAL ID tracking could very easily lead to an unjust arrest or no arrest at all.
Scott Akemon, instructor of political science, stated that though no First Amendment rights would be directly violated, REAL ID would curtail liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and usurp the spirit of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. "Government is not in place to restrict liberty. It is there to protect it. Is the government becoming a caretaker or a giant warden?" Akemon said.
Akemon also stated that allowing the government to track American citizens' every move "Would allow illegal immigrants more freedom than America's own citizens."
"It puts too much information on one place and puts your identity at risk. Imagine what kind of damage a person could do if you misplace your card or it gets stolen,and a tracking device is a little too much like science fiction," said sophomore Jessica Wesley.
Akemon does not understand how REAL ID would help travel or how it would help to reduce identity theft. He, like Wesley, points out that cards are "stealable," and since they would list a citizen's vital information in addition to his or her social security number, he believes identity theft would only rise.
When it comes to travel, Akemon asks, "Why do you need a passport, then? Why would state driver's license not be sufficient? No one currently questions driver's licenses."
However, both Akemon and Scott Powell, instructor of history, cite numerous times in America's past and present when the government would use wiretapping and other sources of technology to monitor suspicious activity of citizens. They point out that "Big Brother" government is hardly new and wiretaps and other resources have been employed by some of America's greatest leaders, including former presidents Kennedy, Carter and Nixon. America's first form of national identification, the Social Security card, was put in place by Theodore Roosevelt.
Implementing REAL ID would ultimately be left up to the states individually. However, the system is expensive, and it would take years for the cards to actually be created and used.
Sources differ on the exact cost, but Akemon said over a period of 10 years, implementing and maintaining a REAL ID system could cost a single state up to $23 billion dollars.
While there are many arguments for and against to REAL ID, Akemon said that he doesn't believe that REAL ID will be a major national concern for the common citizen any time soon.
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