ID Cards: The Final Countdown...

[fela fan]

Over my dead body will I take one of these, pay them a fucking penny or force them to give my wife a damn card. I'll just not bother coming back to England if the gov carries on with this shit.

You might be stuffed though mate. When i need a new passport, i contact the embassy in bangkok. Then, presumably, they tell me i need an ID card before i can get my new passport. And i cannot live in thailand or anywhere else without a british passport.

So i must get one of these ID cards, and i don't even live in britain anymore!!!

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

Well, todays the day. Only actually registering in Croydon. Postponed elsewhere but demos at all 6 hopefully and some media. but its starting and I feel pretty low about it.

 

[moon23]

Well, todays the day. Only actually registering in Croydon. Postponed elsewhere but demos at all 6 hopefully and some media. but its starting and I feel pretty low about it.

The following Letter was pulled together by Leeds NO2ID and a report on their protest is on Indymedia here.

Did either protest or letter make it into the local press? You'd think with an MP on it they would print it. Anyone suspect the Leeds press are in bed with the Home Office???


Sir,

You may be aware that from this month the government begins issuing what it calls, with an obvious nasty spin, "ID cards for foreigners". You may not be aware what this means for Leeds. First affected will be students and those marrying Britons. The plan is that gradually residents from outside Europe will be fingerprinted and have to account for their movements. (Later, so would we all.)

This is unlikely to put off refugees and the poor unskilled with nothing to lose. But successful foreigners such as Luciano Becchio and the overseas students at University of Leeds and Leeds Met University have a lot of choice where they study or exercise their talents. Some will decide Britain has become too unfriendly. When the US introduced more hostile visa conditions 3-4 years ago, the numbers applying to study there fell by 15% and Bill Gates complained that Microsoft could no longer hire some of the best software engineers.

If this scheme is continued it will lead to less fee-income and lower international status for University of Leeds and Leeds Met. British students will have to pay higher tuition to make up, and will have less money to spend with local businesses. Fewer of the world's star performers in every field will choose to make their homes here than do now.
We the undersigned value the contribution that these gifted people currently make to our institutions and our society. We think our country should treat them as guests, not criminal suspects. "ID cards for foreigners" is not just a small-minded slogan - The Leeds district will suffer culturally and economically.

Yours faithfully

Greg Mulholland MP,
Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for, Leeds North West.

Lewis Coakley,
President, on behalf of the
Students' Union, Leeds Met University.

Laura McFarlane-Shopes,
Communications and Internal Affairs Officer on behalf of the
Leeds University Union.

Clive Hudson,
Branch Secretary on behalf of the
Leeds & Bradford Universities Branch of UNITE the Union.

Ann Blair,
President, on behalf of the
University of Leeds University and Colleague Union.

Patrick Murhpy,
Division Secretary of Leeds National Union of Teachers and NUT National Executive member for West Yorkshire.

Cllr Richard Brett,
Councillor for Burmantofts and Richmond Hill Ward.
Leader of Leeds Liberal Democrat Group.

Dr Martin Hemingway,
Green Party lead candidate for the 2009 European elections.

James Elsdon-Baker,
Regional Yorkshire coordinator NO2ID campaign.

Cllr Jamie Matthews,
Councillor Headingley Ward.

Sarah Keywood,
President on behalf of the
Liberty@leeds Student Society.

Amy Williams,
Treasurer
Liberty@Leeds Student Society.

Maya Wolfe-Robinson,
General Secetary
Liberty@Leeds Student Society.

Cllr Sue Bentley,
Councillor Weetwood Ward.

Cllr Ben Chastney,
Councillor Weetwood Ward.

Cllr James Monaghan,
Headingley Ward Councillor.

Dr Carole McCartney
Lecturer of Law

Maryam Ahmad
Leeds University Union Equality & Diversity Officer
Leeds University Union,

Cllr Steve Smith,
Councillor for Rothwell Ward

Nadine Omotese
Leeds NO2ID coordinator

 

[moon23]

Darios


i) a general public weariness with 'protest culture' - the increasing clampdown on our ability to do it as well as the apparently never ending stream of anti-war protests with ever dwindling numbers, not to mention no clear returns.

Spot on. And the increase in use of FIT and NETCU is deliberately aimed at putting people off. Its all part of the goon state and the loving government.

ii) the fact that the libertarian right has only recently begun developing some kind of protest culture itself.
Yep. But in the US they are doing a better job than the left. Look at the momentum Ron Paul got compared to say Kucinich.

iii) a mutual suspicion between "left" libertarian and "right" libertarian groups - although ID card provide a very clear shared interest / cause, both "sides" are concerned about hijacking

Yep again. Not used to working with each other either. I imagine some leftists wouldnt have liked comming across say UKIP in No2ID. And some libertarians would feel odd among anarchists. But if we value freedom we have to rise above some things.

iv) ultimately the No2ID campaign is only as good as it's local organisers. Unfortunately the person(s) who nominated themselves to look after the Sheffield campaign have let us down and momentum has been lost.

Very very true again. excellent post. Its fine for people to sit on the sidelines and say "No2ID should do this or do that" but what are the armchair experts doing either?

As for Yorkshire, I heard there is a new organiser in recent months who is really on it.[/QUOTE]


I agree, like all organizations NO2ID is only as strong as the sum of it's parts. There are many people giving a lot of time to trying to stop ID cards. There are also a few weak and inexperinced coordinators. It does have a lot of local groups.

Sheffield is a large city with lot's of potential opposition to the scheme, you are right about the coordinator tho from what i've heard.

I think your right about NO2ID not yet being an effective demostration organization, it has up untill now been lobbying and building up it's brand. There are stages at which different method of political tactics are best employed. Due to the negative public perception of 'protests' in the media exploring that avenue too early might have been counter-productive.

More people are getting on board, remember unlike Iraq that caused a lot of disillusionement in political protest. ID cards need the compliance of many indivduals.

I'll be giving this campaign 100% whether that's with NO2ID, Defy-Id or NO Borders or the Conservative party it doesn't matter, what matters is that we all work together and defeat this scheme.

 

[TomPaine]

You might be stuffed though mate

I'll claim citizenship then in a different country. Britain is a right fucking mess anyway so I don't have any intention of moving back any time soon.
They can go fuck 'emselves.

TomPaine

 

[fela fan]

I'll claim citizenship then in a different country. Britain is a right fucking mess anyway so I don't have any intention of moving back any time soon.
They can go fuck 'emselves.

TomPaine

It's worse than being in just a mess! From the outside it just looks like it's on a mass slow suicide to me. It's strangling itself and apathy and futility seem to reign in the face of some ridiculous buffoons in leadership. The leaders are insane, and the poor people too over-worked and too debt-laden to stand up to them. Many that could are just too selfish and greedy and inward looking.

There's a few hardy souls as this thread shows, but they're not getting the support of the main mass of citizens.

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

Looking around at reports from yesterday, Id like first to say thanks for all the efforts of No2ID, NoBorders, Defy ID and autonomous activists.

Having said that the numbers at each protest numbered in the dozens and not the hundreds.

This is not enough, not nearly enough.

Its easy to get downcast because what fela fan says in the last post is basically true, I wont be continuing on this through being a "hardy soul" though, but because its just too fucking important.

 

[moon23]

Looking around at reports from yesterday, Id like first to say thanks for all the efforts of No2ID, NoBorders, Defy ID and autonomous activists.

Having said that the numbers at each protest numbered in the dozens and not the hundreds.

This is not enough, not nearly enough.

Its easy to get downcast because what fela fan says in the last post is basically true, I wont be continuing on this through being a "hardy soul" though, but because its just too fucking important.

Yes well done to everyone from Defy-ID, No Borders and NO2ID, Rythmns of resistance, Student groups etc that turned up.

You make a good point about numbers but let's remember how many people were at the first RTS, the first Tree protest, the first EDO protest. Protest movements take time to grow.

ID cards also require individual compliance. A million people can march against the war, but the State can still send in a professional army. The state can't force a million people to comply with an ID card scheme.

Your right this is important and I think as the scheme comes in it's going to be major wake-up call for activist.

I don't want to leave this country and watch it go down the drain, I was born here and belive in the values of freedom and civil liberties. I want to stay and stand up for my freedoms even if that means being locked up for refusing an ID card.