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Privacy watch: US now a "show your papers" country

Think we still live in the land of the free? It's one thing (and I'm still not entirely convinced) to require ID to ride air transit, but it's another thing entirely to require ID to ride a public bus.

This country's going downhill at an alarming pace.

(via Dan Gillmor)

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Comments

"Geben Sie mir Ihre Papiere"

Welcome to the police state.

With a lot any of luck the patriot act will not be renewed.

In germany you have to carry your ID-Paper all the time with you, and I don't think that this is wrong... And pqbon, what about that "Geben Sie mir Ihre Papiere"?

The point is, once you require authentication papers to move freely about the country, you're inherently giving up your rights to privately assemble when and where you choose to do what you choose. I'm not going to be as eloquent as those who heavily espouse this as an important right, but I agree with them: once you require ID for free passage, you allow many more types of persecution, and you reduce the willingness with which people will engage in free thought and commerce.

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