Your Body Is Your I.D.

From Campaign For Liberty:

Your Body Is Your ID


By Mark Lerner

View all 6 articles by Mark Lerner

Published 09/16/10



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The Constitutional Alliance has released a new book and DVD both titled "Your Body is Your ID". The book addresses many issues but focuses on the surveillance society being created by the federal government. Many citizens are confusing lifestyle with freedom and are unaware of how much control states and citizens are giving the federal government. Many citizens, if not most citizens have no idea what laws are in place, what legislation is being considered or what technologies are incorporated into the laws and legislation being considered that all add up to the creation of a surveillance society. We must all be cognizant of the fact that information is power and power is control. The federal government has an addiction; the addiction is to the personal information of all citizens including citizen's biometrics. No more than we would feed a child's addiction to sweets, should we feed the federal government's addiction to our personal information. In "Your Body Is Your ID" we not only document the problem of creating a surveillance society but also offer an alternative to our government's flawed strategy. Our proposed solution is being supported by many elected leaders and state/national groups/organizations. Our proposed solution addresses key issues such as terrorism and immigration.



We are living in times of great uncertainty. As a country we disagree on many issues. We face many challenges including but not limited to immigration, terrorism, a rising deficit, wars, unemployment, healthcare and a dependence on foreign oil. We are providing the federal government with so much information/power that our right to representation and our right to dissent are being compromised. Without our right to representation and our right to dissent we will lose our ability to be part of the decision or policy making process. Special interest groups, multi-national corporations and international entities will have more influence on our government than states or citizens do. Many state lawmakers I have met with and even members of Congress have no idea what they are supporting when they support Real ID, a national biometric social security card, a national worker's identification card or other identification documents.



The Constitutional Alliance's primary mission is to educate citizens about laws and technology applications called for within the laws, which effect citizens by providing the federal government with more power. Since 9/11 Congress has passed many laws and approved the use of many technologies that provide the federal government with both direct and indirect control over We, the people.



Direct control is when the government tells us we can or cannot do something without the prerequisite identification documents. In addition to the Real ID Act 2005, Congress is now considering a new national biometric social security card and a biometric National Worker's Identification Card. The Real ID Act was passed and signed into law in 2005. The Real ID Act sets federal guidelines for the issuance of state driver's licenses. The Real ID Act implementation date has been delayed until April 2011. Indirect control is when the government is able to influence our desire to "speak" out through the use of intimidation.



The common denominator between a Real ID compliant driver's licenses, the new social security card and a national worker's identification card is biometrics. Biometrics is measurements of the body. Typically, we think of fingerprinting, facial recognition and iris scanning when discussing biometrics. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Napolitano is on record stating she would like all states to issue EDL's (Enhanced Driver's Licenses). EDL's incorporate not just biometrics but also RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips.



"Your Body Is Your ID" takes a look at many of the technologies and laws the federal government has at its disposal. Readers will be surprised to learn where the standards for identification documents originate. Much discussion has taken place in our country about the creation of a national identification card. After reading "Your Body Is Your ID" readers will be able to make informed decisions about whether they support a national ID or other identification documents that are intentionally designed to be international. There is only one reason for international standards and that is to share information globally.



We ask each citizen regardless of political ideology or affiliation to visit www.constitutionalalliance.org and obtain a copy of both the book and DVD, Your Body Is Your ID. Once on the homepage just click on the huge book cover to obtain your copy of the book and DVD.



In conclusion consider the following from Julian Ashbourn, who was at the time speaking as the Chairman of the International Biometrics Agency:



"What information do governments share? With whom is my data shared and why?" All of these questions need to be addressed by an agency with global powers."



I cannot speak for all citizens but I will not and do not support any agency with "global powers" especially when speaking about our personal information including our biometric information.





Copyright © 2010 Mark Lerner