Alan Dershowitz: Why Fear National ID Cards?

The New York Times ^ | 10/13/2001 | Alan Dershowitz

[steve-b]

Simple -- a unified ID establishes "one-stop shopping" for both individual criminals and abusive government agents.

[steve-b]

Finally, there is the question of the right to anonymity. I don't believe we can afford to recognize such a right in this age of terrorism. No such right is hinted at in the Constitution.

Besides the obvious error in this statement (the non-recitation of a right carries no weight, as per the Ninth Amendment), Dershowitz is simply ignorant of legal precedents such as MacIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission and Talley v. California.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Is it a violation of liberty to be required to show identification under ANY circumstances, or just some?

If Situation X is a situation where, currently, one would not have their ID checked, but under the National ID system, they would, then a liberty has been violated. Namely: the liberty to be a human being in Situation X without being in possession of a plastic card.

Fair enough? :)

In other words, the answer to your question is, "Just some circumstances would be enough."

I do hope you are right though that left-wing lawyers would resist the National ID Card requirements on liberty grounds. If Dershowitz is any example, however, I won't hold my breath. Best,

[Memphis Schmuel]

"If Dirtbagowitz is fer it, I'm agin it."

A philosophy to live by, and you won't go far wrong.

[sendtoscott]

Finally, there is the question of the right to anonymity. I don't believe we can afford to recognize such a right in this age of terrorism. No such right is hinted at in the Constitution. And though the Supreme Court has identified a right to privacy, privacy and anonymity are not the same. American taxpayers, voters and drivers long ago gave up any right of anonymity without loss of our right to engage in lawful conduct within zones of privacy.

yuck

[Fixit]

Papers!

[Windshark]

Dershowitz is a reverse baromoter of sorts. Now, no matter if it's sensible or not....I'm against it!

He's almost always 180 degrees wrong. And ignorant to boot.

[freekitty]

Put a sock in it, Dershowitz. We don't expect any better from you.

[Dan Day]

Alan Dershowitz: Why Fear National ID Cards?

Why? Because people like Alan Dershowitz will likely administer the program.

[skr]

I'll admit I haven't read the whole article...well, it IS by Dershowitz, after all. Anyway, if he's for it, the odds are overwhelming that I will be against it.

[The Schnoid from Sheboygan]

Of course, the statement that a certain notion "was credible in the twelfth century, but is not credible in the twentieth" is shorthand for the statement that the notion conflicts with knowledge gained during the intervening time. I'll presume that Chesterton addresses this in the larger context from which the quote is drawn.

I'd considered that very point when citing Chesterton's quote. But, reading his words in context, one sees that he is not talking about knowledge, derived via the scientific method, life experience, or the logical processes. Instead, he is speaking of the creeds and philosophies (i.e., what is right & wrong) which one obtains from one's presuppositions. And it this point of Chesterton's which I was applying to Dipshitwitz's notions. But I think you already knew that, right?