It’s nice to see NO2ID getting their message out in the mainstream rags. For those who are familiar with the arguments, the bar-code moustache is a fitting and humourous way to make a point. However, I’m just a little concerned that it may backfire in the minds of the majority. Take, for instance, this comment from someone on a message forum when the issue was raised:
“To be honest I’m a bit ignorant to all this 
I have seen it mentioned but didn’t really look into it
For what purpose does Tony Blair want to bring in the Identity cards?”
That comment, in a nutshell, is the public perception of identity cards. We, the aware; the refusniks; have been discussing it ad nauseum for the past five years, but for the general public it’s been little more than a tiny radar blip on the evening news. For us, it’s anxiously watching the outcome of a crucial vote; for them, it’s what’s happening on East Enders or Corrie. They don’t know and they don’t care. They are blissfully unaware of those freedoms they have already lost, because they didn’t exercise them in the first place. Only those sufficiently motivated will be inclined to want to protest outside parliament – if you aren’t you won’t be aware of the restrictions. Mention the Civil Contingencies act or the Legislative and Regulatory Reform bill and expect a “Duh?” in response.
These people will sincerely believe that identity cards will do something about terrorism, or illegal immigration – all because they haven’t expended any energy thinking it through. So, all power to NO2ID for raising awareness. I’m just not convinced that the imagery is the right one to use. For those who are not aware of the curtailment of liberty that has already happened and lack the imagination or historical knowledge to realise the implications, this will smack of scaremongering, with the resultant dismissal of the message as mere histrionics from a small, insignificant pressure group. Tell ’em how much it’s going to hit them in the wallet, and I guarantee that you’ll have their undivided attention. That, I’m afraid, is the sum of it.
While amusing, it’s also pretty dumb. I’m not sure what the ‘worked well before’ message is saying – we had ID cards in the UK in WW2. Does that make them a good idea? To start at the Godwin point is hardly a propitious opening. What it really needs is something that shows how it will affect all our daily lives, and more importantly the danger of the database to our privacy and security. I thought the ‘Jude‘ image made the Hitler point better, without impugning the personal integrity of the fuckwits who thought up the id card scheme, rather showing them to be ignorant, arrogant and thoughtless.
I note Lord Janner’s remark that ‘Hitler was a mass murderer…’. I wonder how many deaths you have to be responsible for to qualify as a mass murderer. Obviously less than millions, but more than 100,000*.
*or perhaps 50,000.
Indeed. I can’t help wondering whether the image will do more harm than good.