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In
July, the Department of Homeland Security announced it has branched “out from
fingerprint matching to iris and facial recognition for identity verification”
and is considering “additional biometric modalities” in an aggressive push to
establish a sprawling Stasi-like data network.
Government
implementation of biometric technology has come to the attention of Congress.
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing of the
Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law dealing with facial recognition
and civil liberties.
Concerns
about civil liberties, however, will not slow down Big Brother.
The
FBI has announced it is working to establish a tattoo “symbols” database as
part of an overarching effort to “foster collaboration, improve information
sharing, and advance the adoption of optimal biometric and identity management
solutions within the FBI and across the law enforcement and national security
communities.” The agency is serious about “on-going work in other modalities
including voice and face recognition, handwriting, palm prints, scars, marks,
and tattoos.”
As
NSA whistle-blower William Binney revealed, the government is “pulling together
all the data about virtually every U.S. citizen in the country and assembling
that information, building communities that you have relationships with, and
knowledge about you; what your activities are; what you’re doing.” Face
recognition, handwriting, palm prints, scars, marks, and tattoos – in addition
to your email, web destinations, medical and credit records, and cell phone GPS
coordinates – are all part of the dossier process.
Tattoos,
of course, are a natural addition to this on-going effort to establish a
high-tech mega-Stasi surveillance and control network. The Nazis tattooed Jews
and political prisoners for easy identification. In the Roman Empire, soldiers
were required by law to have identifying tattoos on their hands in order to
make it difficult to remain anonymous if they deserted. Slaves and gladiators
were also required to be tattooed. It was a common practice to tattoo “tax
paid” on the forehead of slaves prior to the rule of Emperor Constantine, who
banned the practice.
In
America, circa 2012, no such law or requirement is needed – the act of
tattooing is now wildly popular. This will make it easy for the state to
further identify and control the populace.
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