[QUOTE]Originally posted by Anagnorisis:
[B]And what is the big taboo thing with national id cards? many many many other civilized western countries use them. this is one of theose things that people do much about nothing in the us.

The "big taboo" is that here in the US we have an open society, with personal freedoms and privacy that are un-equaled in the "many, many, many, civilized countries you speak of". Here, we have no special "papers" or government IDs that are simply required just for being alive. True, state drivers licenses are used now routinely for ID, but as was stated earlier, they are independent state IDs. They are not centrally controlled or monitored, or tracked (other than legitimate motor vehicle uses).
In the other "civilized countries" you speak of, you will find such things as: national police forces and military involved with the investigation of civillians, armed soliders at airports and other public places, requirements to register with the police when you change addresses, routine and random public surveillence via camera and other means which record and track your face, identity, and behoavior patterns (and also check to see if you are wanted), only certain members of the government are allowed to own and use firearms (self defense is not a right), and many other things that we in America just simply don't have, due to our open and free society. However horrible terrorism is, America must not let it change our very foundations, it's not worth it.