I oppose the new policy of identification cards containing fingerprint data for the following reasons:
First, it dehumanizes all citizens. There are only two types of persons that are required to have their fingerprints taken -- criminals and new immigrants to a country. By adopting this new policy, the government treats its own people, all of them, as criminals or untrustworthy new immigrants to Taiwan.
Second, the policy exhibits the negative part of primitive culture -- that a person is guilty until proven innocent. In a civilized society, a person is innocent until proven guilty.
Third, the defense of the policy quoting the provisions of the Constitution is not realistic.
That Constitution was written more than half a century ago, and was created in an area, China, where the abuse of human rights has been a tradition through its entire history. The current Constitution is not a product of progressive reasoning with compassion for humanity. It means very little.
Fourth, the policy will damage the image of Taiwan as a free and democratic nation. Taiwan will put itself on the same level as China.
Although it is an economic power, China receives no respect from developed countries because of its abuse of human rights.
The government needs to think the policy over.
Ken Huang
Memphis, Tennessee
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