Oh, man! They are tracking the homeless with ID cards

[antigop]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/community/16633403.htm

>>
One homeless man likened his numbered ID card to "the mark of the Beast" from the book of Revelation.

Others compared the bar code to a Nazi tattoo and the computer tracking system to something out of George Orwell's 1984.

But most of the homeless people in Fort Worth seem to have grudgingly accepted the high-tech identification card that will soon be required for meals, shelter and other services at the city's four largest agencies.

"Some people choose not to have them because it's like an invasion of privacy," said Jana Webb, as she ate lunch at Union Gospel Mission last week. "I have one because you can't eat without them."
>>

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Why don't they just implant a chip

that they can track from a satellite or something? Like, if too many poor people gathered at one place they're probly up to no good, so you could call in an air strike on them.

[antigop]

4. pssst... don't tell anyone,, that could be Perry's next executive order

for everyone, not just the homeless.

[LeVeL_HeAdEd_OnE]

17. So Gomer goes to the shelter...

for dinner and has his ID card scanned for dinner. What is so sinister about this? Not every idea like this is hatched in a dark, smoky room by Scooter Libby, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. What I want to know is why there is a box labeled "address" on the ID card application. ID cards can be lost. Sub-dermal chips like the one my cat has are more reliable.

[Joanne98]

2. Who are the four agencies that are taking the card?

[Katherine Brengle]

3. Honest question --

most non-homeless people have drivers licenses and other forms of identification -- do most homeless people have these things?

If not, then this makes sense to me.

[HereSince1628]

6. Now there is a need for proof of homelessness?

Amazing. S.i.m.p.l.y. A-freaking-mazing.

Go ahead, get-em an ID card.

That way the aid organizations will be able to hand out IRS 1099 forms so the homeless can pay the I.R.S. tax on the value of donations they recieve, too.

What are we bloody damned afraid of? People exploiting charity? Like that doesn't come with built in social penalties.

I don't know how many pocketfulls of my change have gone to frauds, or how many of the used-coats we've bought and given away have gone to the "not needy." I'm clueless about how many pounds of the tons of food I've packed for hunger task force got to a free-loader.

I don't care if I am just perpetuating a BAD situation. Yep. I'm bad.

Cuz if just a few bucks have helped someone, good. If a used poor fitting out of style coat kept a kid warm as they slept in the back of a van, if a can of beans reached a person whose pantry was empty. I'm satsified.

[antigop]

9. I agree -- I think this is terrible -- and scary

See we need to help these poor homeless people?

And,then, after people get used to this idea, they try to pull it on everyone.

[Shyanne]

19. I agree

I dont see what the big deal is about people having some form of ID on them, JUST in case God forbid something happen to them it would be nice if they knew who this person was so they could at least try to contact a family member. Do you have any freaking idea how many "john/jane doe's" there are in our country's morgues and cemeteries?? Don't these people deserve at least a name??

[silverweb]

5. This is NOT a GPS tracking device.

After reading the article, I have to conclude it's a good way to monitor need and the effectiveness of services. It could be abused, of course, but it's purpose is not to track or monitor individuals.

[gbate]

8. I can see some positive aspects of this.

Perhaps it can be used for good, not just tracking them as so much cattle.

[antigop]

10. The ID card is scanned. Yep, they can track with it. n/t

[silverweb]

11. Not the same as GPS, which someone else implied.

And tracking individuals is not the purpose of the card. It's to ensure services are rendered in order to qualify for government grants -- in exactly the same way that attendance is taken in schools to verify student numbers for federal education funds.

If the card contained a GPS tracking device (like your cell phone does, BTW), that would be an entirely different circumstance.

[antigop]

12. I am fully aware of the capabilities of GPS -- but the cards ARE scanned

and they CAN track your movements -- they don't necessarily know where you are at any point during the day. But they know WHEN you showed up and WHERE you showed up. That's what I meant by tracking. As long as they scan an ID card, they can track your movement.

[silverweb]

13. Okay.

I wasn't certain you understood the distinction and I'm glad you do.

So how is that different from any one of us using a discount store membership card or an ATM or a credit card or a cell phone? Aren't we also being "tracked" by using those things? Isn't that a price we're willing to pay for convenience and accessibility to our wants and needs?

I really don't see how these cards are "demeaning" to the homeless when their purpose is to make sure needed services are provided.

[antigop]

14. Read Orwell's 1984 and you will know the answer n/t

[silverweb]

15. Oh, please.

That's just silly.

I'm quite familiar with Orwell, thank you, and there's absolutely no point of comparison between his 1984 and using a non-GPS, non-biometric, barcoded ID card to provide services to those who need them.

[antigop]

16. well, I'm sorry if you don't understand n/t

[LeVeL_HeAdEd_OnE]

18. And anyone with a....

ATM card, cellphone, credit card, EZ-Pass, or any number of other modern devices can be "tracked." You assume anyone cares enough to track them in the first place. Personally, I doubt the CIA, DOD, NSA, FBI, DEA, BIA, NEA, DOJ, BATF, ICE, DOT, AARP, NAACP, ACLU or any other group in this alphabet soup gives a hoot what time I passed through toll-booth #4, or for that matter, what time Gomer shows up for his evening meal.

[jwirr]

7. Good luck in that mission. During the census counts the homeless

are often overlooked because they cannot be found. Maybe some of them have ID cards but my guess is that most have never been found. They may have cards from welfare or social security that allow them to be traced.

Not too long ago our state decided that each mentally ill client had to have Individual Service Plans or they could not be served. Those of us who worked for social services just shock our heads - who exactly was going to get them to set down and create a plan of service? We were right. Most refused.