So while in town today I was doing my usual lurking around in Forbidden Planet for some new Anime before heading out into the street to head for Fopp. I was crossing the bridge to the other side of town, admiring the advertisements plastered on the other stores walls when a Native American traveling band attracted my attention. I went for a gawk and was quite enjoying it while watching people sign all sorts of petitions that had set up due to large crowds attracted by the band, with one in particular attracting my attention. The NO2ID logo printed on the banner, hanging from the table, drew me in and I signed the petition with every intention of saying NO! to a police state Britain!

This takes me to next part of my story.

After signing the petition, I had made my to Fopp and was quite happily browsing the music and DVDs they had available. Now they always have security in there and usually they don’t bother me but today I had one watching every move I made. I brushed it off and continued my shopping. Eventually I chose what I was wanted, Daft Punk, Oasis and Interstella 5555 and payed at the counter. On my way out though I was stopped by the security guard and asked, in the middle of the street, to unzip my hoodie. I complied and did just  that. Everything checked out there.

“Can I just see your receipt, quickly mate?”

I gave him my reciept and, once again, everything checked out. Seeing that everything was legitimate, he thanked me for my time and let me on my way. Now don’t get me wrong, he was just doing what he’s payed to do and they may well have had a wave of shoplifting (due to the festival we have each year in town). I just couldn’t help thinking though how much worse that could’ve gone  if we already had compulsory ID cards and I had happened not to have had mine on me that particular day.

Anyway, I learned two things today. How the state is trying to control us through ID cards and how they could potentially be misused by a future government and not to get sweaty while wearing a zipped up hoodie. It makes you look suspicous.