Lately, our topics for class have dealt with identification.
Almost every time this comes up, I think that we should just use fingerprints
to solve our problems. I think that fingerprints and DNA should be taken at
birth. If the government has all of our fingerprints on file, they could be
used to identify criminals, voters, and murder victims. The DNA could be used
for the same things, although it would only be needed in the few rare cases
where the fingerprints are no longer viable.
I'll talk about fingerprints first. I think this would be
amazing. The only reasons I can think of for not wanting the government to have
our fingerprints is that they would be able to identify law breakers easier.
Criminals won't like this plan. The only reason I can see for the government
not wanting our fingerprints is that it would be fairly expensive to start.
After that initial period, it would be amazing. It would also be good for
illegal immigration because anyone not is the system would be illegal and if
you took the prints of illegals that get deported you could easily find repeat
offenders.
I think it would be so easy to put in place. Other than the
people that will be scanned at birth, almost everyone else could still be done
in the hospitals. Most people go to the doctor at least once a year. Test them
then. For the few that don't, just set up the same thing in some government
place. The main cost I can see from this program would be that every site that
takes the prints would need to have some new equipment and there would have to
be many people to take care of the database itself.
I think that DNA testing at birth would also be amazing.
There is a little more to worry about than fingerprints, but as of right now,
science can't do anything to your DNA to hurt you. I could find nothing bad on
the internet, only good things like this LIST.
If everyone had their DNA taken at birth, it could be
analyzed to check for certain disorders. Some states already have PROGRAMS set
up that look for the those disorders. I think it should be on the health care
bill.
All of the science majors I have talked to so far think that
this is a great idea. Overall I think it would reduce problems about identity
and increase the overall health of the public.
-Cody Dreier
I think that the whole fingerprint identification from birth idea is a good idea. At that point we are for sure that the baby is who it is and that those will be the babies fingerprints. For people that are already older I think it might be a little more difficult to get reliable finger prints from some people. No they cannot counterfeit their own fingerprints but they could lie about who they are or something along those lines. So the fingerprints would be real but it might not correspond to the correct person. But taking fingerprints from birth sounds like a great idea to help identify people.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this program could help with finding criminals and such, but it would also be an inconvenience like Travis said. If we started this at hospitals when children are born it will work, but everyone else will have to go and their DNA taken. I am sure there would be people who wouldn't be willing to give the government that much information about themselves. Our teacher is one of those people. Try to have her give her DNA. I feel there might be a struggle. Ultimately this would be an easy fix for some problems, but others would arise. Also, where would money for this program come from? Testing all of those people would be really expensive.
ReplyDeleteAs a note-I don't meant to comment on Aspen's response by itself, but I can't figure out how to start a new comment. Sorry!
DeleteMy impression of DNA testing is that it is much too intrusive into individual liberties. I think that giving a government entity power to such a vast amount of information on every individual is ludicrous. While I do see the pros to such a system, I am willing to sacrifice these for what I see as potential faults. I think this system is contrary to the US's fundamental belief in "innocent until proven guilty." The government's power should be checked and they should not be given entitlement to every piece of information about a person that they wish to know under the facade of protecting the public. It's too easy for corruption to evolve. A person's right to privacy is a key element to the American way of life and I think that DNA identity is the first step that can lead to unregulated government power.