[Reader-list] What after MNIC? The MIND, the final frontier.

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear Khsmendra

Thank you for your post.

Please allow me to reply with utmost sincerity the most well thought out 
and valid points raised in your post.

1. In the mail below, you state-Did I say that Taha supports the MNIC or 
that Taha holds the premise that MNIC will weed out terrorists.
In the mail, below the mail below, you state- I would have presumed that 
you have read your own postings on this List regarding MNIC. One of the 
premises on which the support for MNIC is based is that it will help 
weed out terrorists.

- So it seems that YES you did mean, inadvertently perhaps, that I 
support an outrageous premise the MNIC would be used to help weed out 
terrorist, since there seems to be no other person, in the recent past, 
who have consistently posted on and about MNIC as I have.

And for the sake of clarity please allow me to state -I have never, I 
REPEAT, I HAVE NEVER ever, uttered that MNIC could be used to weed out 
terrorists. That would deplorable on my part.

2. You state- Doesnt a premise exist in the country that the "MNIC will 
help weed out terrorists"? Have you yourself not spoken about this 
premise. That does not mean that you subscribe to it and neither have I 
attributed it as so. 
 
For confirmation : 
http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2009-January/017420.html

 I most humbly thank you for providing the link and I would be very 
grateful if you could kindly go through the post and then share it with 
members of the reader list, which reasonably proves, that I have indeed 
written a fantastically imagined premise that 'MNIC is indeed needed to 
weed out terrorists'.

On earlier occasions, I have made everyone known that in so far as my 
position on MNIC is concerned being an Indian citizen, if my government 
choose to provide  for a MNIC card, then I will also have one. But 
please rest assured in all these four years, had I ever read, sensed or 
concluded by a cursory or a detailed reading of papers related to MNIC, 
that MNIC is also going to be used to weed out terrorists, then, I would 
have used every conceivable way to reasonably argue  against such a 
card. The reason being thus- A statement which contends that, 'MNIC will 
be used to weed out terrorists' assumes, that it is known to the members 
of the state, who all will reasonably come under the category of 
'Terrorist'. Thus any person who satisfies all the criteria  of being a  
'Terrorist' may be reasonably granted the status of a 'Terrorist' but as 
we all know that 'Terrorist' is a highly unclear category. There does 
not exist a clear definition of the term. There is a lot of scope for 
categorical slippage. Therefore no government agency  anywhere  in this 
world has thus far  made  an  audaciously  foolish proposal  to  
capture  'Terrorists' while using a biometric National identity card. 
Although it may not be ruled that as far as the realm of fantasy is  
concerned there might be exist many deranged officials out there who 
might be thinking of subjecting the national identity card regime to 
such a use.  

It gives me utmost satisfaction to know that there exists at least one 
person on this list who is a regular reader of my posts, I, with, bowed 
hands am grateful to you, however, I think, it would bring me all the 
more joy, if you could, not only read but deduce reasonably, my rather 
inarticulate sketches on the proposed Multiple purpose National Identity 
Card.

Warm regards

Taha


Kshmendra Kaul wrote:
> Dear Taha
>  
> If past experiences with you were not enough and I needed confirmation 
> on the bizzare nature of your personality, you have just provided it.
>  
> You obviously did not read properly what I wrote and it appears that 
> you do not read what you yourself post.
>  
> My words were "One of the premises on which the support for MNIC is 
> based is that it
> will help weed out terrorists. A physical identity mapping."
>  
> Did I say that Taha supports the MNIC or that Taha holds the premise 
> that MNIC will weed out terrorists. Read properly what I have written 
> and then decide whether you are justified in the content and tone of 
> your response to me.
>  
> Doesnt a premise exist in the country that the "MNIC will help weed 
> out terrorists"? Have you yourself not spoken about this premise. That 
> does not mean that you subscribe to it and neither have I attributed 
> it as so. 
>  
> For confirmation : 
> http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2009-January/017420.html
>  
> Your responses to my postings seem to be triggered by some 
> preconcieved notions about me and prejudices aghainst me that prevent 
> you from thinking or speaking rationally. Your problem, not mine.
>  
> I must be one of the very few people on this List who read every 
> single one of your MNIC postings. Read not scan through. MNIC 
> fascinates me even as it disturbs me.
>  
> I would have further commented on the co-relationships that do 
> exist in the premises regarding 'weeding out terrorists' in both the 
> MNIC and the "human cognitive' technology, but you Sir are a Closed 
> Mind. Why waste your time and mine.
>  
> Kshmendra.
>
>
> --- On *Thu, 4/9/09, Taha Mehmood /<2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>/* wrote:
>
>     From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>
>     Subject: Re: [Reader-list] What after MNIC? The MIND, the final
>     frontier.
>     To: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com
>     Cc: "reader-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>, "Taha Mehmood"
>     <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>
>     Date: Thursday, April 9, 2009, 6:47 PM
>
>     Dear Kshmendra
>
>     Your reply surprises me even more, for in my postings not only have I never
>     mentioned anywhere that MNIC would help weed our terrorists but also that, had I
>     mentioned any such preposterous a thing, then I would have certainly reflected
>     the said issue in detail.
>
>     I am especially observant of the ways in which the social category of a
>     'terrorist' is formed.
>
>     The reason why it surprises me is because of all the persons who might have
>     interpreted my posting I would not have ever imagined you to read them in such a
>     manner.
>
>     Further more in all my postings, I have tried to raise questions which might
>     help us think through the most fundamental question- what do we mean by MNIC. In
>     this regard I have time and again tried to illustrate by the way of specific
>     examples and by broad theoretical conceptualizations that  it appears  as if, 
>     the notion central  to MNIC  card , like that of identity is fundamentally
>     unresolved.
>
>     I find  the idea of MNIC with its unresolved core quite a curious case and to
>     equate it to this seemingly bizzare technology is indeed uncalled for. Therefore
>     could I hope that in all future forwards to this list, you would exercise some
>     restraint before drawing any unwarranted co-relationships?
>
>     Regards
>
>     Taha
>
>
>     Kshmendra Kaul wrote:
>     > Dear Taha
>     >  Your question surprises me. I would have presumed that you have read your
>     own postings on this List regarding MNIC.
>     >  One of the premises on which the support for MNIC is based is that it
>     will help weed out terrorists. A physical identity mapping.
>     >  This reported attempt to develop "human cognitive" technology
>     also presumes that it will help weed out terrorists. A Mind mapping.
>     >  Kshmendra  
>     > 
>     > --- On *Thu, 4/9/09, Taha Mehmood /<2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>/*
>     wrote:
>     > 
>     >     From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>
>     >     Subject: Re: [Reader-list] What after MNIC? The MIND, the final
>     >     frontier.
>     >     To: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com, "reader-list"
>     <reader-list at sarai.net>
>     >     Date: Thursday, April 9, 2009, 12:18 AM
>     > 
>     >     Dear Kshmendra (and All)
>     > 
>     >     This is with respect to your post. Could you please explain what has
>     the
>     >     development of this new technology got to do with National Identity
>     Cards
>     >     because on the face to it, they seem like two un-related events. I
>     would be more
>     >     than happy to benefit from your insights.
>     > 
>     >     Regards
>     > 
>     >     Taha
>     > 
>     > 
>     >               
>     > 
>               
>
>