Pubdate: Sat, 12 Oct 2002
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Fred Cooper
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk

GOVERNMENT'S PROTECTIVE ROLE

READER KIRK Muse (Letters, Oct. 5) was exactly right. Your answer - 
"Someone has to. Adults too often act like children" - was completely wrong.

In a truly free society, adults make their own choices and live with them. 
A government's only protective role should be to save us from other 
people's actions, such as drunk drivers, rapists, murderers, Celine Dion CD 
manufacturers (a tip of the hat to a very funny Matt Hillier Letter of the 
Day, Oct. 5) and anybody else who inflicts harm on others, not from ourselves.

What a very liberal viewpoint, to believe the government should look after 
you to such an extent that it replaces your judgment of what is right for 
you to do to yourself. One cannot help wondering why the Sun is not against 
alcohol. If anyone needs protecting from themselves, surely it is 
alcoholics. And if not them, then why those of us who imbibe in other less 
harmful substances?

Fred Cooper

Quinte

(Sometimes, as in the case of seat belt laws, people have to be saved from 
their own stupidity.)
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens