Once again we're being treated to a condescending and threatening government ad campaign warning us to fasten our seat belts. That my tax dollars are being used for this bilge just adds insult to injury. The dictatorial busybodies claim they're "saving lives", but the government has no moral authority to tell any citizen what safety precautions they should take with their life.
I started wearing seat belts long before it was mandated by law because I felt it was a good way to preserve my life. Proponents will say that my non-compliance would cost society if I'm seriously injured. That's a problem with socialistic government policies, not a problem with the exercise of my personal liberty. If I'm not endangering anyone else's life, then it's none of the government's damn business what risks I take with my own. That argument can be used to outlaw anything the government deems to be a "cost" to society.
Cardiovascular disease kills many times more people than auto-accidents. We could mandate a limit on caloric intake and force people to exercise. New York has banned trans-fats in restaurants, so that camel's nose is already in the tent.
We could reduce drownings by requiring life vests for every swimmer and boater. Or why don't we just outlaw those activities completely? No? It's for your own good and the maternal government is just trying to save lives. You don't want people to die, do you?
Why don't we ban motorcycles too? They have a much higher accident and death rate than passenger cars. Here in Florida we have no helmet laws. It's quite possible that one could get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt while surrounded by 2000 pounds of metal, as a bare headed motorcyclist rides by legally, wearing nothing more than a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops.
If I'm not endangering anyone else's life, then it's none of the government's damn business what risks I take with my own. The problem is that there are all too many infants in this country that are willing to let others decide how they should live their lives. And there's a lot of power freaks willing to do it. Neither of them has any appreciation or respect for individual liberty or freedom.
The rest of us just want to be left alone.
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