Pubdate: Sun, 08 Feb 2004 Source: Gainesville Sun, The (FL) Copyright: 2004 The Gainesville Sun Contact: http://www.sunone.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/163 Author: Tom Burnett, Susan A. Burnett BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF The Sun's Jan. 31 editorial, "Deadly ignorance," sounded like "Big Brother" at its best. As part of your efforts to legislate behavior, perhaps you should include similar actions as follows: Since lots of people cut themselves with knives, there should be a state law outlawing the possession and use to unlicensed persons over 18, with no one underage allowed to possess or use any knife having a blade over 1/2" long. Since lots of people are hurting themselves on rollerblades, there should be a state law restricting rollerblading. Since lots of people are hurting themselves while swimming, there should be a state law restricting swimming. The bottom line is, you can't legislate stupidity! By the way, many more lives would be saved if there were a state law requiring all automobiles to have both an alcohol/drug breath tester and a key pad controlling the starting of the automobiles. Then potential drivers must use/pass an alcohol/drug breath test as well as enter a 4-digit number into the key pad in order to start an automobile. Why does the new state law restrict the breath tester only to those convicted of DUI? Your editorial concludes: "How much shame does it take before the Senate takes action?" The question should be, "How much shame does it take before individuals accept responsibility for their own actions?" Tom Burnett, Susan A. Burnett, Live Oak - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom