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