Pubdate: Sun, 21 Mar 2004
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2004 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Kirk Muse

PERSONAL FREEDOM

Robert Hardaway's excellent article didn't mention anything about the
right of a free country's government to punish its adult citizens for
potentially harming only themselves.

Our government doesn't punish adult citizens who attempt suicide and
survive. So under what authority does our government have to punish
adult citizens who harm only themselves by using the wrong
(politically selected) recreational drugs, even in the privacy of
their own homes?

Adult citizens of a so-called free country should be free to smoke,
swallow, snort or inject any substance they want - as long as they are
personally responsible for the consequences.

A free country's government cannot protect adult citizens from
themselves, and a free country's government has absolutely no rightful
authority to attempt to do so.

Kirk Muse,

Mesa, Ariz
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MAP posted-by: Derek