Those of us who occasionally speak out against collectivist intrusions into what should be private decisions are often seen as paranoid loners, anti-communitarian cavemen who are just one missed dose of medication away from standing on the front porch with a shotgun, shouting at the moon about that no-account gov'ment. But, really, how paranoid are we when they don't even try that hard to hide their real agenda? This Journal Gazette editorial makes a predictably passionate case in favor of mandatory motorcycle helmets. It makes a perfunctory swipe at common sense -- "Indeed, laws generally should not dictate guidelines for personal behavior when that behavior affects only an individual" -- but then gets to the qualifiers:
Refusing to wear motorcycle helmets
Comments
Hardcore libertarianism doesn't really work unless we are willing to let people die if that is the natural consequence of their actions. Otherwise, we end up having other members of society subsidize the costs of an individual's choice which doesn't really fit the libertarian model.