Letters to the Editor

From: "Shugarts, Keith" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Banning July
Date: Wednesday, May 09, 2001 9:46 AM

A report just released by the National Safe Kids Campaign (www.safekids.org) and championed by C. Everett "Chicken Little" Koop has found that nearly half (45% - 47% in mountain states) of the unintended deaths of children happen in the Summer and that July (12% of deaths) is the most dangerous month for children.

Commenting upon this Dr. "Chicken Little" Koop said "While we encourage children to be active and spend time outdoors, they need to understand the consequences of not taking safety precautions and should remember to wear a bike helmet and ride restrained in the car" and went on to say, "Parents need to know that regardless of their children's age, it is ultimately their responsibility to provide their children with the proper safety devices and adequate supervision."

Dr. "Chicken Little" Koop's words seem intriguingly like something that would appeal to libertarians when he speaks of personal responsibility, acceptance and understanding of risks (though not necessarily avoidance thereof), and individual ownership and sovereignty. But the words are a sirens song disguising the rocks that would wreck the ship of liberty and cast freedom to flounder in the waves. Throughout the site the National Safe Kids Campaign continuously calls for increased legislation for the protection of children applauding a wide ranging law enacted in Arkansas requiring that all children be restrained when traveling in a car, gun protection laws enacted in Massachusetts, and bicycle helmet laws that were enacted in 17 states and the District of Columbia to name but a few.

This desire to legislate behavior from cradle to grave simply undermines the growth of sovereign individuals by replacing their judgement, thoughts, and beliefs with those imposed upon them from above. How can one be expected to think for themselves when that right is denied them by imposition of law upon law controlling minute dealings of daily life? Individuals are slowly being smothered under the increasing weight of this blanket of protection, the last gasps of individual liberty and freedom are soon to be coming unless we as individuals are willing to cast it off ourselves.

I suspect that Rosie O'Donnell and Barbara Streisand will begin campaigning for the banning of July in the near future, Sarah Brady (forgetting for the moment that her wheelchair bound husband was shot in March 30th) will start Summer Control Incorporated, and that there will be a march of concerned mothers descending upon Washington, DC to call for "reasonable" restrictions to be placed on Summer.

Yours in Liberty,
Keith Shugarts

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