Re: Bronco Busting

[Bill Elliott <wcelliot@concentric.net>]

Well, I certainly raised a ruckus with my posting this morning
apparently targeting sports cars vice SUV's.  And I did it at the
expense of Alexander.  Sorry, it was an unfair debating tactic (despite
the Idaho comment) ;-)

Still, I drew MANY comments from listers who thought I was seriously
arguing against sports cars.  With a few notable exceptions, these
listers didn't care about the very same arguments being used against
SUV's.

My intended point was that we should be careful what arguments we
support.  The end does not justify the means.  I may not like the number
of SUV's running around the suburbs, but I cannot accept the arguments
used to ban or overly regulate them.  The same arguments and logic could
just as easily be used against high performance cars... which I do care
a bit more about.

Same is true about the anti-tobacco campaign.  Smoking is bad, but
what's next? Alcohol? McDonalds?

You may not like guns, but the same tactics being used by the anti-gun
crowd can easily be used for other constitutional rights... like free
speech. Someone mentioned 1930's Germany.  Excellent comparison. 
History has all but erased the fact that Hitler enjoyed great popularity
and support for his programs.... for the "public good".  By the time his
aspirations were unveiled, enough basic liberties had been erased to
quell any public contention.  Those who forget history are doomed to
repeat it.

If you find yourself thinking the Government should stop me for doing
something that I want to "for my own good", you should re-examine your
logic.  The same thing may be done to you some day.

So this has been an excellent discussion, but let's get back to spider
bites or something. ;-)

Bill Elliott
Lake Mills, WI