TO THE EDITOR:
What’s being lost in the debate over Four Loko is that this ban should come as a surprise to no one.
Since the Progressive Era, government has operated under the assumption that we the people are too stupid to make decisions for ourselves and, therefore, they ought to make decisions for us in their benevolence.
Progressives have done their best to limit our choices and restrict our liberties so as to prevent us from being hurt or experiencing consequences of our occasional stupidity.
The only legitimate line of argumentation is that, since taxpayers are shouldering more of the health care burden, they have a right to limit what citizens consume to reduce costs.
But at some point, we need to recognize that an integral part of our human dignity is free will.
And any government intrusion denigrates that dignity; government is not our “caring mom.”
Look at the opposing arguments: “Four Loko is a dangerous drink, right to be banned” (Nov. 23). Nope. Left turns are dangerous. The bricks around campus are dangerous. So what?
If someone chooses to drink Four Loko, knowing the risks, let him suffer the consequences of his choice in recognition of his humanity.
