The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 4 of 16)

br> -- Brian Schafer br> Arlington, Virginia /p>

Road safety is extremely important and the responsibility of all who drive, but once again, zealotry trumps reason. Reason is key to safety and sobriety. While MADD's aims are noble ones, they overshoot their target. What is needed when dealing with the public good is consideration of all users' needs. The fairest and most rational manner to do so is a cost benefit analysis. If properly set up, the analysis is coldly rational and free of moral and emotional baggage. If, for example, safety is my paramount value, I can seek legislation that demands that all cars are built like tanks. Opponents of this extreme safety position can point out the extreme economic consequences of this demand. No villains and no heroes, just a rational discourse on costs and benefits.

Another objection to MADD's overreaching: it violates the Constitution. The Fourth Amendment reads, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." MADD's position is to assume a driver is drunk before he starts his car. Based on this assumption, the car searches the driver's person and determines, accurately or not, that driver's BAC is over the legal limits. (And how does the BAC detection device know the local BAC limits?) After determining that the driver is not legally able to drive, is the automobile to contact the local law enforcements agency (just like KITT)?

p>While MADD's intentions continue to be noble ones, they do not speak for all citizens. It is worthwhile to remember the road to hell is paved with good intentions and can be ridden upon by even the most sober thinkers. br> -- Ira M. Kessel br> Rochester, New York /p>

These people are a bottomless pit.

If all alcohol was banned tomorrow, they'd be back next day for the tobacco, the day after that for the red meat, the "wrong" light bulbs, shoes or cars...

What they want is not "health" or "safety, but power over the rest of us. It's an addiction like any other.

p>Maybe the administration's critics do have a point. Maybe we do have the wrong people locked down at Guantanamo.

topics:
Trade, Entitlements, Islam, Global Warming, Books, Hollywood, Movies, Constitution, Law, Russia, NATO, Communism, Immigration