Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11
This law won't effect me, or many forum members either, for the reason in bold below, but I am still against it in principle, because it infringes on peoples freedoms for no valid reason.
|
You hit the nail squarely on the head, elkhunter11. That's why I also oppose it. It's why I will oppose any law justified by emotion.
It's why I will oppose any law that makes me a criminal although I have harmed no-one. Like this law. If I, or you, buy body armour without government permission, we are a criminal although we have harmed no-one. That is wrong. It is not "kinda wrong". It is wrong.
I will not have my freedom limited according to the hypothetical behaviour of criminals. Why should our freedom be limited by what a criminal might do?
If I have no criminal intent, I am not guilty. Period. That has been our system of law for centuries. Killing, for instance, is not illegal. Killing with bad intent is illegal. That is why we (supposedly) are allowed to kill someone in self-defence. That is why our police are allowed to kill someone in their defence or in defence of one of us. In those circumstances, killing is even praised. Why? There was no bad intent.
Regulating the thing is simply and utterly wrong-headed.
My freedom does not come from government. It is mine. I was born with it. I do not need to justify why I want to keep it. I do not need a "good reason" to exercise it. My freedom has been paid for and given to me by better men than I. I know that and I will not hand it over.
It does not matter that this law is full of exemptions. It does not matter who passed this law. It is all wrong.
Requiring a "permit" or a "licence" for anything means that I am banned from doing such a thing without permission from my government. I am not thereafter free. Freedom cannot be be something which is given, or tolerated, by government. That is exactly the opposite of freedom.
It does not matter to me that this only takes away my freedom "a little bit". Surrender is habit-forming and I will not form that habit. Period.
That's why we should oppose laws like this. It's got nothing to do with body armour.