Should people have the right to do what they want if it's not harming others?
@VampireChick5 (114)
United States
July 2, 2009 1:27pm CST
I recently switched my political party and I have switched it before because of my change in mind. I was a Democrat and then I Switched to Republican for awhile because I had a change in mind but I realize now I only switched because I had some different opinions than the Democrats. But I have more different opinions with the Republicans, I realized. So I finally made up my mind about my political party. Most of my family are Republicans and they believe that people should not be alowed to do things that could harm them. But I believe that if someone wants to hurt themselves, that's their desision. I don't think it's right, but that should be their choice. And I would never harm myself but if that is what other people want to do, a law isn't going to stop them.If they want to harm themselves in the first place, they probaly wouldn't care if a law said they couldn't. What do you think?
5 people like this
10 responses
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
2 Jul 09
I am with you on this. I think I sometimes stumble over the exact extent of "not harming others". For instance: smoking versus smoking right next to an asthmatic, drinking versus drunk driving and any number of even more difficult lines to draw, but essentially I oppose most Republican "moral high ground" positions.
2 people like this
@VampireChick5 (114)
• United States
2 Jul 09
The Republicans, I've learned, support the values that you should not be able to harm yourself. I agree thet it is morally wrong to harm yourself because you would harm others by your actions most important, why do people want to harm themselves? It won't solve anything. Don't just give up.
1 person likes this
@piasabird (1737)
• United States
2 Jul 09
Huh? Am I missing something here? Isn't it Obama and the Dems who are passing new smoking bills? Isn't it the Dems who want to tax soda pop and outlaw trans-fats in New York? After the smoking they'll be telling us to be weight/height compatible. Because, after all, they're trying to get health care for everyone and unhealthy people are a financial drag on their programs.
Personally, I don't care if a person wants to kill themselves but they'd be terribly hurting those who love and care for them.
1 person likes this
@VampireChick5 (114)
• United States
2 Jul 09
Some Democrats feel that will solve everything, yes. But they are missing something. People break laws all the time and who's to say they won't do the same thing again. Someone breaks a law every day. Nothing's going to change that.
1 person likes this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
3 Jul 09
Actually you sound more like maybe you'd belong more with the libertarian party. It's called naturla law. I am a mild follower of it. I think to some degrea we go to far regulating things that don't really effect anyone but the person committing the "crime" Like seat belt laws, my state is the last in a nation with out on for adults, and I don;t want one either. People draw the line in many different palces though on this. I'm not a pure natrual law subscriber, but i lean heavily that way, I'm not all about the government regulating every aspect of our lives anyways.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
4 Jul 09
X, the seat belt law is something I have mixed feelings about but what bothers me the most is that in my state of Pa., where we've had a seat belt law for years now, they repealed the helmet law for motorcycles a few years ago. How can you find any consistency in that? Someone has NO protection on a motorcycle yet they can ride without a helmet yet you have to wear a seat belt when you're in a vehicle surrounded by metal and probably airbags?
Annie
@piasabird (1737)
• United States
2 Jul 09
What kind of things? I'm not sure that a person can do something to themselves that won't have some kind of impact on someone else.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
2 Jul 09
What it really comes down to is the exercise of personal liberty. I believe in a maximum of personal liberty but only to the point where it would infringe on someone else's personal liberty. That is basically the idea behind the Bill of Rights.
The government that governs best is that which governs least. However with liberty comes responsibility. I want a nation of people who are willing to accept the consequences of their actions. I have rights up to the point where I would violate your rights, and I am responsible for how I use my liberty - including dealing with the possible consequences.
1 person likes this
@ninajohnson (36)
• United States
4 Jul 09
Well put. You took the words out of my mouth! The problem then is not the laws, or lack of laws depending on what side you are on..but the majority of the people who are do not feel responsible for their own actions.
@connierebel (1557)
• United States
2 Jul 09
The problem is people want the right to hurt themselves, but then they don't want the responsibility for the consequences of the bad things they did to themselves. So that ends up hurting other people, also, like someone said earlier. I don't think the government has the right to control every aspect of people's personal lives, if it is only an individual problem and not a threat to the public good. But they should make the people who use their free will to hurt themselves be totally responsible for the consequences.
1 person likes this
@foursox212 (282)
• United States
2 Jul 09
As long as it doesn't affect my world I don't care what a person wants to do to themselves.
1 person likes this
@VampireChick5 (114)
• United States
2 Jul 09
Most people feel the same way because of the economy and everything. They think about themselves. #1, as most people say. Which is probaly the view of everyone and I don't disagree. I think everyone should be focused making a living and suporting themselves.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
2 Jul 09
What difference does it make to myself what you or anyone does when it does not effect myself? All I ask is the same respect. For what ever reason, to some this is a scare proposition. Take for instance my state, it has pass a law that give the police the right to pull driver over for not wearing their seat belt. The nanny staters say this will save lives. True it might, but what does it matter. If I am not wearing a seat belt how exactly does that affect you or anyone? We can go down the list all day, but to sum this up this way look at a porcupine. A porcupine goes through out it's life without the intention of harming anything or anyone. The only time the porcupine will harm you when you try to harm it.
@FreeAgent (39)
• United States
3 Jul 09
You should probably consider switching to the Libertarian Party.
@kspezza09 (86)
• United States
3 Jul 09
Yes i believe people have the right to do what they want and i feel that as long as they are not picking fights with lesser people such as children or handicapped that fighting and shooting should be legal like western times...
