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Re: Freedom to be stupid
Posted By: Sam, on host 24.128.86.11
Date: Monday, July 16, 2001, at 05:01:16
In Reply To: Re: Freedom to be stupid posted by gabby on Monday, July 16, 2001, at 00:30:09:

> Liberty, by the classical definition, is the ability to choose to do anything except infringe on another's life, liberty, or property. Thus, no murder, slavery, or theft, respectively. Conservatives generally would add "and one's own life, liberty, or property," on the end of that definition, resulting in such things as drug enforcement laws, mandatory education, and the virtue of moderation, respectively.

I think political liberals are more likely to append that. Political conservatives advocate drug enforcement laws and mandatory education because they believe drug abuse and lack of education results in a weakened society for everybody. Many great civilizations of the past succumbed when drug abuse started proliferating, and the effects of education level on a society should be obvious. "The virtue of moderation" is a common sense issue that I don't see being specifically tied to conservatives.

Religious conservatives do append the "one's own" clause but, unless they're political liberals, see it as a moral issue that should not become a legal issue.