SELF-REGULATION

RAMPANT REGULATION IMPLIES AN ABSENCE OF SELF-REGULATION. DUH!

ONE MUST SHOW AN I.D. TO BUY THE COLD REMEDY SUDAFED. IN MANY COMMUNITIES NO 'FOR SALE' SIGNS ARE ALLOWED ON PARKED CARS. A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR WEAPONS IN SCHOOLS RESULTS IN STUDENT ARRESTS FOR FINGERNAIL CLIPPERS. SMOKING IS BANNED IN PUBLIC SPACES, SOMETIMES EVEN OUTSIDE. CHILD CAR SEATS MUST FACE BACKWARDS. DRIVERS TALKING ON CELL PHONES SOMETIMES FACE CHARGES. UNHEALTHY SODA AND SOFT DRINKS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM SCHOOLS. FOOD ITEMS ARE SAFETY SEALED. FOOD LABELS MUST DISPLAY NUTRITIONAL DATA. WARNINGS MUST BE PROMINENT ON DRUGS. SAFETY HELMETS, EVEN FOR CYCLISTS ARE REQUIRED. A FEDERAL DOCUMENT DEFINING (REGULATING) THE WORD 'ORGANIC' RUNS 532 PAGES! A PROPOSAL EXISTS TO DICTATE RESTAURANT MENUS. A PROPOSAL EXISTS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF GALLONS OF GASOLINE CONSUMED PER PERSON. A PROPOSAL EXISTS TO LIMIT URBAN SPRAWL. A PROPOSAL EXISTS TO ... REGULATE THOUGHT, PRAYER? PERHAPS.

DO REGULATIONS RUN AMOK REGULATE FREE WILL OUT OF EXISTENCE? CAN'T THE DO-GOODERS WHO PUSH SUCH SUPPRESSION SELF-REGULATE THEMSELVES OR DO THEY SIMPLY WISH TO REGULATE THEIR LESSERS?