By Darren Weeks
Here is something that really irritates me...
Here in Michigan, we were promised that the seatbelt law would never become a primary offense. They used that promise to lure the masses into accepting the secondary-offense seatbelt law.
And so it was that police supposedly had to stop you for some other offense first, in order to write you a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt. I say "supposedly," because if a cop really wants to stop you for something, they'll find a reason — even if it means pulling one out of their posterior. Which, by the way, they do.
After getting everyone accustomed to the nanny-ism of the secondary-offense law, the insurance companies and the law-enforcement agencies managed to successfully push through the legislature, the primary-offense law. No longer did the police have to pretend to pull you over for anything other than seatbelts.
Now that they have passed this law, removing our freedom to choose whether or not to use restraint during travel, they are shoving it down our throats at every turn.
The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning is using our hard-earned tax dollars in a massive media campaign aimed at threatening Michiganders with hefty fines of up to $100, if they don't knuckle under and buckle up.
It's interesting to note that the fines didn't start out that high, either. The maximum fine under the initial legislation was $25. So, even if you disliked the law, it was mainly an annoyance if you were cited for a lack of seatbelt use.
My point is that whenever the government wants to separate you from your cash, and your freedom, they'll nearly always do it in small, baby steps. And they'll tell you that it's for your own good.
Just like the federal "Homeland Security" frenzy that is being thrust upon us, the seatbelt laws across the country are being peddled as a benefit to you, because government cares about you. "It's for your own good," they'll tell you.
Well, nothing could be further from the truth.
Before I continue, let me say that I'm not going to argue that it is probably a good idea to wear your seatbelts. I believe that seatbelts probably do save quite a few lives, when used properly.
However, my quarrel is with being told that I have to wear my seatbelt or otherwise my public servants are going to pull me over and steal more of my hard-earned cash. I have a real problem with public officials who say that they have an eye on my safety, when in reality, they are only eyeing my wallet.
We ran a story on the news tonight which featured a state cop saying, "We will not tolerate people not wearing their seatbelts." Does that not sound like the most hideous demonstration of government arrogance?
What's worse is when people sigh and say, "Well, I guess it's for our own good, anyway." Or, "We should be using our seatbelts, anyhow." THAT'S NOT THE POINT!
When you allow your government to play the part of nanny, you surrender personal liberty — and an awful lot of cash along with it. Once surrendered, history tells us that it is very difficult to get liberty back. It isn't impossible, but very difficult — especially, given the mindset of the average Jerry Springer watcher.
As if we don't pay enough money in the form of taxes, the bureaucrats, along with their partners in the state legislature and the Governor, are always attempting to find new ways of taking more.
In this case, it's "highway robbery."
