[Anyone] Banning Stupidity

[JMaC]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thos Myers" <totem at laplaza.org>

> Just think of all the politicians we could lose if they consumed enough
> aspartame, which leaves a very nasty residual metallic aftertaste.

I've read somewhere that Geo. W. Bush is very fond of
diet soft drinks containing aspartame.  I don't know whether
this is true, but if so, could aspartame cause an uncontrollable urge
to attack nasty little countries and tear up their toys?
Maybe I need some aspartame to spice up my life.
Maybe not.

> We here in New Mexico are
> slowly catching up to civilized society.

Check out the manner in which Taos selected its current chief of police,
and the behavior of same.  I think you're wrong about this
"catching up to civilized society" nonsense.

> EXCEPT, that we all pay for the consequences, not just the users.  One of
> the causes for high medical care is tobacco induced cancers.

So Tom, are you advocating a prohibition of tobacco, similar to that
of alcohol during the infamous Prohibition era?  Can you imagine the
new mafias that would spring up to cater to the addiction?

> And where some teens hang together you just might also find alcohol and 
> pot and cocaine
> and ...dare I say...sexual activity!

O Horroars!  Think we ought to ban teens hanging around together too?
I don't know.  I've never thought banning things is a responsible response.
One cannot really legislate human stupidity, as the "War on Drugs"
abundantly illustrates.  At best, such bans generally seem to make
chopped liver of the Constitution.

> The tobacco companies are drug dealers and up the amount of nicotine, the
> really addictive substance, as much as they can with no interference from
> any government.  And the manufacturers of aspartame have people fearful of
> that white crystal - sugar.  I LIKE putting real sugar on my Sugar Frosted
> Flakes, dammit.

Aye, and what would happen if the health nuts purchased Congressmen
who would ban the evil sucrose?  After all, it's said by some to cause
ill-behaved children, dental decay and whiny left-wing political newspapers.
It also kills rats, if dropped upon them from a sufficient height.

I say ban banning, and let the debbil take the hindmost!

Cheers,

John McL.
Taos