Laws have taken rights away from the public

I think everyone is missing the point. It isn't about the red light cameras, the smoking laws, the seat belt laws - all the laws we have now that cost money if we disobey them. It is the rights they have taken from us.

They took the responsibilities away from the people. What happened to taking responsibility for yourself? If you spill something on yourself, why is it someone else's fault? If the people want to smoke, why can't they smoke in a bar? If the people who don't smoke don't like it, have them go somewhere else. Why can't it be up to the bar owners to determine whether they want a smoking or a non-smoking bar?

To this day, I still resent wearing a seat belt, but I don't want to pay a ticket. If a parent doesn't care if their kids don't wear a seat belt, don't take the rights of a parent from them. The sad thing is, kids nowadays are going to grow up not knowing the days when we didn't have all the government-issued laws, or maybe it is a good thing they don't know.

It is too bad the only way they can find to make money is by law-abiding citizens disobeying stupid laws they made instead of going after the criminals we now have in Cedar Rapids.

Trudie Davis

Cedar Rapids