Let’s empower, not control our citizens

Thanks for sharing the informational and important article, titled “Child labor rule change would affect Iowa farms,” on Sept. 12. It was a well-rounded piece, and it certainly made me stop and think about the relationship between government and citizens.

I feel it is an absolute disaster for the Labor Department to impose these regulations. To me, and likely to a lot of other folks, it is just one more example of a current government that is taking instead of teaching, hurting instead of healing, and failing instead of freeing.

As Professor Peter Orazem at Iowa State University so eloquently and truthfully (also a little humorously) put it: “Growing up around dangers is part of growing up on a farm.” I believe in empowering children; affording them responsibilities and teaching them how to manage and succeed at said duties. If we want a country where the economy flourishes, the children are healthy and the citizens are respected around the globe, we'll need to start empowering people as opposed to cowardly attempting to control their every move.

Bobby Peace

Iowa City