By Phil Giraldi
The People’s Republic of Maryland is considering legislation that would install a device in the automobiles of drivers who have been convicted once of “driving under the influence.” The device would sense alcohol on the breath of the driver using something similar to a breathalizer device and would disable the car ignition. I know that many will consider the measure to be appropriate as drunken drivers kill a lot of people, but I have to wonder where it will all end up. One could plausibly argue using the same logic that someone who has had a drink and who has not been convicted of DUI could equally get into an accident and kill someone, so having a drink and getting into a car must be prevented. So the next generation of this law will be to install the device in ALL vehicles and anyone who goes out and has two glasses of wine with dinner will return to his vehicle only to discover that it will not start.
We can then install devices in people’s houses that will result in an automatic fine if you smoke a cigar in your house because it is bad for the health, like the truck driver in Canada who was fined because he was smoking in the cab of his own truck. And then we can legislate all other behavior. What bothers me is that there is a definite movement in the direction of controlling the lives of citizens to a point where the only thing safe to do will be to sit at home staring into space.