Equality More Than a Benefit

To The Editor:
Simple laws applied equally to all is a central aim of the Liberty and Prosperity movement. This objective, though democratic and possessing what may be called “surface appeal” is nevertheless certain to fail. Aligned but not allied against it are powerful opponents, one being the American Bar Association representing lawyers. It is ready to spend millions of dollars if needed, to defeat any proposed legislation that would remove from laws the complexity its members have worked decades to create.
Through clever advertisements of its design, attorneys would be portrayed in some variation of “goody two shoes” protecting the little guy while casting the reformer of laws as a cold-hearted, rights-stealing scoundrel. Additionally, lobbyists would be enlisted to provide voting guidance to deemed needy legislators; those not current or former beneficiaries of the present legal system.
A second mighty opponent to law revision is ourselves. We support concepts such as equality before the law, equality of education and opportunity yet we resist supporting equality of responsibility. Our literature and conversation abound with tales of lives being manipulated by events, circumstances and other persons to such an extent that the affected is rendered incapable of being self-regulating.
In the society sought by Liberty and Prosperity, exceptions to accountability would be disallowed. All sane persons above a certain age would be held to an equality; the drunk, the sober, the abuser, the respecter, the honest, the thief. Sadly, many of us live not realizing equality is more than a benefit of democracy; it is also a requirement.
RAY LEWIS
Corbin City