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Not really.

It is NOT the government's place to force a citizen to do ANYTHING that is in their own best interest. The Constitution does not give the government the power to be our nanny.

Freedom means you are free to do stupid things to yourself.

I ride. Anybody that rides without a complete set of protective gear (not just a full face helmet) is a total idiot, IMHO.

53 posted on 02/04/2005 9:59:52 PM PST by clee1 (Islam is a deadly plague; liberalism is the AIDS virus that prevents us from defending ourselves.)

It is NOT the government's place to force a citizen to do ANYTHING that is in their own best interest. The Constitution does not give the government the power to be our nanny.
It's true that the government cannot force anybody to do anything, but it can penalize someone for not following the reule of law.
The 10th Amendment to the Constitution gives to the states all powers not expressly given to Congress. It gives states the right to enact laws governing public health, safety and welfare. The courts have ruled that public safety is a compelling state interest that trumps individual liberty.
In other words, the state's need to protect public safety is more important than a motorcyclist's freedom to choose not to wear a helmet.