Will it Ever Stop?

It's no secret that The State's editorial page is the weakest part of America's Worst Newspaper. But some days are worse than others. Sunday was so dark that you wondered if the sun would ever shine again.

Here's the latest anonymously published, Brad Warthen-authored atrocity against reason, evidence, decency, liberty and the English language.

In this article, Brad Warthen purports to explain why the recent passage of the primary enforcement, $25 fine for not wearing your seatbelt is a victory for South Carolina roads and its "political culture."

Unfortunately, Warthen gets it precisely wrong.

First, of all, Warthen cites studies that mandatory safety belt law might save 50 to 80 lives a year, thus making our highways safer. But that's not true. Warthen equates less highway deaths to safer highways. What he doesn't realize is that people who don't wear seatbelts only endanger themselves. (Although, in rare cases—such as being trapped in a flipped vehicle—not wearing a seatbelt can save your life.) So it really isn't making the highway any safer for the population at large; it's just taking a free choice away from an adult. This keeps with Warthen's pattern of favoring less choices for citizens, more power for the state. Believing he knows what's best for me, Brad Warthen wants to be my mom. (Shudder.)

This brings us to the second point. Warthen sees this as a distinct victory for some sort of new political culture that's not "dragged around by the nose by...the political fringes." Not to put too fine a point on it, but Warthen's a condescending drip! Everyone who agrees with Brad Warthen is in "the sensible center." Everyone who dissents is an extremist who should hush up. Warthen has no concept of debate in a free society. He thinks that getting to his conclusion should be the goal of the legislature and that this "moves our state forward." Note to Brad: deciding which way is "forward" is not up to you.

There's so much more that's wrong with this editorial. For instance, the claim that this will make the highways safer neglects the fact that highway troopers who would have been catching reckless drivers might now be diverted by catching those who are merely unbuckled. And then there's Warthen's insatiable appetite for additional restrictions, including mandatory motor cycle helmet laws and tighter DUI laws. Brad Warthen will not rest until citizens don't have a single choice left more consequential than how to tie their shoes.

After all, it's Warthen's world, we just live in it.

Jerk

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