NOT ALONE

In his letter ("Ineffectual law") on Jan. 21, Zac Arnold states, "If I
choose to do anything, malevolent or benign, I must accept the
consequences of those actions." I wonder if he has fully considered
everything implied in this argument.

If he injures someone else while in a drug-induced fog can he pay all
their medical expenses, lost wages, etc., from his own funds, not from
insurance because that passes some of the responsibility on to others?
If he damages another person's property can he pay, once again from
his own funds, to repair their property? Not likely. If his actions
result in another person's death, can he restore their life and
health? Of course not.

Even when his actions directly affect him, through illness, injury or
laziness, they also affect others. If he chooses not to go to work
that places extra work on his (former) co-workers and his (ex)
employer. This may either cause an increase in the cost of production,
delay in delivery to a customer or other type of damages. Once again,
could Arnold pay, from his own funds, the total cost of such damage?

While we must all accept responsibility for our own actions, we must
also recognize that our actions affect others. This is the foundation
of society and the basis for most laws. Remember "no man is an island."

Gordon Lunsford

Lillian, Ala.