LOWER INSTINCTS

B. HALLIGAN (Letters, 23/5) has hit the nail on the head. Bleeding-heart,
do-gooder libertarians are contributing to the decline of our society.
Their humanistic philosophy, with its maxim "if it feels good it must be
right", is undermining not only the moral fibre of our young people but the
common sense and decency of society and exerting a strong influence on our
State Government.

No doubt this misguided philosophy is behind the Government's ridiculous
approach to prostitution, decriminalising cannabis, acquiescing to
bully-boy building unions and pandering to those pursuing deviant lifestyles.

Instead of upholding such values as self-control, virtue, integrity,
decency and fidelity, our political masters are hell-bent on catering for
the lower instincts. To them it obviously isn't a matter of moral principle
but political expediency that drives their legislative program.

They should heed the words John Steinbeck wrote in a letter to Adlai
Stevenson some years ago: "There is a creeping, all-pervading gas of
immorality which starts in the nursery and does not stop until it reaches
the highest offices both corporate and governmental." He spoke of America,
of course. But the same is true here. And it shouldn't be.

Surely governments should be on the side of moral uprightness? It certainly
takes courage to stand against the pressures that come from the powerful
phalanx of do-gooders in positions of influence. But most of all it takes
an understanding of what is right and the will to do it. Unfortunately,
however, it seems that the Government on the hill lacks all three.

DON JACKSON, Ballajura.