Virginia?s secretary of transportation sent out a letter announcing the state?s annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign May 22 through June 4. I responded to the secretary of transportation with my own letter that in part reads:

“Mr. Secretary: This is an example of the disgusting abuse of state power. Each of us owns himself, and it follows that we should have the liberty to take risks with our own lives but not that of others. That means it?s a legitimate use of state power to mandate that cars have working brakes, because if my car has poorly functioning brakes, I risk the lives of others and I have no right to do so. If I don?t wear a seatbelt I risk my own life, which is well within my rights. As to your statement ?Lack of safety belt use is a growing public health issue that . . . also costs us all billions of dollars every year,? that?s not a problem of liberty. It?s a problem of socialism. No human should be coerced by the state to bear the medical expense, or any other expense, for his fellow man. In other words, the forcible use of one person to serve the purposes of another is morally offensive.”