BrianGarst.com

Nanny-stater and State Sen. Carl Kruger says there’s a “nationwide problem” of music listening morons strolling into the streets and getting hit by cars. In New York, at least, he thinks he can do something about this “epidemic”.

New Yorkers who blithely cross the street listening to an iPod or talking on a cell phone could soon face a $100 fine.

New York State Sen. Carl Kruger says three pedestrians in his Brooklyn district have been killed since September upon stepping into traffic while distracted by an electronic device. In one case bystanders screamed “watch out” to no avail.

Kruger says he will introduce legislation on Wednesday to ban the use of gadgets such as Blackberry devices and video games while crossing the street.

“Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry,” Kruger said. . .

Government exists to protect its citizenry only from that which they are otherwise incapable of protecting themselves from. An individual cannot, for instance, be expected to protect himself from an invading army, thus some degree of collective action becomes necessary. When you go down the road of protecting people from themselves, however, you are allowing the government to insert its judgement in place of the individuals. Quite simply, this is a prescription for tyranny.

The correct solution to this “problem” is for individuals to pay attention to what they are doing. Much to the chagrin of the Carl Krugers of the world, this simply cannot be enforced. Horrible as it may sound to his bleeding heart, individuals are simply going to have to live with the consequences, or die as a result (whichever the case may be), of their choices.