General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Destroying the Right to Be Left Alone [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)The act of texting behind the wheel is a public safety issue.
Having an abortion carries the same risk as a tooth extraction, and is a personal and private medical decision made by a woman and her doctor--no one else. Texting and driving (drunk or sober) isn't a "medical decision" that a driver makes with their doctor. It's not personal. It's not private. It's a dumbass thing to do that can destroy families.
It's like comparing apples and...footprints.
As for cancer, that's a disease, last time I checked.
If a person rolled in radioactive sludge, like in a Family Guy episode, hoping to get super powers, and instead got cancer, they'd have some responsibility for their condition. However, most people get cancer because of unknowing exposure to a carcinogen or family history/genetic predisposition. Some people get cancer from smoking, but not as many as one would think (the human body is resilient) and the tobacco companies share the blame in addicting people to their product. A smart person would try to quit or switch to a safer form of nicotine delivery.
The issue of "cost" isn't just about money--though that can become a factor when a wage earner dies. There is an emotional cost when someone is killed on the road by a drunk/texter. Families left behind have to pick up the pieces.
When people act in ways that impact more than just themselves, consequences accrue.