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Show Page 2 The UTAH INDEPENDENT Tho mm June 11, 1971 1 How Will We Deal With Him Then? Or He With Us? r m Independent Dedicated To S The Constitution, Liberty, Morality, and Truth m Editor's Outlook SUPREME COURT DECISION HELMETS MOTORCYCLE The recent motorcycle helmet law decision of the Utah State Supreme Court is meaty with philosophical principles regarding freedom and slavery. The law has a history in this state dating back to 1967 when it was first introduced in the State Legislature. In that year, the bill requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets was introduced in the senate by Senator Warren Pugh (a liberal Republican who consistently votes for higher taxes and bigger government). The bill passed in the Senate but was killed in the House. In 1969 the Legislature passed the bill with an amend- Dear Editor: ment that required helmet wearing on highways posted for Were you aware that in Utah speeds above 35 miles per hour. since 1960: It wras subsequently revealed that the main reason for The number of court refersaddling Utah residents with this law was that it was a indicator federal directive incorporated into the Highway Safety Act rals for delinquency (an homes and of 1965. Ten per cent of Utahs federal aid to highways of poor increased community from 7,756 funds stood in jeopardy. Highway Commissioner Raymond conditions)or to 13,911 79; Jackson revealed this as he expressed his fears that Utah would lose $7.5 million if the law was not brought into Illegitimate births increased 127 complete agreement with the federal law. So the Utah Legislature, giving in to blackmail by the The divorce rate per thouFederal Government, meekly surrendered the rights of its increased in citizens in order to receive back to the state some of the sand population Utah from 2.4 to 3.4 or 38 (purfirst in the Government the Federal taken place. by money ported to be the highest in the In is the with the name of own our game. Bribery money nation); back we lose exchange for getting some of our money The average yearly more of our rights. An intrepid citizen by the name of Gary D. Acker days lost due to labor disputes increased 147; decided to test this law all the wav to thehighest court in Alcoholism and drug abuse, the State. He correctly charged that the law is an in particular, increased at an unreasonable infringement of his personal liberty and of alarming rate; his right to use his property as he sees fit. Undoubtedly, State hospital admissions Mr. Acker thought the law would be interpreted with the increased from 600 to 1300 or view of protecting his constitutional rights. He could not 117 while the state population have known beforehand of the astounding philosophy of increased only 15; the majority of the Supreme Court that would be revealed Due to these and other peras this decision was explained. Justice A. Jl. Fillet t wrote the prevailing opinion con- sonal or community problems, curred in by Justice R. L. Tucket with Justice F. Henri Utah' s welfare load has increased to over 53,000 recipients, with Iienroid writing a brief concurring opinion. state and federal public In a 3 to 2 decision Justice Ellett held that whenever a yearly assistance expenditures over citizen becomes maimed or is killed the entire public is S44,000,000 and medical costs affected. Said Ellett, Roth hospitals and relief rolls are over $20 ,000 ,000; crowded, and it is a proper exercise of police power for the Legislature to enact statutes which would lend to keep The taxpayers of Utah precitizens out of the. one and off of the other . (Italics added sently pay nearly 40 of their is it because difficult to believe). for emphasis total income for state and federal With that underlying piece of socialist philosophy taxes. used as undergirding, any and every cradle to the grave of every hue is given Change comes only by demand. program proposed by legal support. Having once accepted the false? premise that We have the resource and ability the health and economic life of every single individual is a to demand a change for improvement. We only lack the deterpersonal concern of tin; government, the pitfalls into which we can fall are legion. The collectivist theory that mination. each individuals acts affect us all and we are all responRespectfully submitted, sible for him leads to the equally fallacious conclusion John E. Smith that, therefore, anything a citizen does should be conState Representative trolled by the government lest he affect or hurl all of us. Readers Outlook . w left-winge- Editor's Outlook that is dictatorial in nature. It is not a power that has been freely relinquished by the people but has been illegally seized. It is our opinion that the Supreme Court Justices should base their decisions on Constitutional law' wherein an individual is left to do as he pleases so long as he does not trespass on the rights or property of another. A motorcycle driver who does not wear a helmet is trespassing on the individual rights of no one. In this opinion we agree with the far wiser and more constitutional statement of Justice J. Allen Crockett as he dissented from the majority opinion: is well to reflect that history from ancient to modern times is dotted with examples of governments which have extended their controls until they have 'controlled' themselves into decay and out of existence. . . I have interposed this dissent as an objection to what appears to be a limitless process of spreading tentacles of control into what ought to be. matters of personal and private conduct. There ought to be a halt somewhere , and in my judgment this law reaches that point . f . And to that wo sav, 0 The Utah Independent congratulates the Utah Congress of Parents and Teachers for its recent stand opposing the National PTAs policy concerning planned parenthood and population control. Especially do we commend those stalwart members of the PTA of West Lake Junior High who originally brought this question to the fore and took the leadership in getting the State PTA to take this sensible stand. The Independent OtdwHud To The ComUuioi liberty Moral, and Truth The Utah Independent is published by the Utah Independent Corp. Twice Monthly at 1399 South 7th East, Suite 10, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. Yearly subscription rate at $8.00 per year by surface mail in the United States. i SENJ ChANGE P No(hing doth more hurt in a state, than that cunning men .'pass for wise, Francis Bacon Amen. P.T.A. Takes Proper Stand On Planned Parenthood rs People existed before governments and the individuals :oull only rightfully delegate the powers to government vhich they themselves exercised as individuals. Any power which a governmenl holds that was not leld bv the people as individuals is a usurpation of power C ontinued Above (Continued) . OF ADDRESS FORMS AND CORRESPONDENCE Box 6274 Salt Lake City. Utah 84106 TELEPHONE 484-43- 39 The Conservative Marketplace of Utah TO |