Air Bags

Re “Man Sentenced for Failing to Shut Off Fatal Air Bag,” Dec. 15:

The judge who charged a father with a crime for neglecting to switch off the air bag and prevent its killing his infant son is the type of person who’d put a tack on an electric chair. This mindless misuse of judicial authority is one reason people are becoming libertarians.

The nanny state first judges us too stupid to look out for our own safety, by forcing us to buy air bags whether we want them or not. But if we fail to correctly anticipate the future and neglect to protect ourselves from the unintended consequences of air bags, we get charged with a crime. This is Catch-22 squared. What about those of us who are smart enough not to want air bags in the first place? How do we get heard?

DON HULL

Costa Mesa