Call it the helmet-law principle. It’s explained by Jeff Hennie, vice president for government relations for the Motorcycle Riders Association. “We are 100 percent anti-helmet laws, but we are 100 percent pro-helmet,” says Hennie. “We believe that the government should not tell you to wear a helmet.”
As we know, fatalities among motorcyclists have been climbing since states, such as Florida, relaxed or repealed their mandatory helmet laws. It inevitably comes with the territory.
But the MRA has stood its ground. Government, keep out of our business. Principle upheld, although more people will continue to die.
But such principle creep is hardly confined to the Harley crowd.
We all venerate freedom of speech. But is money–sans limits–also a form of First Amendment free speech? The 5-4 Roberts Court says it is. Principle upheld, although more elections will be vulnerable to being bought.
We all value the right to bear arms. But should assault weapons and high-capacity magazines be banned from purchase by those not on, say, SWAT teams? The politically-leveraged NRA would say no because, well, where would it all end? Likely in gun confiscation. Principle upheld, although more effective mass killings have just been accommodated.