Matthew Dec's letter to the editor regarding the decriminalization of drugs questions whether this action would decrease the crime rate. As support for this fact, I would point to European countries were decriminalization has taken place where violent crime rates are lower than in the US. Moreover, the fact that organized criminals would not be shooting at law enforcement officials would also substantially decrease the potentiality for violence. But what is lost on Mr. Dec is that a person has an unfettered right to do to their body what they wish, even if it is harmful. Governments are not instituted to save people from their own bad decisions whether it be in the form of welfare or prohibition of illicit substances, as alluded to in Edward Natili's post.

I fear that President-elect Obama, whom I did not vote for, does not hold this same principle.

Also, to clarify my position on gun control for Mr. Natili, I have never advocated restrictions on the the right to bear arms and believe that the 2nd Amendment is sacrosanct.