Controversial views

[Jenny A]

What's controversial depends on where you are. On this international and generally liberal by U. S. standards forum I have a bunch of controversial views:

1. Healthcare, food, and shelter are not rights. The government may decide to provide those things but it is not obligated to. The government should not provide any of those things to persons unwilling to work. Unwilling and unable are different.

2. Generally, capitalism provides better results for more people than socialism. Most restrictions on free trade have toxic unintended consequences.

3. Politicians' religious and philosophic views do and should inform their decisions. Secular laws are the only brake on this.

Outside this forum, atheism itself is the most controversial opinion I hold.

But the following are not well received in the mid-Willamette valley:

1. All drugs should be legal for anyone over 21.

2. Rent control is a bad idea.

3. Students in schools and universities should be allowed to express non PC opinions vocally and in print. Ugly views are not hate crimes. They should be discussed, not censored.

4. Irradiated food is not poisonous.

5. Coach led prayer violates the First Amendment.

If I lived in the Bible Belt, the list would be longer, much, much, longer. If I lived in Europe, it would be longer, but with little overlap to the Bible Belt list.