Should individual liberties be limited

Answer 1

No.

Answer 2

One AnswerAbsolutely not! The question itself is abhorrent to freedom and natural rights. Who would do the limiting? All governments exist because the people allow them to exist. When the people allowed kings and queens, dictators and tyrants the individuals liberties were greatly limited. History shows us the problem with selecting a leader who will limit freedom. Every one of us possess natural rights that can not be limited without our approval. A Different PerspectiveAlmost all individual liberties must be limited to some degree if exercising those liberties affects others. A strong belief in individual rights can result in some individuals believing their rights trump the rights of others. Not everyone is fair minded. Therefore, most people favor the protection provided by a framework of laws and long ago formed a social contracts ceding their natural rights to an authority (government) to protect them from abuse by the stronger individuals.

By definition, law is a collection of rules that are imposed by the government on all its citizens. Federal, state and local laws and ordinances both give rights and take rights away. A community depends on a framework of laws to maintain order and settle disputes among individuals who may have opposing views as to what their own individual rights may be. One school of thought holds that in the natural state only the strongest can benefit from their natural rights so people form a social contract ceding their natural rights to an authority (government) to protect them from abuse by the stronger individuals.

A barking dog ordinance gives a neighbor the right to peaceful enjoyment of their property. It curtails a dog owner's right to leave a barking dog out all night to protect his property. A smoke ban provides non-smokers with the right to enjoy public spaces free of tobacco smoke. It impedes the right of the smoker to engage in an otherwise legal activity when it has a negative impact on others and the right of a business owner to allow patrons to smoke. Laws prohibit your neighbor from storing toxic or dangerous materials on the other side of the fence, on his own private property.