Moral responsibility

To the Editor:

I’m sorry if I have convinced Vic Moss that I don’t believe members of a society have any responsibility to one another.

I agree that such a moral responsibility exists (and Moss, who cites the New Testament in his support, would agree that it is a matter of morality).

However, especially in a secular society, not every moral duty should be a legal requirement; and not every moral wrong should be a criminal offense.

It’s easier to persuade people of the value of laissez-faire when it involves the right of a charity to operate unburdened by regulations, or even of a corporation to produce new drugs.

Helping people is moral; saving lives is moral. But what about the fellow who, making a million dollars, demands the right to not give a dime to charity? The Libertarian is left arguing every man’s right to be an immoral jerk. This is a much harder sell.

Typically, the argument is made for two reasons. The first is the fear that, once we have expanded the State’s power to invade this lout’s privacy and exact contributions from him, that power will be turned haphazardly against plenty of people who are both poorer and more moral to begin with. History shows this to be a reasonable fear.

Secondly, we would like to be sure that we are doing more good than harm. Decent people, who are appalled that anyone in America might go hungry, may honestly disagree about whether, for example, raising the minimum wage or increasing child-bearing subsidies is really the best way to reduce hunger. It hardly seems fair to compel people to support programs which they honestly believe could make matters worse.

In the same vein, I can feel that Bill Gates is repulsively wealthy, yet insist that he should be allowed his profits – not because I admire his priorities, but on the practical grounds that confiscating his property would harm the economy on which we all depend.

That, to me, is a more critical consideration than making sure every single American lives up to his social responsibilities.

Wendy Applequist

Graduate student

Botany