Over-criminalization - Essay Example

Why is this happening more and more these days? The answer to this question is not easy to uncover. But many experts believe that in an increasingly complex world people are more willing to turn over power to the government in order to make their own lives easier. There is a sense the world can be and should be completely ordered and that government is the right body to do this. This is an unfortunate state of affairs as it tips the important balance between liberty and order far to the side of order.

There are so many examples of this way of thinking that it is hard to know where to begin. One of the most shocking examples from recent years is the following headline: “Chicago Prohibits Foie Gras.” In 2006, Chicago city council voted to ban the delicious appetizer foie gras from the city’s restaurants. Proponents of the ban said the production of foie gras was inhumane. Opponents had a different view. "Government shouldnt be dictating what we eat," said the chef at one French restaurant.

The Mayor too was unhappy. "We have children getting killed by gang leaders and dope dealers," he said. "We have real issues here in this city. And were dealing with foie gras? Lets get some priorities."1 These opponents are right. In an era where people expect to be coddled and protected from everything that could possibly harm, they are allowing things as personal as menu choice to be dictated by the government. If an individual does not like to eat foie gras no one will force them to eat it; but the Chicago city council went a step further by eliminating this choice completely and limiting the rights of those who do like foie gras.

These dietary restrictions have become more and more common recently. In New York also in 2006, the city’s board of health voted to reduce and ban trans-fats from the city’s restaurant.2 This entire trend is part of a political movement away from individual responsibility and instead towards communal