It started with a question from my son: “What do you think about book bans?” The answer isn't really about books. It's about liberty. If we genuinely believe in self-determination, we have to accept that other people may read things we despise, hear arguments we believe are wrong, and even reach conclusions we wish they wouldn't. The answer to bad speech is better speech. The answer to bad ideas is better ideas. And when government makes an idea forbidden, it may accomplish the exact opposite of what it intended: turning bad ideas into forbidden knowledge and fools into martyrs. Plus, what happens when 23 people can bring much of an essential transportation system to its knees? Washington State Ferries provides a rather expensive lesson in what happens when efficiency replaces redundancy and planning. It's a conversation about liberty, responsibility, government, and why learning to think may matter more than being told what to think.
