Everything is bigger in Texas. Including government.

With the Times’ blessing, Governor Rick Perry violated the rights of every parent in the Lone Star State with his monocratic decree on HPV vaccinations. Given the Times’ frequently harsh criticism of another Texas governor’s penchant for unilateral decisions, your support is hypocritical.

The benefits of the vaccine are irrelevant. Even with an opt-out approach, Gov. Perry’s order infringes on a parent’s right to decide what is best for his child. Government exists to protect our rights and we do not need to seek permission to exercise them. If the governor understood his proper role, he would leave parents alone to opt-in.

[Letter to the Editor - The New York Times. Submitted 02/06/2007.]