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             My liberal approach to controversial issues is to recognize that there are usually conflicting ideals involved, neither of which always dominates. It is necessary to discover the conflict, and then to find the best tradeoff in any given situation. For example, I am in favor of abortion rights. Although a fetus is a pre-human, and should be given as many rights as possible, the quality of life of existing human beings can outweigh the potential life of the baby. It is, however, a difficult question that involves tradeoffs among very important conflicting goals, and it depends on circumstances, as each situation is individually different from the next.

             As far as minority, gay, and women"s rights, I believe that every human being is entitled both to equality before the law and equal opportunity in society. Discrimination causes unequal opportunity by removing choice. It is true that legislating beliefs cannot work; but legislating that actions cannot discriminate unfairly treats the symptom while a cure is sought. The danger is that the underlying problem is then ignored; this is why education plays such a vital role in my mind. .

             Another important issue, the conflict of gun control, in my view, involves distrust of government, individual responsibility, and attitudes towards violence within society. I believe that giving everyone a mechanism to hurt other people quickly, easily, and at a distance is dangerous; people are more likely to do it. On the other hand, I believe that people should be trusted, and that large organizations should not. One approach to resolving this conflict, from what I have read, is the Swiss system, in which large numbers of people own guns, but they are registered such that usage can be easily traced; these weapons are kept in a manner that reduces the possibility of irrational use. Many liberals prefer the outright banning of guns intended only to kill people, on the grounds that such weapons are by now ineffective in dealing with abuse of power by government, but the Swiss system, as so much of what I have read, is the best way that government could go about resolving this ongoing conflict between liberals and conservatives.