The point of the opening post was that laws should be restricted to those which control behaviour which is dangerous to the general population. And that general concensus takes care of an informal taboo on behaviour which may or may not need formal legislation. Like skirt length , smoking in public places , to which I could add loud motorbikes in residential areas, and swearing at others in public. Just personal decency prevents this low level but disruptive behaviour. Of course if it becomes hurtful, there should be recriminations, like a quiet word from the police or a town meeting ans a note through the door. But adults in a community should be mature enough to shape their own comminities without draconian laws forcing compliance. It actually happens...the law says released sex offenders can live in a community but the residents find ways to force him out. I think this is called People Power and should be respected without having to pass endless laws. Now frankly I have no idea what you have been talking about.
Please dont create silly scenarios and turn the discussion into a fairytale. What is wrong with wanting to have a good time? Is your conservatism all about stamping down on personal liberties and micromanaging people's lives? And then you tell me conservatism is about decentralised government!! My government would legislate for the things that harm others and let the community decide about the things that don't harm but may inconvenience others. IOW a very decentralised government. I would have thought you would love that, being a supporter of decentralised government, a true Republican mantra.
You realize that can be a very slippery slope, don't you? I think there are all sorts of freedoms you value that some could argue is "dangerous" or detrimental to the population. I would hope you would hold to the Libertarian position, that rights should not be restricted unless they infringe on another person's rights, but somehow I very much doubt that is what your position is. There is a problem when that is all or mostly what you think freedom is about.
"I would hope that you would hold to the Libertarian position, that rights should not be restricted unless they infringe on another person's rights, but somehow I very much doubt that is what your position is." THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT I SAID.