This is the fifth entry in a series, where we publish personal stories from people our writers have reached out to in person (having obtained their consent beforehand, and preserving their privacy). We have renamed the man Andy. We have also transcribed a recorded conversation between one of our writers and Andy (having deleted the recording afterwards, as he demanded).
Notes:We have edited out coughing, our questions and irrelevant dialogue
Andy:
I didn't vote for these politicians, yet they control every aspect of my life.
They decide what I can eat. They decide what I can drink. They decide what I can smoke.
At one point, they decided who I could love.
They decide how I should raise my child. And threaten me with prison if I disobey them.
They decide how I can earn money.
They decide how much of that money I get to keep.
So I guess they also decide how to spend my money.
They decide what is right. They decide what is wrong.
They decide who is allowed to be free, and who isn't.
They create rules which they decide not to follow.
I'm tired of this. I'm tired of someone making decisions for me. I just want to live life on my own terms.