Not to be a Richard, but I've heard that argument before and the most common response to that (I've never used it, but I see the 'logic' behind it) is that "there aren't hundreds of thousands of kids boxing every night for 15 weeks a year" (practice and games) or something similar to that.
I think this debate is about values.
TRUE Freedom is about more risk. The freedom to play a risky sport. The freedom to smoke a cigarette knowing the consequences. More people smoke than play football. The freedom to have sex with strangers, knowing diseases are part of the risk.
People will tell you, "I'm a better person than you because I care about your safety. All I ask of you is that you voluntarily hand over your freedom so I can make you safer."
It's a question of what individuals prioritize. The founders could've said, "Ben, George, John, Thomas, we'd be safer if we didn't pick a fight with the number one superpower on earth." They chose the ultimate risk in the name of more personal choice and freedom. Too many people resent freedom of choice because they equate it with needless suffering. Tell that to the people in North Korea.
If football disappears because people CHOOSE not to play. Fine. But to have it imposed externally is a hateful notion. As far as I'm concerned, men who played football in the 20s,30s,40s,50s,60s,70s,80s,90s, etc. understood there was risk involved. They weighed the risks and made their choice. As long as they are not imposing themselves on me, it's not for me to tell others what choices they should make. And for those who bring up the societal cost. Simple reply: NO MORE FREE ****! If you make a choice in life and it turns out bad, guess what, you get to live with the consequences. This whole notion of creating a world without consequences is what you get when you add historial-ignorance with reality-detachment. Maybe that explains most people, which is why freedom has always been the exception rather than the rule.
vvvv this is what
freedom looks like vvvvv take note of the unsafe (but super-fun) elements