Common Sense

[Alfonso_Frisk]

Something to ponder...________________________________This is soooooo trueLondon Times Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense'Today we
mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his
condition.Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for
assault.Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

[jimthetrain]

How true indeed. Let's hope that there is a life after death and one day we shall see it resurected. (could be a while though I fear)

[spinner]

As I see it, at the risk of sounding heartless, the fault lies with modern technology and medicine. Together they have allowed the village idiots to survive and reproduce in alarming numbers.

[loveclose]

I'd go somewhat further than that - technology and medicine (or rather managers of medicine) may well be to blame for somethings, but the madness as described by the original poster in my view stems from European law.

Political correctness - European Law

Decline in School discipline - most definitely down to European Law.  Can't do this, won't do this, schools can't do this, schools can't do that - European Law definitely to blame for that.

European Law overturning decisions made my British courts has totally undermined our justice system in this country.

Rights before responsibilities inbalance - again, European Law to blame.  The do-gooders have a field day and anyone trying to gain some unfair advantage over the system can usually find it through the European courts.

Actaully, I love Europe (doesn't sound like it, but I do).  I have many friends in Europe.  BUT - we have slightly different traditions that don't mix with European Law, and that's why a great deal of what appears to be common sense to most of us never seems to prevail.

Trade with Europe - yep, no problem
Understand the different European culture - again no problem.

But be governed by Europe??  Well, we're beginning to see the consequences now, which is why so many don't trust European legislation.  It just don't work for us.

Brilliant original article - enjoyed reading it.

[guest4]

Ah but European Law has meant that we have a statutory right to holidays at work, it means that occupational pension rights are more equal, some schemes used to exclude part timers, it has removed many of the inequalities between men and women in social security law, not least forcing the government to introduce bereavement benefits for men, previously only women could get those, transexuals rights have been recognised, has stopped the hounding out of gay men and lesbians from the armed forces and has resulted in numerous changes improving the lives of older and disabled people (www.edf.org.uk/news/HRCases140606.doc). 

The European monetary system on the other hand, by forcing us into daft restrictions on borrowing, has forced us into the 'hell in a handcart' nightmare that is PFI. Unfortunately though, now the accounting rules that have kept PFI liabilities off the balance sheet the handcart is full steam ahead as we are locked into rediculously expensive payments to PFI providers for decades into the future but now the liabilities are going to end up on the balance sheet after all. Madness.