Pure Common Sense

This country has way too much of this.  When was the last time you were watching (or reading) the news and you heard that somebody was suing somebody else over something frivolous in a blatant attempt to milk our imperfect judicial system for whatever loot that they can squeeze out at the expense of everyone else’s financial security, or possibly even tax dollars?  Chances are that it was not too long ago.  “Only in America,” somebody might say.  But America is experiencing a dangerous contradiction.  America prides itself on liberty and Personal Responsibility, which are among the principles this country was founded on.  However, all too many Americans bear a vibrant sense of entitlement for themselves.  If something goes wrong, they hit a bump in the road or even if they mess things up themselves, they clamor for a handout.  Unbelievable!  If you were born in (or even if you weren’t) the United States, let’s be clear on something.  You are entitled to nothing.  That’s right, NOTHING.  You have won the lottery of life – to be born in the 20^th-21^st century United States, of all societies in the world and the history of the world.  You live in a land of great wealth and social mobility where anything is possible.  You are essentially what you make of yourself (this is mostly true – it’s not 100% perfect, but it’s pretty good and it’s about the best it can be.)  This kind of environment is nourished by freedom of thought, commerce, property and Personal Responsibility.

Approximately one year ago, at the Longshore Sailing School in Fairfield County, an area in Southern Connecticut that is part of the greater Tristate Area, a terrible tragedy occurred.  A little girl, aged three, drowned and was killed in a storm.  Her father was distraught by the untimely death of his beloved daughter, but publicly admitted that the event was an accident.  Now, approaching the one-year anniversary of the horrible happening he appears to have changed his mind.  He is suing the Longshore Sailing School in an attempt to claim $5 million in charges.  Perhaps he believes, in some twisted way that this might bring his daughter back.  It won’t.  He might also be trying to milk the system for whatever sum he can get.  You can buy a lot with $5 million.  However, first of all, economists estimate that $2-3 million is the maximum charge one can put on a human life disaster of this caliber.  Secondly, federal law limits any possible liability that might exist (I can’t see how they can be liable for bad weather) to $6,000 in this case, which is about 0.1% of the father’s absurd figure.

Look, the Longshore Sailing School probably had the best young instructor on call they could have in this situation and they would have done everything they could to protect the girl and the other two children which were present.  Many might also find it questionable that he would allow his toddler daughter go on a boat with a complete stranger in stormy weather.  Bet he regrets that now.  Plus, her aunt signed a WAIVER.  Case closed.  A waiver, by definition, assumes all liability and risk.  AKA – too late for pointing fingers.  This man is turning his back on Personal Responsibility and lashing himself out to hinder fine upstanding citizens for his own gain.  Shame for trying to profiteer off the tragedy of his daughter’s death!  This scumbag better not get a dime.

I know what it is like to lose a loved one, but one cannot let it get a hold of them.  It comes time to accept it and move on.  I know it’s hard, but it’s a part of life that reasonable adults must meet with vigilance.  Personal Responsibility!  Lashing out at others over the tragedy and exploiting it for personal gain or to further an agenda is not to be tolerated.  I remember when the parents of some of the victims of the Columbine disaster started advocating for a ban on certain kinds of guns and blamed the NRA for what happened.  Guys, sorry about your loss, but guns didn’t kill your kids, a couple of psychopaths who happened to carry them did.  Preventing decent law-abiding citizens from using the same kind of guns at their own leisure goes against the principles of your country and doing it will not bring your kids back.  Get over it!  And, more importantly for you, it will not bring your children back and I can guarantee your pain will be the same even if you get your way.

Lawyers in today’s world are becoming an affront to Common Sense and Personal Responsibility.  If I drowned like that little girl did in a similar accident, I would be bummed, but I would tell St. Peter that I was grateful to live in such an environment where opportunity is plentiful like none other.  I would not want somebody to mutilate that environment by exploiting my death against the tide of Personal Responsibility and reasonable security.  If we cannot be reasonably secure with our property than we might as well be like Africa where there is no innovation, no hope and no economic growth because persons cannot even be secure with their property.  Or with themselves.  That is why – we need Personal Responsibility.