Re: [Paddlewise] Don't License Me

from Dave Seng:
[snip]
> , but Mark's line about licensing
> people for their own protection finally jerked the wrong string. (no
offense
> to Mark - say, what's that line from Henry VI? (Part 2 I believe...)

Um. . . how about: "There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold
for a penny; the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it
felony to drink small beer."  Yeah, that must be the one you were thinking
of. . . . when you wrote:

>   I don't need anybody to protect me when I'm in my kayak or in other
craft

I realize now that my words were ill-chosen.  Perhaps I should have said:
the type of licensing I am contemplating (and still not advocating) might be
to protect intelligent people from the societal cost of the acts of stupid
people.  And, in another sense, implementation of *reasonable* licensing
now, with the support of the boating community, might help pre-empt the
adoption of ever stricter rules by other of the stupid people themselves. .
.  Kind of like the gun industry supporting *some* level of regulation, so
as to avoid an even greater enemy.

[snip much eloquence]

>What's the deal here?  What's
> responsible for this attitude that responsibility for ensuring that its
> citizens are responsible for themselves is the duty of government -
doesn't
> this strike you as just a bit ludicrous?

Said that way, yes.  I have spent most of my adult life thinking of myself
as a libertarian.  I used to ride my motorcycle in rallies opposing helmet
laws.  The idea of a "paternalistic" government "looking after us" horrifies
me, if for no other reason than because it will contribute to the decline of
individual responsibility and the growth of a whining, pathetic populace
with a sense of "entitlement".  I certainly don't like the idea of actually
*contributing* to this disgusting process.  As I said in the beginning of
this thread, I have always opposed government regulations that are intended
to protect me from myself.  But I just see so many fools on the water, and I
fear what will happen if we leave the rest of the world to their own
devices.  I simply wonder if we shouldn't be thinking of some way to reduce
the level of stupidity out there on the water, as a way to protect our own
freedoms to enjoy the water. . .  Or something like that.

Anyway, I really enjoyed your post, Dave.  Nicely put.
Mark


***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************