RE: [Paddlewise] Licensing

Hi All,

 "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"
Benjamin Franklin


I have deleted several rants before sending them.  Fortunately Matt, Dave,
and Richard have expressed much of how I feel regarding licensing kayaks, or
kayak operators.  The last thing I need is more protection from me.  If I
die in my boat that's my business not anyone else's.  Whether that boat is
rented or owned is of no importance to me.

Most kayak rental operations have clients read a waiver that outlines how
dangerous the sport can be.  If people choose to ignore those warnings that
is their business, not mine.

People need to accept responsibility for their actions.  Kayaks are
inanimate objects they don't kill/maim/or injure anyone.  People sometimes
make poor decisions that lead to unfortunate incidents but you can't
legislate good decision making.

There was recent talk of the sheriff's dept closing a local river because of
a hazardous log jam.  Someone asked me how I felt about this and I said I
totally opposed the idea.  Their argument was that someone may die on the
river if it wasn't closed.  I agree that someone may die on the river but
that is a small price to pay to avoid the freedom lost by having others
decide where I can and can't boat.  If every river that had a fatality on it
was closed I'd have no place to paddle whitewater at all.

We all need to decide how much risk is acceptable to us in all of our daily
pursuits.  It is up to each individual to become informed about the risks
involved in a particular activity.  It is not the job of retailers,
manufacturers (though they can be a good source of info) or the government.

It scares the crap out of me that so many people want others to tell them
what they can and can't do.  Where does it end.

Thanks for the opportunity for another self indulgent rant.


--
Rob Cookson
"I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the
Atmosphere." Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Abigail Adams, February 22,
1787.



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