Re: [Paddlewise] Kids and PFDs

I find Craig's response to my post about kids and PFDs to be 
utterly breathtaking. The folks proposing the regs in PA from the 
Fish and Boat Commission are the people counting the bodies and 
fishing them off the bottom, not a bunch of ignorant politicians.
 
Chuck Sutherland
----------------------------------


> But about Kids! Two states still do not require children to wear 
pfds.
> Twice in the past two years fathers have gone fishing with a son
> that has fallen overboard. In both cases, the fathers jumped in to
> save their sons and in both cases father and son went to the
> bottom. Tell me that it is ok for fathers to take their sons to the
> bottom with them because we must preserve our god given 
freedom
> of choice no matter who pays the price!


It's a tragedy that people are stupid. It's a tragedy that they kill their
kids (and themselves) through their stupidity. But tens of 
thousands of men and women have given their lives to preserve a 
freedom that should not go down the drain to the rafrain of, "if we 
can save just one life it will be worh it." How far do we go down this 
road before their sacrifice is in vain?

If we are to save just one more life (innocent or not) where will we 
stop? Take this to the logical end. Will we require a daily permit in 
order to boat? Will we make everyone launch at "approved" ramps 
where all gear is inspected? Will we require "credentials" from 
everyone on the water that attest to their passing one course or 
another? Don't all these look like "paper solutions" to you? I'm sure 
they all look like good PR to a any number of politicians.

Just how far are we willing to go in order to save just one more life?

A bunch of us think we've gone far enough.


Craig Jungers
Radical again in Royal City
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