Re: [Paddlewise] Kids and PFDs

skimmer wrote:

> 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!_

Chuck, I won't tell you that.  I will tell you that life is full of risk, 
and that the greater evil is big brother watching over all of us and 
telling us what to do.  Yes, some people (and their kids) will die because 
of bad choices by the adults.  I mourn the kids, especially.  However, 
__even if legislation is enacted to make it "mandatory" for everyone to 
wear PFDs,_ that will still not stop drownings like the one you describe. 
Reduce them some, yes.

Where I differ with you is that I do not think the state (e.g., the 
government) has a responsibility to "make sure" every act of a father or 
mother is "safe."  That is what adults are supposed to do.  Some adults 
won't do that and some kids will die.

I go along with a law demanding kids wear PFDs:  they are not capable of 
making risk vs benefit decisions.  Adults are.  We should decide, in the 
main, not the state of PA or the state of OR.  And, to protect some kids of 
irresponsible parents, I buy the argument we should  require kids to wear 
them.  Being the child of an irresponsible parent should not be a death 
sentence.  [Never mind a PFD choice is small potatoes in an era of 
terrorists and crystal meth on many street corners!]

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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