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Today we mourn the passing of an old friend, Common Sense. Common Sense
lived a long life, but died
in the United States from heart failure
early in the new millennium. No one really knows how old he was, since
his
birth records were lost long ago in bureaucratic red tape.
He selflessly devoted his life to service in
schools, hospitals,
homes, and factories, helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and
foolishness.
For
decades, petty rules, silly laws, and frivolous lawsuits held
no power over Common Sense. He was credited
with cultivating such valued
lessons as to know when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets
the worm,
and that life isn't always fair.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend
more than you
earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in
charge, not the kids), and it's okay to come in second.
A veteran of the
Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Technological Revolution,
Common Sense survived
cultural and educational trends including body
piercing, whole language, and "new math." But his health declined
when he
became infected with the "If-it-only-helps-one-person-it's-worth-it"
virus.
In recent decades his
waning strength proved no match for the
ravages of well intentioned but overbearing regulations. He watched in pain
as good people became ruled by self-seeking lawyers. His health rapidly
deteriorated when schools endlessly
implemented zero tolerance
policies.
Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for
kissing
a classmate, a teen suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after
lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly
student only worsened
his condition. It declined even further when schools had to get
parental consent to administer
aspirin to a student but could not inform the
parent when a female student was pregnant or wanted an abortion.
Common
Sense lost his will to live as the Ten Commandments became
contraband, churches became businesses, criminals received
better
treatment than victims, and federal judges stuck their noses in everything
from the Boy Scouts to professional
sports. When an individual, too stupid
to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, was awarded a huge
settlement,
Common
Sense threw in the towel.
As the end neared, Common Sense drifted in and out of logic but was
kept
informed of developments regarding questionable regulations such as
those for low flow toilets, rocking chairs, stepladders
and auto
emissions.
Common Sense finally succumbed when, while the United States was
fighting a war on terrorism,
a federal judge declared the Pledge of Allegiance
to be unconstitutional.
Common Sense was preceded in death
by his parents, Truth and Trust;
his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility and his son,
Reason. He
is survived by two step siblings: My Rights, and Ima Whiner.
Not many attended his funeral because so few
realized he was gone.
...Source Unknown
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