The Demise of Common Sense
I felt this simply needed to be shared incase it's not already gracing everybodies inbox.
The Demise of Common Sense:
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 self-seeking lawyers ruled good people.
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 stepsiblings: My Rights,
and Ima Whiner.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was
gone.
