Today, we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 -year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Tylenol, sun lotion or a band-aid to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

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 his three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

(Note: received originally by e.mail, and attributed to :-
SURESH NAIR, Journalist, Singapore)

I remember reading this one, Aramis. Suresh Nair also contributes to some Indian newspapers.

I have read it before too but it is good to read again. Makes one think!

It makes me quite angry, it has to be said. Life was harder in some way 'when I was young' but by heck it was better in many ways.

It makes me angry, too.
Frustrated that this is now a world where even the simplest remark is labeled as terrorism or harassment. My ten year old dare not ride her bike a few blocks way alone because child molesters have more rights than she does. Incensed that the simple, plain decent moral tendencies I've tried to teach my kids at home over the years will probably be undermined the moment they show up in a university social science class.
I have tried to explain to my younger children that the world was a much different place only a few short years ago...not so many law suits and divorces. More freedoms in general, because most people had the common sense not to make a federal case out of the simplest thing and either accepted each other or tried to mind their own business.

It's more than sad. It's unbelievable.

But wait - did they manage to resuscitate common sense at the last moment?

A woman had been awarded £150,000 compensation from the British Legion for breaking her leg. They'd made a hole for a maypole but it had been filled in afterwards. Two years later, she was walking across the field when her foot went down the hole and she broke her leg.

The appeal court overturned the decision as they said that reasonable care had been taken to fill in the hole, and that it may have been excavated by children playing. She's been left with no compensation and a rather hefty legal bill.