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 earn) and reliable parenting 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
six-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 they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly
children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental
consent to administer Panadol, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a
student but
could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant
or 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 was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and
Trust;
his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his
son, Reason.
He is survived by 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.
