MY Grandfather is a very interesting guy. I am not trying to spark an argument, but he's got an interesting perspective here. Check it out. For reference, he's high 70's, wishes he was old enough to be in WWII, was a volunteer fireman, volunteered at the church, volunteered as an EMT with an ambulance, and lived as a quality engineer in several very successful nuclear power plants.
This is in response to our exchange of communications in re carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, rights, privileges and personal responsibilities. We are endowed by our Creator with "...certain inalienable rights..." Let me create an imaginary scenario. When Henry Ford invented his horseless carriage he had the right to drive it. One day when driving through town he splashed the mayor's wife with mud, ruining her dress. The mayor was irate and asked the village council for a solution to the situation. Ultimately the council decided to limit Henry's right to drive through town to 5 mph or less. (Henry was driving near 10 mph when he splashed the mayor's wife.) Henry still had the right to drive, but with this one restriction. Some time later Horace Dodge and Ransome E. Olds developed their own horseless carriages, emulating Henry. One day out in the country Henry, Horace and Ransome were running time trials with their cars on a measured mile. They had the right to do so. The local state respresentative happened to drive by in his buggy. The proceedings startled his horses so badly that they bolted, giving the representative a harrowing ride before he could regain control. When interrogated the rep could not identify which of the trio was responsible for his wild ride because things happened so fast. The rep took the case to the state house opining that, while he could not identify who was responsible, it would help to have these horseless carriages identified somehow so such a culprit could be prosecuted. Dare I mention license plates? Well, you see where I am going. The trio still had the right to drive, but now with two restrictions. How about personal licenses, state inspections, traffic signals, insurance, etc., etc.? I contend that driving continues to be a right, not a privilege as our body politic would like us to believe. Readers Note: Wherever you read the word 'right' in this tome, think also of the word 'freedom.' Now, let me go to CO detectors. I consider that installation of smoke and CO detectors in one's home is a matter of personal responsibility, not a 'law' to be enacted by the state. (Because of the strong fireman's lobby in NYS the 'law' was passed unanimously.) With very few exceptions 'laws' restrict or negate personal rights and/or freedoms. This 'law' requires the installation of CO detectors in each home, even in rental properties. Having served over 30 years in emergency services, both fire and ambulance services, I have seen the tragic results of failures to exercise personal responsibilities in homes and rental units. From where do our politicians derive the right to dictate personal responsibility? Where do we learn of our personal responsibilities? We learn them from our parents, our peers and/or our religious teaching. If you feel as though you have not been affected by restrictive covenants, take a look at your house papers if you purchased a home. You may have in those papers an exposition of the covenants which go with the land. These doubtless have the effect of limiting your use of the property, i.e., limiting your rights. If you rent, examine your contract, either oral or written, to determine which party has what responsibilities. More probably most of those duties are assigned to the renter, not to the landlord. These are your personal responsibilities. Thank you for reading so long of my rant. I shudder each time I hear that a legislature or Congress is in session. Our Creator endowed us with rights/freedoms. Legislatures and Congress seem to be bent on restricting and/or negating them. But who will listen to an old octogenarisn like me who learned love and compassion from his church and parents, who fed a stranger coming to the door asking if Mom had something to eat? She always did. It was part of her responsibility. Tom Bassett
