While many of the recalls lately have been necessary to preserve the health of our nation’s children (sorry, lead is just bad for you), some things that are being recalled or banned point more to lazy parenting than to any threat from the product.
One of the best examples of this is the recall on Aqua Dots. If ingested, it releases GHB. What kind of parent would give this toy to a child young enough to stick everything in his or her mouth? Because it reacts with water, it is a reasonable assumption that it contains chemicals. Since the human body is made up in large part of water, any idiot should know that this is not a good thing to snack on.
Another example is the possible ban in Rogers, AR of “novelty lighters.” Because a child in Russellville, two and a half hours away, burned down his parents’ house with a motorcycle shaped lighter, the Rogers Fire Department is calling for a ban on both sales and possession. On the news, the spokesman admitted that there is no known correlation between these lighters and fires started by children.
Maybe we should stop blaming products for bad parenting. I realize that no one can keep an eye on their children all the time, but some bans on items are just stupid. Maybe if a parent can’t watch their children, they shouldn’t have them. If they have them and don’t watch them, maybe their children’s demise is just an example of natural selection.
I think you logged into the wrong site, I think you meant to post on the John Stossel site.
Here is the link in case you need it:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/
But I think you are right, government should not be there to help us or protect us, just have a chimp take our money and burn it.
That should be its primary function.
Have you ever had a child? I don’t, but I know enough to know that kids, even adults put stuff in their mouths, and shit that is poisonous should be labeled as such.
Natural selection? Gee, where did I hear that? was it Strum…Trent… nope sorry don’t remember.
Comment by Gerry Fern — November 17, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
I have to agree on the motorcycle-shaped lighters, that is not a product for kids. But I cannot condone dangerous chemicals in any kid’s toy. It’s far to easy for a child of any age to forget to wash up after playing with something like that.
Koresh forbid that we ever have Libertarians in charge.
Comment by Peregrin — November 18, 2007 @ 2:34 am
“Fuck The Children” George Carlin
Comment by Homeland Conspiracy — November 18, 2007 @ 11:13 am
Gerry: The last time I checked, Bart designed this site for people of all political affiliations to post. Oh, and “natural selection” is a concept Charles Darwin came up with. I would have thought one as enlightened as yourself would have realized this. Here’s a quote I believe will serve you well, “It is better to be silent and be considered a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.”
BTW, have a nice day
Peregrin: While I agree that having Libertarians in charge is a dangerous idea, are you seriously condoning banning only motorcycle shaped lighters because the children might get ahold of them? So I suppose a regular lighter is safe, but a novelty one is dangerous? Let’s go a step further and ban anything that could possibly be misused in a bad way….butter knives are overrated anyway.
Comment by ash11010 — November 19, 2007 @ 1:46 am
Thank you for your comments, everyone. It lets me know that you’re reading and thinking about what I have to say.
Gerry Fern, I didn’t mean to say that poisonous things should not be labeled as poisonous. I just meant that they shouldn’t have to be recalled because some people can’t use common sense.
Peregrin, I hadn’t thought about children not washing their hands after playing with Aqua Dots. Good point. However, the proposed lighter ban would ban anyone (with or without children) from owning novelty lighters in the city of Rogers. I have a friend who has a four-year-old child. When I visit, my cigarette lighter (which is just a lowly Bic) is kept either locked in my car with my keys in my pocket or in my pocket. She keeps her lighter in a large vase on the mantle. If the kid gets as far as the vase, the sound of it breaking will let her know that he’s into something he shouldn’t be.
Homeland Conspiracy, I don’t hate children. Really, I don’t. I just think that parents are the problem in far too many cases where a child is injured or killed by a product.
Comment by idealistferret — November 19, 2007 @ 10:28 am
For the record, I hate children.
Comment by ash11010 — November 20, 2007 @ 2:25 am