Lifeguards -- Do you want them?

[southof30A]

I need resucitated!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SoWalSally]

Walton Sun editorial:

It?s not Uncle Sam?s fault

With prosperity comes increased opportunity for tragedy.
As more people come to the area to vacation and make their second homes, there also comes an increased need in those who live here full- or most-of-the time to be more aware of our visitors? way of thinking and to anticipate their happy-go-lucky mindset.
It is only human to be carefree when we are on holiday, especially if we go to an area that we perceive to be something other than an urban.
Therefore, we should expect out of town drivers to turn left out of the right lane (or visa versa). We should expect the family on bicycles not to stop for traffic when the bike path suddenly crosses 30A.
We should expect visitors on the beach not to know when they are in danger and we should be prepared to warn them.
However, it is not the county?s responsibility to take on these warnings. Government cannot and should not warn its citizens of every known or perceived danger in our daily lives nor should it seek to make safe all potentially dangerous situations. Rather, it is up to us individually to take on these responsibilities as a moral and free society.
Because we all prosper from the tourism that flourishes in our area, we should do more than tolerate the visitors that come here. That doesn?t mean we should cheerfully wave to the out-oftowner that cuts in front of us and nearly causes a multi car crash. It does mean, however, we should be ready for it when it comes and not take a ?do or die? stand.
The government can only take ?reasonable? measures to insure our safety. It can put up flags to warn beach goers that water conditions are unsafe. It can put warning signs on the highway to signal unusual conditions and write tickets for those drivers who put others at risk. It can use weather forecasting equipment and methods to warn of us approaching storms so that we can take action we deem appropriate for ourselves.
Would we feel safer swimming in the Gulf with lifeguards? Absolutely! But that?s a little like saying we?d feel safer if there were high fences along the hiking trails in the Grand Canyon. Effective but not desirable.
We don?t want the government to keep us safe in all situations. We want to be able to want to wander off the trail occasionally and check out all that Mother Nature has to offer. In doing so, we accept that we are putting our self at some risk. We know there are snakes and spiders, bears and panthers and all manner of poisonous plants hiding in the bushes that will attack us if we invade their territory.
Ultimately it is up to each of us to investigate and assess the perils of the situations in which we put ourselves.
We should not expect nor come to rely on the government to protect us from our own ignorance. To do otherwise invites the temptation to expect less from our individual selves and our country as a democratic nation.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Read the poles for the members of SoWal.com
If you haven't voted, do so now. Overwhelmingly, the no lifeguards peeps are in the lead.

 

[Bob]

Walton Sun editorial:

It?s not Uncle Sam?s fault

With prosperity comes increased opportunity for tragedy.
As more people come to the area to vacation and make their second homes, there also comes an increased need in those who live here full- or most-of-the time to be more aware of our visitors? way of thinking and to anticipate their happy-go-lucky mindset.
It is only human to be carefree when we are on holiday, especially if we go to an area that we perceive to be something other than an urban.
Therefore, we should expect out of town drivers to turn left out of the right lane (or visa versa). We should expect the family on bicycles not to stop for traffic when the bike path suddenly crosses 30A.
We should expect visitors on the beach not to know when they are in danger and we should be prepared to warn them.
However, it is not the county?s responsibility to take on these warnings. Government cannot and should not warn its citizens of every known or perceived danger in our daily lives nor should it seek to make safe all potentially dangerous situations. Rather, it is up to us individually to take on these responsibilities as a moral and free society.
Because we all prosper from the tourism that flourishes in our area, we should do more than tolerate the visitors that come here. That doesn?t mean we should cheerfully wave to the out-oftowner that cuts in front of us and nearly causes a multi car crash. It does mean, however, we should be ready for it when it comes and not take a ?do or die? stand.
The government can only take ?reasonable? measures to insure our safety. It can put up flags to warn beach goers that water conditions are unsafe. It can put warning signs on the highway to signal unusual conditions and write tickets for those drivers who put others at risk. It can use weather forecasting equipment and methods to warn of us approaching storms so that we can take action we deem appropriate for ourselves.
Would we feel safer swimming in the Gulf with lifeguards? Absolutely! But that?s a little like saying we?d feel safer if there were high fences along the hiking trails in the Grand Canyon. Effective but not desirable.
We don?t want the government to keep us safe in all situations. We want to be able to want to wander off the trail occasionally and check out all that Mother Nature has to offer. In doing so, we accept that we are putting our self at some risk. We know there are snakes and spiders, bears and panthers and all manner of poisonous plants hiding in the bushes that will attack us if we invade their territory.
Ultimately it is up to each of us to investigate and assess the perils of the situations in which we put ourselves.
We should not expect nor come to rely on the government to protect us from our own ignorance. To do otherwise invites the temptation to expect less from our individual selves and our country as a democratic nation.

You are drowning in minutiae. I think we'll get you a lifeguard.

 

[southof30A]

Let me change the question, who wants her to be a lifeguard?

Before I vote...can I pick my lifeguard?