Today we mourn the passing of an old friend by the name of
Common Sense.
Common Sense lived a long life but finally died of heart
failure. No one
really knows how old he was since his birth records were long
ago lost in
bureaucratic red tape.
He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools,
hospitals, homes,
factories and offices. He helped folks get jobs done without
fanfare and
foolishness. For decades, petty rules, silly laws and frivolous
lawsuits held
no power over Common Sense.
He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as to
know when to
come in out of the rain, the early bird gets the worm, and life
isn't always
fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies
such as "don't
spend more than you earn", reliable parenting strategies, and
the idea that
it's okay to come in second sometimes.
A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great
Depression, and the
Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived cultural and
educational
trends, including body piercing, whole language, ebonics and new
math. His
health declined when he became infected with the "If it only
helps one person
it's worth it" bug.
In recent decades his waning strength proved no match for
the ravages of
overbearing federal regulation. He watched in pain as good
people became
ruled by self-seeking lawyers and enlightened auditors. Common
Sense knew the
end was near when schools endlessly implemented zero tolerance
policies,
reports of six-year-old boys charged with sexual harassment for
kissing a
classmate, a teen suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after
lunch, and a
teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, when schools
had to get
parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could
not inform the
parent when the female student is pregnant or wants an abortion.
Finally, Common Sense lost his will to live as the Ten
Commandments
became contraband, churches became businesses, criminals
received better
treatment than victims, and federal judges stuck their noses in
everything
from Boy Scouts to professional sports.
Common Sense drifted in and out of consciousness but was
kept informed of
developments regarding questionable regulations for asbestos,
low-flow
toilets, smart guns, the nurturing of Prohibition laws and
mandatory air
bags.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth
and Trust; his
wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son,
Reason.
Not many attended his funeral, unfortunately, because so few
realize he is
gone.