Nanny State

[xoxoxoBruce]

I had posted about an incident of what appeared to be nanny state nuisance in central England. It was one of a seemingly continuous stream of stories the internet loves, from both the US and England and occasionally the colonies. The last one was in Sundae's new neighborhood and the decorations for the upcoming bicycle race so I posted it in her "West Yorkshire thread". Stories like this are usually blamed, in the articles, on "Health & Safety" over there.

Dana, Sundae, and Carruthers, explained many of the stories are bullshit, others are mistakenly blamed on Health & Safety, as it's become a catch all phrase for nanny state intervention. Carruthers pointed to this newspaper article praising the Health & Safety law for saving thousands of lives.

Forty years on, the Act has achieved what it set out to do, which is to insist upon high standards of health and safety in places of work. All we need do now is to apply the law with the common sense that inspired it in the first place.

Bingo, apply the common sense!
For a US example, the no weapons near a school laws that have led to a first/second grader being expelled for pointing a finger at a classmate, or drawing a picture of a gun. The school officials always claim they are enforcing the law and their hands are tied. I don't know if these teachers are playing Principal's pet, are brainwashed cyborgs, or afraid someone else saw it and will rat them out, rather than using common sense in the first place.

All Righty then, that long winded introduction was to let you know I started this thread for a place to park the stories of stupid shit the nanny state gets blamed for, guilty or not. Innocence shouldn't stand in the way of a good torch & pitchfork party.