Blaming This Death On Budgets Is Insane: Handcuffed By Policy? You've Gotta Be Kidding Me!

Check this out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43233984/ns/us_news-life/

What's happening to us? Where have the people gone who used to do the right thing simply because it was the right thing to do regardless of policy, preparedness or budgets? Regardless of 'standard safety' precautions?

Truly, I understand the rescue issue here. I had Red Cross swimming safety/rescue training. I know the dangers associated with rescuing someone in water, including cold water, whether they want to be rescued or not. I also understand that if someone really wants to kill themselves they'll find a way that works in spite of anyone's best effort. But, trust me, there are lots of people who'd have done the right thing and tried to rescue the man. Unfortunately, such people of the kind of courage we're known for weren't there that day.

Where, in this picture, was something called a best effort? A mediocre effort? An attempted effort? A valiant effort? Where was a person we used to read about who'd have said this is insane ... I've got to do something simply because it's the right thing to do? Someone finally went in there and got the man but too late. That alone suggests that people can do what needs to be done no matter how cold the water is. It can be done because a person with the will to do something difficult or even dangerous can pull it off. If they're motivated strongly enough to try simply because it's the right thing to do.

C'mon now! We've all read stories of people diving into much colder water to rescue someone. You and I both know it CAN be done. But where was the person or people with the will to do it? Good Grief folks, a rescuer wouldn't even have had to swim! The guy was wading out there!!!

I don't think the 'news' here has anything to do with budgets or policy. It's more a question of moral fiber. It's also a question of becoming dependent on 'someone else' to do the really hard thing. It's not my job. It's too risky. I don't know how. It wasn't that long ago that concerns like that didn't matter when someone's life was at stake.

Face it folks! We're becoming dependent on having someone else do the hard stuff or just the stuff we don't feel like doing. We pay the government to do this so it's their job, not mine. Becoming dependent on the government to do things does diminish much of the good stuff in human nature. The value of human life comes into question too.

It's interesting to me that this happened in the San Franciso area. I lived there long enough to observe first hand how people have become disinclined to get involved in something that requires real effort, difficult physical work, real risks or real personal sacrifice with no obvious person gain. People isolate themselves from unpleasant things and avoid doing something in which there's no personal gain. Safe. Secure. Gotta be something in it for me. Let others do it because I don't want to. I have something I have to do that's more important. Never mind whether it's simply the right thing to do.

I think this says something truly sad about us. Maybe President Obama and other progressives are correct ... we are no longer exceptional ... no longer inclined to do what's the right and/or moral thing simply because it's right to do it. Where's the 'hope' in that?