Here are some topics that I’ve covered lately on my blog regarding ways in which the government (at various levels) tries to control your life: protecting your kids in school from exposure to horrible words like birthday, sending kids to jail for having a food fight, not allowing a traditional Scottish attire at a school prom, etc. etc. Often times, these are done in the name of protection or safety. Usually they are attempting protecting you or your kids (especially your kids) from any kind of negative emotion or experience. Besides the fact that this type of pampering could render a child paralyzed in the real world, there is another unintended consequence of this subtle message that people should be safe from all annoyances — unnecessary 911 calls.
When someone calls 911 because their fast food burger was “nasty,” they get arrested. But, the cops also take calls seriously regarding someone popping zits in public. How is that more of an emergency? The guy accused of popping zits in public was chased by officers before being arrested! I’ve got to say, if the police came after me for something stupid like that, I’d probably flee, too. But, the point here is that the general public is conditioned to call the police and be protected by government from every kind of nuisance…and then we’re also supposed to know the difference between an emergency and a non-emergency. How can that be? We are supposedly protected by government from annoying neighbors, loud noises, inept barbers, spoiled food, our own recklessness, etc. but we’re somehow supposed to know when to draw the line? This blurring of the line between when to expect help and when to expect to fend for yourself is a natural consequence of the nanny state.
- Meanwhile, cops can ask us to stop without having done anything wrong and waste our time with inquisitions. If we don’t obey their request to stop (at a sobriety checkpoint or otherwise), there’s a chance a whole ton of our time could be wasted while we sit in jail and wait for them to decide what our charges will be.
