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| Wrong lesson from tragic death |
| Wednesday, March 07, 2007 |
| Ralph Bristol
March 7, 2007
It's a crying shame that a 12-year-old Maryland boy had to die of a toothache, but it's not your fault, and you need not assume any of the blame. It's the boy's parents' fault – no one else's.
According to ABC News, the senseless death of the boy "underscores the need for better dental service among U.S. children." Bunk – to put it politely. Dental services for U.S. children are excellent and readily available. What the story underscores is the need for better parenting.
ABC reports, "Deamonte Driver's life could have been spared if his infected tooth was simply removed — a procedure costing just $80. "But," the story continues, "the Driver family faced obstacles with Medicaid, poverty, and access to resources." Oh well, sure – they faced obstacles.
I don't want to sound self-righteous here, but if my 12-year-old child had an infected tooth, I'd find a way to get him help. I know what it feels like to have a debilitating toothache and I'm not going to let my child suffer for lack of money. No matter how poor I might be, I'll scrape up the money, come hell or high water. My poor parents would have too, and when I was 12, there was no Medicaid program. Maybe it's because there was no Medicaid program that parents raising children before 1965 had no expectation of someone else paying for their children's dental, or other medical, needs.
You can bet your last dollar that Deamonte Driver's story will be used over and over to separate productive Americans from more of the money they earn in order to prevent similar tragedies. The money won't solve the problem. Wherever you have negligent parents, you'll find an occasional dead child. The problem is not poverty or lack of free services. The problem is parents who never run out of excuses for failing to take care of their own children.
The programs that we invented to overcome "obstacles" such as poverty have increased American dependency on OPM – other people's money, and dependency breeds neglect. More OPM = more neglect = more deaths. Labels: poverty, social services |
posted by Jack Mercer @ 3/07/2007 10:51:00 AM   |
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Name: Jack Mercer
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Miriam Webster defines Snipe as: to aim a carping or snide attack, or: to shoot at exposed individuals (as of an enemy's forces) from a usually concealed point of vantage.
Miriam Webster defines Snippet as: : a small part, piece, or thing; especially : a brief quotable passage.
In short, "Snipets" are brief, snide shots at exposed situations from a concealed vantage point.
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