‘No Child Allowed Ahead’

“Something strange is happening in the United States. A Canadian friend recently said, ‘I can remember when Americans weren’t afraid of everything.’ Just so. Don’t run on the playground because you might fall. Don’t roughhouse because you might get a bruise. Don’t go outside at high noon because you might get skin cancer. Don’t swim after eating because you might get a cramp. If a child draws a soldier, call a SWAT team because he is a murderous psychopath. Don’t ride a bicycle without a helmet. Fill in the deep end of the pool because someone might drown. Supervise everything. Control everything. Fear everything.

http://takimag.com/article/no_child_allowed_ahead_fred_reed/print#ixzz2nCfM0vEF

Link at maggiesfarm.

Things we now old men did as boys: BB gun fights. Green pine cone fights. Playground football without helmets and pads. Exploring woods and using long sticks to kill water mocassins. Wading in creeks and ponds. Sitting in trees. Baseball using a rock as a ball. Sword fights with shaved down 1X6 planks or 1X1 boards. Throwing knives.