Apropos Deserving Sacrifice

h/t Theo

{link » [Hurricane] Ike}

“It may be harsh to second-guess people in such dire straits, though I recall thinking Friday, if you live on a sand spit or in a coastal swamp, and there’s a 20-foot storm surge coming, that’s a pretty simple equation that has nothing to do with your ability to ride out hurricane-force winds.

This is America. Even reckless morons who endanger their own lives and others deserve our sympathy, tax dollars, and the potential sacrifice of those who serve.” — Jules Crittenden

I don't know, Jules; maybe two out of three. In America, even morons are entitled to unalienable human rights; but does that include the right to a "potential sacrifice of those who serve", when the morons would not heed mandatory evacuation in the face of destruction?

I am reminded of an incident that occurred last winter, when a party of hardy mountain climbers decided to ignore storm warnings, just for the fun of it, and proceeded to get stranded in a blizzard on Mt. Hood. Subsequently, before the storm subsided, rescuers, because of some noble impulse for self sacrifice, were risking their own lives to get those morons to safety. Why should people who understand the concept of personal accountability risk their lives for those who don't?

I think that in our current leftist climate of arrogant demands for ever more entitlements, there needs to be some reality check about who owes what to whom. When the Founding Fathers guaranteed our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, I don't believe their intention was to abnegate all personal responsibilities for adult citizens. They didn't promise us a rose garden; they promised the right to look for one. If you search for your rose garden in a known minefield, be prepared for major disappointment. And don't expect your buddy to throw himself on a mine to save your sorry ass.