The humble Cigarette Lighter
I drove to our nearby town today and stopped in at the Dollar Store to purchase a bottle of furniture oil as I oiled two outside wooded steps before I ran out and liked the results instead of staining or painting them, but this could be another topic for a blog eh!
They did not have any, so the next thing was to purchase a couple of smoke alarm batteries and cigarette lighters - it is still BBQ weather and beside I also smoke and roll my own!, but seriously considering buying a supply of these..as I am totally addicted to having something in my mouth and/or in my hand - I also bite my nails since I can remember, so it is not necessarily the addiction of nicotine that I crave (smokers will more than likely understand what I mean). Chewing gum just does not work very well either as it is a totally different action or participation to smoking.
I took the items up to the check out counter and the cashier rang up the batteries then asked if I was over 30 years old and looked at up at me and decided that I was. She informed me that between 18 and 30 they could decide whether they would sell to people or not..
I was quite astonished and queried why there was an age limit to buying lighters? Well, the long and short of this - Apparently there must be a lot of pyromaniacs and or firebugs around these ages!! There was a young adult male standing behind me at least 21 years perhaps 23, with his purchase and I turned to him and jokingly said to him 'sorry, you cannot buy lighters as you do not look like you are 30. What do you think about this shop and others thinking you could be a pyromaniac and not responsible enough to buy lighters?
He just gave me a sheepish grin and did not say anything at all to my question,
or appear to even understand or comprehend that one of his basic rights of an adult, had been refused him, all due to some other reckless, irresponsible people between the ages of 30 and under had done, and now he was paying the piper!!
Am I one of only a few who see the ridiculousness of this situation and also the horror that we have given and are giving up what we were given in the first place, to powers-that-be who think they know better than we do what is good for us?? The innocent are being proven guilty, while the guilty go free and the rules have to be changed because of their actions?
Well, you know as I see it.... Why the heck is the burden of responsibility upon the general public (You and me) and anywhere that the public goes to e.g. shops, garages, schools etc.. Have we become everyone else's keeper and baby sitters that no one takes responsibility for their own actions or parents take responsibility for their own children? Teaching their children what is right from wrong and learning that every action has a consequence - good or bad? Apparently not!
Parents do not even discipline their children, by standing firm with them - Meaning No, when they say No and there should not be any arguments about it..these parents are too scared to stand up to their children because the child screams and has a tantrum in the middle of Walmart or where-ever and embarrasses the parent that they give in..Whoop-de-do, so you get a little red faced as your child is laying on his stomach screaming at the top of his lungs and banging his fists on the floor - Get over it as many of us have been there and done that. I had to deal with my own son when he was little. This is what I did,
Ignored him, walk a little away from his tantrum and hid on the corner, keeping an eye on him but out of his sight - see how long he has his tantrum for.. not long once his audience, me (parent) has left the scene.
However, the children are parenting the parents because the parents are too frightened of embarrassment or even repercussions from other people who stick their noses in. The 'other people' are some of the worst, because they don't 'Walk the walk, nor talk the talk' they are quick to point the finger but are slow to give assistance or advice or understanding and support to give the parent encouragement.
Then there are threats from their own children saying they will tell their teachers, the Police or the Child Services etc because they have had it 'put in their ear' by these same authorities to say it! When their parents do try to stand firm and discipline like they should. Discipline does not necessarily mean smacking a child either, but many could do with a good swat on their backsides!! which is not abuse either. Abuse is such a totally different action upon a child, elderly or person and there is no mistake what abuse is and it does not come under 'discipline' either. Many times these authority figures have no business or real proof that abuse has taken place
We seem to have become a society of blaming other people and complaining 'It's not my fault'!
Everyone wants what is available and demand their rights to own, use, purchase etc, whatever they want, yet it is over half of these same people whom sit back and expect 'society', 'Government' or 'someone' to be the responsible groups who shoulder their burdens, so they don't have to do it and can sit back then protest because their children, public around them are not taking up their slack.
How long are we going to keep 'turning a blind eye, and deaf ear' to our God given Freedom of will? As long as we are abiding by God's law we are still in His GRACE. Yet each and everyday we seem to loose more of this ground that we were all given and are letting 'other people' then 'authorities' to dictate to us how we should be living, where we can shop, what age we can buy after attaining the age of 21 years which has been for many prior years been the age of Adulthood and consent? These authorities are very quick to give the vote to 'teenagers' at 18, and enlist in the Army and go to war on our behalf but they are not permitted to drink alcohol or in many cases buy cigarettes or buy a Lighter for the wood fire, BBQ, burn the paper in the incinerator/burn bin etc etc!!.
Amanda Martin-Shaver ©
20 August 2010
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