Stand Up Paddle > SUP Advocacy

Wipe Your Own A$$

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Remickulous:
**rant start** For those not familiar with the term, it means take responsibility for your actions and decisions, and if you make a mess, clean it up! I bet there are lots of rants about this, but I'm new to all the rules and regs that are being thrown around, and I'm shocked at what I'm discovering - people don't have to wipe their own asses anymore.

"But what happens when people get together for a race and don't understand the risks involved and someone DIES?" See the title - if I don't know what I'm doing and don't contemplate the risks involved, I deserve whatever happens.

"But what if it's your KID?" See the title - My kids have got to learn how to take responsibility for their own actions and decisions, too, and no agency relieves me of that most basic responsibility to teach that to my children.

"But what if your wife/husband is frantic because you're missing at the end of the day?" See the title - Even if I do stuff "right", it's a dangerous sport at times, and I choose to do it. No, I don't want the Coast Guard to be out there looking for me, I'd rather die alone in the cold dark water than loose the freedom I fought for. If you don't agree with that DON'T DO IT.

We Americans aren't allowed to do things without protecting ourselves in accordance with the federal government, the state government, the city police, the state police, the FBI, the Coast Guard, medical and insurance companies, etc. etc. - and when things go wrong, we still aren't protected from being hurt or dying, nor from someone who decided we didn't do "enough" to keep everyone else safe. Wipe your own ass!

If I want to join paddlers in a set distance paddle, someone has to organize it, and thereby take responsibility for my safety. So now low key (read: no big sponsors) events can't afford the liability, because we are no longer allowed to assemble peacefully and do a physical event together without someone being forced to take responsibility for everyone else's decisions, actions, and personal safety? Wipe you own ass!

If I go to the water with extra gear and lend someone gear to paddle with FOR FREE, I'm liable if they hurt themselves even if I make them sign something. So even if I want to help anyone and everyone find joy on the water (and that's what I love doing) they can sue me for everything I have and more if they get hurt, or die, or if they just feel like it? Wipe your own ass!

If I want to paddle without a leash or PFD, I can be fined, or worse. What if I don't like the way the officer is talking to me, and tell him to fuck off the way I would tell anyone else getting in my business? Yeah, I'll be arrested, detained, fined, and whatever else they want to do, instead of him being allowed to say "Whatever dude - wipe your own ass!"

I'm sure folks who are heavy into events, or politics, or law, or corporate business have a lot of complicated explanations why this is so, but if it can't be explained in simple terms & words, it's a bunch of BS. Wipe your own ass.

We are all responsible for our own decisions and actions, and no government or agency can take that away unless we let them. We are giving up freedom for what we are being told is safety, and it's just plain wrong no matter how you slice it. **rant complete**

stoneaxe:
I think we can all understand the rant...at least at some level. It certainly would be a different world if everyone simply took responsibility for their own actions.....we can dream I guess. Unfortunately it's only getting worse.

I do kind of like the idea of the Coast Guard coming to look for me if the shit hits the fan though...and I'm not sure I'm losing any freedom there.

UKRiverSurfers:
Well - in the UK we have a BS RNLI advert on the TV at the moment that highlights their lack of understanding on water safety. The Rescue services have just showed the whole UK that they are clueless!  :o

Another lifeboat man was "fearful for his life" when a two foot wave plucked him off the rocks.

We can all go and kill each other on SUPs at the moment and that cool but not in canoes or kayaks.

supthecreek:
Yep.
Turned into a nation of lawsuit happy blamers.
The land of the Free and home of the Brave, is no longer.

When are people ever going to realize that a "safe life" guaranteed free of all risk, is NOT a life worth living?

UKRiverSurfers:
No risk = No life....

Deny Death - deny life...

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