Discussions

I found this story today online - it notes that the RCMP have returned to Parliament Hill with mounted officers atop two retired Musical Rider steeds ...  
 
(check the article here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jJswR4PT_IW1xOm0Uw5Ghw3DpOUg)  
 
I find it amazing (in a not so good way) that the use of Mounted Police Officers was discontinued because of the "threat" the horses posed to the unwary.  
 
The comment by one of the officers involved that notes "If somebody gets too near to him (Hector the horse) or a child goes under him, something could happen."  
 
My reaction to that is - "DUH??!! You THINK !!??"  
 
But then I realized this story is symptomatic of how far we've gone as a society to protect ourselves from the stupidity of OTHERS ... someone stands too close to a horse and gets their toe stepped on - maybe they'll learn NOT to do it again ... if a kid bolts under the horse and startles it MAYBE the problem is the kid NOT the horse ...  
 
The cynic in me would suggest that such encounters prove Darwin correct ... but unfortunately, in such moments lawyers rub their hands together in glee, and people demand "someone MUST pay" instead of saying "Oops, my bad ... I shouldn't have done that ..."  
 
When will we hold people responsible for thier OWN actions instead of following the litigious track of our southern neighbours ... if I had my toes stepped on my an RCMP horse, or my kid got clobbered because he pulled the horse's tail the LAST thing I would think about is suing ... but I fear that attitude is waning in our country ... law suits are regarded like a lottery with big pay outs for mishaps.  
 
I'm glad that one of the most important Canadian Icons has returned to Parliament Hill where it belongs ... I just fear how reactive we are to the stupidity of others ... like they say - the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits !!!