The other day as I rode home aboard Bus 66 in Winnipeg, I happened to overhear two passengers going on about a peanut-free school. At first I thought they were referring to children as 'peanuts' so continued to listen.
But they were talking about schools having 'no-peanut policies'. Why is this? Because some child allergic to peanuts might one day eat a peanut at school and die, I suppose. So why am I telling you this?
If I am allergic to peanuts, whose responsibility is it to monitor what I eat? Mine. Why should my allergy become the cause celebre for do-gooders, and set up a proscenium upon which to tout my allergy? And to create a situation where all must be denied peanuts because I may at some point before the next millenium take it upon myself to eat a peanut.
Photo: Lillie (1888-1975)
used both Tabu and
Blue Grass by Prince Matchabelli perfumes.
At Christmas, she spinkled
English lavender buds
to scent her linens and laces.
Your aftershave makes my eyes water
Why are your telling me this? If your eyes water because you are allergic to perfumes, take an antihystamine. I read the other day that Ottawa liberals (not the political party, but the usual lunatic fringe of crusaders) are lobbying for the Ottawa bus system to prohibit persons wearing perfume or aftershave from riding the bus. Why? Because someone, some where may be allergic to perfume. And may choose to ride the bus. And may suffer watery eyes.
Do I care if you are allergic to perfume? Not really; it's my God-given right to wear aftershave and you can't take it away from me. Actually to wear or not to wear is more along the line of privilege rather than 'right'. It's all about reductio ad absurdam. Perfume may be an issue. If governments go ahead with legislation regulating cologne use, the next step is to single out persons with body odour, and those who reek of tobacco smoke or alcohol. If these perfumed bodies choose to ride the bus...where does it all end? Just take a look at what's going on south of the border. Perhaps we can take a cue from Hitler. Those allergic to peanuts, for example, shall wear a beige triangle. Those allergic to perfume shall wear a red triangle. Those with body odour shall wear a green triangle. In this way, we can let each minority have its own colour and its own triangle. Let's not go there. Political correctness demands we all try to be so inoffensive that no one, peanuts be damned, may ever feel offended. Facism is as facism does.
In summary:
It's your responsibility to take medication or do something yourself about your problems. Oh, by the way, I use Eau sauvage by Dior.
4 comments:
I saw that you commented on my blog so I thought I'd check out yours and I find you very insightful! From this very first blog that I read, I was hooked. The perfume/cologne problem is EXACTLY what I have been battling as a Supervisor in my own office. People complaining about being allergic to other people's cologne. I can't believe that I've found another place on earth with the same problem!
As a new teacher, I have debated this "peanut free" policy in the schools many times. A lot of kids are allergic to bees! Do we build indoor playgrounds for them to be "safer" in? We can't accommodate everyone!
There are people that are so reactive to peanuts that they can go into anaphylactic shock if someone across the room merely opens a jar of peanut butter. One of them lives in my town and attended the same preschool as did my son (who is also allergic to peanuts and many other things, but not to that extent). So it's not something that a two-year-old can control. That being the case, either the school makes reasonable accommodations or the child is forced to live in a bubble.
Given that the susceptibility to asthma and allergies seems to be increasing in the population, and given that peanuts and their associated aflatoxins are one of the most reactive substances commonly available, a "no-peanut" school is more than reasonable.
Thanks Archimandrite Paul. You make a good point, a sane point.
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