No Hand Gestures, No Emotions

I hate zero tolerance.  If you don't think that there's an exception to every rule, then more than likely, I may think you're an idiot. Please watch the short video below:


Now, first of all, this argument has been turned into a religious argument, but it's more about the rule itself. The rule states that no one can make hand gestures. Now, what exactly that means is a matter of interpretation.  However, you essentially can't celebrate during the event.  How dumb is that?

Now, I understand that people take celebrating too far at times, but to ban celebrating completely?  Why is it that zero tolerance only applies to kids, but adults get all sort of second and third chances?  Kids can't bring plasticware to some schools because they can be used as weapons.  Athletic kids can't accept money from anyone while in college despite not being allowed to have jobs.  Kids can get expelled from school for dancing if it's considered provocative.

There's not a zero tolerance on drunk driving.  There's not a zero tolerance on adultery.  There's not a zero tolerance on the things our elected officials do that sabotage our country.

So, why do adults, who are supposed to know better, getting a pass when the under-21's are not?  Why is it okay to do those things that I listed for adults, but you can't celebrate (even on the sly) for achieving greatness?  Are we to the point that we're on the verge of having robots compete in athletic events?  It's the best way to achieve the "no hand gestures, no emotions" rule, if so.

I think that it's sad that these kids aren't allowed to make a run at a championship over a gesture.  A gesture that most people probably didn't even notice as this kid crossed the finish line.  How crazy is it that buying an automatic weapon can be done with little-to-no restrictions, but winning a race has strict guidelines?

Is there ever anything that can require a zero tolerance result?

(VIDEO) Zero Tolerance = Zero Intellegence?

A 3-year old kid simulates a gun when using his hands to spell his name via sign language. His school has a huge problem with it. The Huffington Post article states: "Hunter Spanjer uses the standard S.E.E., Signing Exact English. He crosses his index and middle fingers and waves them slightly to signify his name. And, Grand Island Public Schools' policy forbids any "instrument" that "looks like a weapon," reported NCN."

Are we to the point with zero tolerance that a 3-year old gets punished for spelling his name using sign language? Now this kid has to change how he spells his name or risk being disciplined by this Nebraska school.

This zero tolerance stuff is ridiculous. There's always an exception to the rule. Always! First, it was kids being suspended for bringing a plastic fork weapon to eat lunch and now deaf kids need to either learn how to speak or change the spelling of their names?  In the words of Jack Nicholson's Joker character from Batman, "This town country needs an enema!"

Does "Zero Tolerence" equal "Zero Intelligence?"

Push The Button

What lights your fire? I don't mean romantically, but emotionally. What makes you upset? What pushes your button so repeatedly that you choose to vent via speaking out, blogging, or posting on FB/Twitter?

A hot button for The Mrs. is "Zero Tolerance Rules/Laws." She believes that everything has an exception. Everything. Saying kids aren't allowed to bring weapons to school and then expelling a child for bringing a plastic knife for his lunch is an example of zero tolerance gone bad. A man who speeds in his car to get his pregnant wife to the hospital and gets a speeding citation in doing so is another example of what irks her.

You get the drift by now, right?

So, what is the one topic that is able to push the button when it comes to me? There are countless things that push me to express myself, but I've sat here and tried to think of the one thing that gets to me every time. Racism? That's a hot button, but it probably is for everyone. Sexism? Doesn't affect me as a man much, so that may be for some women. Politicians? Yeah, they get me going, but I'm "sometimey" when it comes to them, too. After all, politicians aren't the blame, it's the people who follow them blindly who are the blame.

So, I guess for me, I hate anything that doesn't involve common sense (hence the blog title): People who believe everything they hear/read and report it as fact. People who will take a week off of work to picket outside of Comedy Central about "South Park" rather than just preventing their children from watching it. People who think "individuality" comes from wearing the same name brand shoes/jeans/shirts that everyone else in the neighborhood wears.

So, that's what does it for me. What pushes your button?