Zero Tolerance?

I know, I've been incredibly slack at updating this page. Put it down to a severe seasonal funk. One thing has brought me back, however - zero tolerance.

The latest use of this bullshit is Target, Kohls and Barnes & Noble. No Salvation Army bell-ringers can be near their stores because of their "Zero Tolerance" policy. No Girl Scout Cookies, no Poppy Day Veterans - nothing, and no exceptions.

This is an absolute bullshit cop-out, and the same applies to schools with their "He had an aspirin so he must be suspended" or "She had an inhaler" crap.

By using this "Zero Tolerance" as a cover, it allows everyone to ignore problems by showing no compassion or exceptions. Instead of taking the time and energy to view each case separately it's so much easier to just put blanket bans on behavior. Doing so requires no thought and gives the illusion that something is being done about societal problems. It's downright dishonest.

Besides the store bans mentioned above, two of the most insidious bans in our society now are against drugs and weapons - but who decides what is a drug or a weapon? In schools it appears to be left up to the teachers to decide what qualifies as a "drug" while we have all seen the outright stupidity being shown at airports when they decide what a weapon is. I'm a smoker and I've had some of my Zippo lighters for more than 30 years - do you think I'm going to hand that over because some brain-dead airport guard decides I could light my shoes with it?

We used to be a fairly enlightened nation until the "liberals" took charge of our education system. Until we can get a more balanced education for our children, this kind of Stalinist "Zero Tolerance" shit is going to not only continue but expand into other areas of our lives.

Sorry, but I have zero tolerance for "Zero Tolerance".