In reply to this, others have argued that it is the responsibility of parents, not the government, to control what their kids' do. However, the fire marshall explained that the item that kills more kids per year than guns should not be made to look like a toy (irregardless of the toy grenades and semi-automatic police gear that looks real...). The fire marshall went on to explain that the ban will be intended to protect children whose parents are irresponsible...

Sounds fair in the bigger scheme of things, I suppose. Protect children from parents who don't bother to teach them about fire safety and just let them wildly run around starting fires.

But, why novelty lighters? If the kids' aren't taught the difference between right and wrong, it doesn't matter if it's a matchbook, a regular lighter or a lighter that looks like a car- they're going to play with it. But, did the novelty lighter makers design them with the intent to harm children? Obviously - no. Just some person with an entrepeneural spirit figured out a way to sell a .99 cent lighter for $4 bucks- and good for them!

When- not if - this law passes, the entrepeneurs will pay the price. The stores that already show the responsibility to only sell lighters to adults-will pay the price. Adults who purchase novelty lighters or collect them (as the fire marshall admitted to doing herself), will pay the price. But, that's not even the bad part.

You see, the parents who are responsible and teach their kids that because something looks fun, doesn't mean it is, will pay the price. Why? Water looks fun, doesn't it? Are we going to ban lakes and rivers? Several people, every year, die in the local lakes and rivers, ignoring the laws and not being skilled enough to swim!

What about driving? Cars look cool, don't they? but, do parents 'let' their children drive their cars before they are trained? For the most part, 99% don't. But, where do we draw the line between curiosity and accident? Where do we draw the line between neglect and sneakiness? Worse- when mom and dad are no longer the authority figures, how do children's fragile minds distinguish between following what their parents say and just doing whatever they want, believing the government has removed all of the obstacles?

Do we want our children hurt, I say, no! But a lego is a toy, and I have to teach my child not to swallow it. The plug outlet on the wall 'looks' like a toy to the mind of a child and I have to teach them not to touch it.

Is it a problem that the government can tell us, as adults, what WE get to enjoy and not enjoy? I'm sorry- no more drinking glasses with cute sayings because you're too irresponsible to teach your kids it's meaning!! Where does it end (because, now we know where it begins)? Did making toy guns look less real stop kids from liking them or using real guns? Maybe statistics say 'yes,' but I'm not a big believer in so-called 'statistics'.

When do we, as parents, stop worrying about our children's well being because uncle sam has us covered? Do we, as parents, have a right to raise our children the way we see fit (within obvious, appropriate boundaries)? Our we Constitutionally protected to be secure in our homes and families?

When do we have a right to tell the government, 'no,'? You see, this is the problem with our government- no representation. Either congress does as they please, or minority groups with the monetary backing fight to make themselves look important, not caring about the consequences of their actions.

But, hey, half the people on Obama's staff aren't being held accountable for breaking the law, so why should anyone in congress have to be? Our tax monies are going wherever the gvt. Chooses without our say-so, so why should they represent us anywhere else?

There it is, folks. The exemplification of Democracy's failure in America. The breakdown of moral standards and ethics. I wonder when the first court hearing will take place for the person who shows the gall to buy a novelty lighter... Or maybe decorates their own? I wonder when the laws will be expanded by the next minority group to ban bar-b-ques because they present a danger?

Remember, it's NOT about protecting our kids. We, as parents, work hard to protect our kids everyday, including protection from corrupted gvt officials and law enforcement. It's about the systematic decline of your individual rights, the long-term harm to your families and the effects on your children.

For those of you who still support this move, maybe you'd like to also encourage the minority group that tried to ban the pledge of allegiance from schools? Or, maybe you're glad that the boy scouts of America were punished for firing a scout leader who wanted to teach children about gay sex. Think they're different issues? Think again, because-

It's about control. Pure, totalitarian authority that otherwise ONLY existed under monarchies, communist regimes and the like. Heck, maybe tomorrow instead of oregon just banning 'books' from school (which they do, including American classics nationally accepted elsewhere), we can burn them, too? At least we'll have a use for all those left-over, novelty lighters....

*sigh* land of the free... Home, of the brave? 

Okay, fine, let's dispense with the idiotic mentality that we don't know that this is happening and get down to brass tacks, shall we? The commercial came on from the government sponsored 'protecting kids' campaign against 'online dangers.' Let me first repeat for you EXACTLY, ver batim, what the commercial states:

"You try to protect them. You want to keep them safe. You monitor what they watch. You set filters to control their content. But, are they really safe? ....... But, the truth is, you can't control your kids' exposure to sex, but you can control how they behave."

For those who MISSED it - let me point out the MAJOR areas of concern:

1. You - the parent, the role model, the guardian, the protector, the guidance counselor, the loved one, the creator, the provider - YOU - have NO control at all - YOU CAN NOT control YOUR CHILDS exposure to SEX because YOU can't stop the media - the ones broadcasting this commercial - from putting sex in front of them. YOU can't stop the abuse of the internet where idiots whose evolutionary basis for sex starts and stops at monkeys will post sex. YOU can't stop the kids at school from talking about it. YOU can't stop your own child's self-driven interest in it (aka their evolutionary development as you are NOT God).

2. But, you can control their behavior.

WHAT? Did I, um, miss something? Let me try this one on you: "Hey little Joey, I want you to say yes and no, sir and ma'am, thank you and please, never talk out of turn, always do your homework, do your chores, listen to every word I say, do as I say not as I do and behave...... But, what happens if they don't? Didn't the TV tell you that you could "control" their behavior? Oh, that's right - because the media is GOING to BLAST sex ALL OVER EVERY show they watch, every commercial they hear and do it so repeatedly that its effectiveness rivals hypnotherapy and subliminal messaging - you CAN'T control them. So, um, why... did the TV... tell me I could?

Because, in the face of Congressional laws coming out such as the "forced" community service, Congress wants to empower you to do as they say. You see - THEY CONTROL YOU. YOU - do not even control yourself. They DON'T need your vote. They DON'T need your approval. What they want - is your OBEDIENCE. But, you argue and say - "no, I'm NOT an idiot, I'm NOT your slave, this is a FREE country and I EXPECT the DEMOCRATIC process to allow me to put in my vote."

Now there's conflict. A resolution is needed. Congress says, "Well, we 'do' represent the desires of the people and we 'should' do what they want, but - naaaahhhhh - why do that? Let's scare them, weaken them, take away their power, screw with their heads - and when they're helpless - let's hit 'em below the belt!" You see, for those of you without children, let me 'splain.... no, wait, let me sum up (what movie? c'mon... you know which one 80's generation.. hahahaha):

We love our kids. We live in fear because we KNOW there are bad people out there, the police and court systems are inneffective and we don't want them hurt. Why? WE WENT THROUGH IT. The parents who are ignorant of what their kids are doing - didn't go through the hardships. WE KNOW. We do NOT want them to grow up. We want something DIFFERENT for them. We want a life of happiness and joy and one that doesn't involve strife and heartache. But, that's not always possible. We know that. And, we know that the media is just getting worse - and worse - and worse. I took my son to see a PG movie - and boy oh boy - what they get away with in PG movies is FAR more than I EVER wanted him to see. Learned my lesson.... And, what does the government do? They ENCOURAGE sex in media. The FCC throws a temper tantrum because Janet Jackson had a 'portion' of her COVERED boob pop out during the super bowl half-time because 'families' were watching - but.... it's okay to them that many of today's cartoons include kissing, sexual scenes, sexual jokes and the music videos that ALL the kids are watching include 'pimpin' the ho's' and the degraded value of idols such as Spears and Lohan.