Danger on the highways

Hmmm.....in the news today is a story about danger for all of us out on the highways. It would appear that many trucking companies out there have hired and probably still continue to hire people that should not be driving any vehicle, let alone tractor trailers and buses. These medically unfit drivers have caused accidents and deaths across America when they blacked out, had heart attacks, diabetic episodes, and other medical problems which rendered them incapable of handling a vehicle.

Here's a link to one article about this problem:

http://www.townhall.com/news/us/2008/07/21/medically_unfit_truck_drivers_still_on_roads

A stated reason for this problem is the confusing mass of federal and state safety regulations. Now I don't doubt that the regulations are dense and confusing, but unspoken in the news thus far from what I have seen is another problem. Since the rise of the diversity movement and everything accompanying it, we here in America seem to have the foolish notion that we should not discriminate against anyone for any reason.

This trucking problem should illustrate that we DO need to discriminate, when safety is concerned. There is no valid or logical reason to put a disabled person or other medically unfit person behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer or bus. Give them a job? Sure! But not behind the wheel of a truck or bus. Now, I'm as much for creating opportunity for disabled persons as anyone else, but we have to use common sense. I blame this diversity movement and related ideas for making people stupid with the ideal that anyone anywhere can do any job, if that's what he wants to do, and we have to hire people even though they're physically unfit. I agree it's wrong to discriminate for a job based on ethnicity, religion, politics, etc., but when it comes to safety and the ability to do a job, the employer absolutely should be discriminating in his selection process. After all, discriminate means to select the best, and when it comes to the people out there driving heavy vehicles for a living, I want the best.

Today In American History:

In 1861, the Battle of Bull Run was fought. 3,000 Union soldiers died in that battle, while Confederate forces had 2,000 casualties. Those southerners sure could fight.

In 1865, Wild Bill Hickok agreed to a duel with Dave Tutt. A day after the agreement, the duel took place with Wild Bill killing Dave with a shot center-mass. Apparently Tutt fired first, but he drew fast and fired wild, completely missing Wild Bill, who then drew his gun and killed Tutt. I bet Tutt was a liberal.

Some notable birthdays for today include Ernest Hemingway, Don Knotts, Janet Reno, and Cat Stevens (uh, Yusuf Islam).

People, that's it. Y'all have a grand day here in America.

107 days left till Obama gets his ass kicked in the general election.