TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

I noticed today that the 3 stranded climbers on Mt. Hood had been rescued. Good for them. Sounds like they were prepared. However . . . How smart were these people to go hiking in the mountains during one of the worst snow storms in recent history?

Think about this situation: If a local Charleston outdoorsman decided to go fishing on Sept. 21, 1989, as Hurricane Hugo was bearing down on the Carolina coast, what would you think? Is he sane? Is he sober? Or is he merely stupid?

Either way, why should we risk the lives of other people to rescue someone who made a dumb decision? If it was a child, that would be one thing, but these people were adults in their 20s and 30s. Surely they checked the weather before they embarked on their trip.

So, as harsh as it seems, if you make a bad decision, be prepared to deal with the consequences of your lack of judgement. Don't expect other people to risk their lives for your mistake. Maybe they should be charged for the cost of the rescue. do that enough times, and maybe people we begin to re-think their decisions.