A bad idea from good intentions.

Here's the link: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/11/06/Schumer-Asks-DOJ-for-GPS-Devices-for-Autistic-Children

A little personal background if you don't mind.

My three kids are all on the autism spectrum. They go from readily identifiable as such (the oldest boy) to just kinda weird in behavior (our daughter, the youngest). I wouldn't let a single one of them outside the house without the supervision of my wife or myself. They have no real sense of self preservation (my nine year old is still learning that you look both ways before crossing a street or parking lot) and their sense of direction is questionable. The youngest boy (aged 8) can be almost unintelligible at the best of times, put him under any stress and he freezes up. The girl may one day drive a car, the boys will never do that. They've never owned bikes, the trikes we bought were unused due to a lack of coordination.

You got the picture ten minutes ago but I habitually run off at the mouth. Bottom line: they might benefit from a GPS style tracking system.

So I'll give all kinds of personal data about my special needs kids to some nameless, faceless schmoe via computer or telephone, then maybe some day I'll be late picking them up from school and an "uncle" will call them from the sidewalk. It's chaotic at best when school lets out so the teachers could easily miss my child walking hand-in-hand to the parking lot with a stranger. About all that GPS chip would do is help locate the remains. Yeah, that sort of thinking REALLY makes me want to apply for this sort of service. NOT!

Then theres another thought, what happens if the culture at large turns against special needs kids and adults? Suppose we had another Great Depression level economic disaster, in our present day do you think all the perks, considerations and government mandated charity would survive? Personally I think everyone would revert to the philosophy of , "In a rat race only the rats win." Please remember we live in a time when you're regarded as slightly odd if you advocate for the abolition of abortion. True compassion is only skin deep.

The way we see more authoritarian thinking creeping into our government the more I wonder if there might be an American version of "Action T4" in our future. Think it can't happen here? Tell me why and reassure an old sub sailor that the milk of human kindness flows like a river in the hearts of all.

Remember to start your tale with, "Once Upon A Time" as that's how all fairy tales begin.