WHAT?S THE RIGHT THING? - Ladyfisher - December 28, 2009

[LadyFisher]

in seeing an accounting of exactly what AFFTA did with the money. No really, I'm serious. Think it could possibly happen? Ya right.

[flyguy66]

in seeing an accounting of exactly what AFFTA did with the money. No really, I'm serious. Think it could possibly happen? Ya right.

Never in our lifetimes. We can't even get that from our "of the people, by the people, and for the people" government nowadays.

[kbproctor]

Never in our lifetimes. We can't even get that from our "of the people, by the people, and for the people" government nowadays.

I don't think they know.

[Steven McGarthwaite]

Finnegan's Law: Murphy was an optimist, about this sooner of later stuff!

When I retired, I thought that I could interest some school age children with fly tying demonstrations at the local public library, in their conference room, that is used for public meeting, of a group reading poetry or other group events. Most of the time the room is not booked (no cost), that I could just set up a vise on a table in the room, and dress some hooks. If some child/young adult stuck their head in to see what I was doing, I would invite them to sit down at a spare vise, and dress a hook. Simple plan, no cost, and all the other paperwork rigamarole......Wrong!

The Liberians thought it was a wonderful idea, and said that it was okay for me to give it a try.....

At first I had some that came in to see what I was doing...

And then one over protective mother caused all sorts of grief, a stranger talking with children in a public library.....

I had to talk with the Police down at the Police Department, I was wise enough to bring my attorney along...

Police did a background check on me, and even with a clean slate, I was not out of the woods. There is now a folder on me, as a possible child molester. With not doing anything wrong, just dressing hooks, at a public library and maybe interest a young person in Fly Tying, and possibly Fly Fishing. I had to hire a lawyer, and now have a file on record, and never being charged.

27 years of service in the U.S. Army/Army Reserves Retired (Impeccable Military Record), 32 years with the U.S. Postal Service (Impeccable Record, with many letters of Commendation), 15 years of Stewardship Duties with my church, 10 years as a member of the L.I.O.N.S, doing charity work in the community....I was asked (polite words for being demaned to resign from all my charitable contributions in the community. I even had my lawyer fight a restraining order that I not be allowed at any public event where children would be present, filed by the mother of that child at the libray!

One over protective mother, and my good name has been destroyed, my reputation and honor stolen, and the damage can never be undone!

I quit being a L.I.O.N., I am no longer a member of the church where I was an elder, and I stay home and do not go to public events in the community.

What the heck has happened to our country....

I grew up in a time that children could be children, that elders were valued as great assets to the community to help mentor children in endeavorers they would never have a change to learn something new!

It still takes a communty to raise a child, but it only takes one paranoid and over protective mother, to destroy somebody's life and reputation in the community.....

I gave alway all the fly tying equipment to those that needed it, down-size my fly tying supplies to just what I need, giving away many fine capes and other materials and supplies.

Now I am just like everyone else in the community, spending all my time at home, when I am not fly fishing during the summer (weekdays when everyone else is at work), and not knowing the names of hardly anyone that lives around my house that I bought in 1983.

We are becoming a society of strangers, and you know that you should never talk to strangers!

~Parnelli

[William Fitzgerald]

Parnelli that is a sad story for all to read ,when I became interested in the latest flyfishing scout merit badge the first thing they did was run a police and federal background check. I have to teach one scout with two adults or two scouts and myself. Never alone. When I was a scout leader 70 years ago I could camp with one scout and no one questioned it. Now you have to protect yourself. BILL

[kbproctor]

Parnelli that is a sad story for all to read ,when I became interested in the latest flyfishing scout merit badge the first thing they did was run a police and federal background check. I have to teach one scout with two adults or two scouts and myself. Never alone. When I was a scout leader 70 years ago I could camp with one scout and no one questioned it. Now you have to protect yourself. BILL

While it is indeed a sad state of affairs, the Youth Protection Training the Scouts require protects you from the over protective mothers that are all too prevalent these days.

You and one other non-related adult are required or the two scouts, but I would stick with the adult.

I married a woman with 6 kids a couple of years after her husband committed suicide. Folks think I'm joking when I say, "I don't know if I was real brave or real stupid." Little do they know it's an honest statement. 4 girls and 2 boys.

Every time one of the boys was doing typical boy stuff and got a sprain or broke a bone, I would have to spend the night elsewhere while Social Services determined that I had not beat them. I was regularly threatened by the girls that if I didn't let them do what they wanted to, the would report that I was "touching them." I have no idea why I stayed those first ten years. Now, things are where they should be. We are a family and these kids are mine as much as if I was the biological father. It sure was he!! getting there, though.

My point is that those rules are there to protect you as much as the boys. Embrace the rules.

[William Fitzgerald]

LADYFISHER now here is a subject dear to my heart. No one writes about teaching children!!!!

I am the education equipment person for our local FFF afiliated ffishing club . If we need something I can find it. As a scout merit badge counselor I have taught over 150 boy scout to tie flys and cast. Its great to see a scout at camp tie his first fly and catch a 2 pound bass on the third cast.

The clubs big outing held each year is for Big Brother Big Sister--twenty inner city kids age 9 to 15 tie their first wollybugger learn to cast with two FFF certified casters,catch water bugs with an entomologist and then using the fly they tied catch the first live fish that they have seen. Our YMCA has the pond and the Indiana DNR stocked it with bluegills and bass for us. Club members are one on one with each child The city nature park has event for kids and a local college has a program for children of students and staff.

Equipment--isnt easy to optain unless you have the club background and stationary letterhead. .Everyone seams to be asking and they need proof to make sure it will be used for kids and not for personal use. I have tying equip for10 - vice tools hooks hackle thread,asked one rod company for two rods that they get on trade and they sent me ten. Five new rod combos from the FFF and Sierra Club. Grant money is also available.BILL