March of the Nannies

Nannies at the NCAA want to ban the use of tribal names for college teams. But they forgot
to ask the Indians. The Seminole tribe in Florida, for instance, approves of the use of the tribe’s name
as a mascot for the Florida State Seminoles. And anyway, didn’t old Red Barber, good loyal
liberal sportswriter that he was, wax endlessly about the Florida State Seminoles on NPR? Doesn’t that
give them a pass?

The problem is, nannying doesn’t stop at college team mascots. Nannying is everywhere,
according to John Leo.

For instance, “In North Dakota, a state bill would make it illegal for people who
are just turning 21 to drink before 8 a.m. on their birthdays.” Oh good. So that way they won’t
rush out to get drunk until the evening of their 21st birthday instead of in a drunken orgy
starting at the very stroke of midnight.

The obesity police want to force restaurants to serve smaller helpings, and the California
textbook police regularly censor dangerous references to “ketchup and butter.”

The real problem at the root of all this nannyism is you and me. We are all of us far too
quick to call our congressman when we see or hear something that offends us.

Or maybe the problem is mothers. They just want everyone to be safe.