Freedom and pink sheets

I ran into town to get new sheets for my bed. Upon arriving at the store, I headed back to the bedroom section. There was only one style to choose from - and it wasn't bad - if you wanted striped, salmon pink sheets. They had pillowcases, shams, bed ruffles and sheets in every size - but only in salmon pink. There wasn't a white sheet to be seen.

I could only imagine what my husband would say about sleeping on salmon pink sheets - so I tried another store. Imagine my shock to see the exact sheet sets in the second store. Not another color or floral pattern on the shelves. I finally found a salesperson and asked if they had any other colors in the back.

Photo found here

"No," she said. "Martha Stewart decided that this type and color of sheet is better than your old sheets. It exfoliates your skin while you sleep as well as providing a soothing color for a deeper more relaxing night's rest. These sheets will also increase personal productivity so much that selling any other sheets has been banned and by 2014 every American will be required to buy these sheets not only for their own use - but also for their guest beds."

Fictious and contrived you say? Perhaps. But no less frightening. We wouldn't want someone mandating a certain bed or color of car - yet with every right that is taken away from us, we come one step closer to salmon pink sheets.

While we're busy watching TV, our freedoms have been slowly ebbing away. We accept it because each bill has just enough sugar to help the medicine go down. No smoking in restaurants seems like a great idea (especially for non-smokers as myself), but shouldn't it be the restaurant owner's decision - not the governments - whether to allow smoking or not? And while seatbelts may save lives - does the government really have the right to make it a law? Maybe they should outlaw eating utensils. After all wouldn't it be safer to eat with our hands?

What happened to personal choice, freedom and responsibility for our own actions? When a democracy can require every person to buy a product - any product - for our own safety and well-being...salmon pink sheets aren't far away.

Taken from "Farmer's Fate" in the Agri-Times Northwest Paper, Friday April 2, 2010

I couldn't have written the above story myself. I personally appreciate no smoke in bars and restaurants however, when the law was put to vote a few years ago, I voted against it. Every business owner and private property owner deserves the right to decide what happens in their business and on their property.