Watching a report on a local television station reveling in the fact that their report on novelty lighters had led to a statewide ban on these products, making Tennessee the second state to do so, made me ponder how we are slowly giving away all our freedom to avoid risk that are insignificant.  The ban will go into effect today in Tennessee though, as far as I have seen, these lighters have not caused any deaths or injuries in the state.  It was reported that two children in Arkansas had used such a lighter in Arkansas to start a fire that burned their apartment and killed these children, but aren't there fires started and children injured by lighters that are not novelty shaped?  In my home we generally don't leave lighters lying about, novelty or not.  Maybe better parental supervision would have prevented the deaths of these two children.  I regret that any child gets injured with any product, but should everyone be banned from using any product that has caused a child's death or injury?  If that is the case our options to buy products will be reduced to nearly nothing.
     Some states and localities have outlawed the sale of fireworks in the name of safety, but they have taken away some of the fun in celebrating holidays such as New Year's and Independence Day.  Its less risky, but its less fun.  Maybe the state of Tennessee should be the first to take the bold step of outlawing backyard swimming pools unless there can be a certified lifeguard on duty at all times since multiple deaths occur each year caused by small children falling into unguarded pools.  Or maybe bicycles should be banned, because even with helmet requirements, many children are still maimed and killed each year in bicycle accidents.  While we are at it let's also ban swing sets that can result in the accidental death or injury of children.  No doubt the children would be much safer if dangerous sports such as football and baseball were banned.  It is almost unimaginable that a caring society would allow children run full speed with the intent of crashing into and knocking other children down such as is done in football or allow children to throw hard objects and swing metal bats in the vicinity of other children as is done in baseball.  If we really try we could make life so much less risky for our children, but we could also make it a dreadfully boring existence for them as well.