Parents faulted in gator attack

Gorillas and gators. Oh my. The last several weeks have been filled with stories about animal-human interactions, all of them tragic. From the killing of Harambe the gorilla after a toddler fell into its enclosure, to the 2-year-old drowned by an alligator while visiting Disney World, there were two predominant reactions: A) many ran the bus over those they deemed at fault, and B) just as many made excuses for those involved, absolving them of responsibility on the grounds that they have suffered enough or the tragedy was someone else’s fault.

Yet those positions often became inconsistent, such as when those favoring negligence charges against the mother in the Harambe case turned around and blamed Disney for not having “Beware of Alligators” signs, all but exonerating the toddler’s parents. Sorry, but they can’t have it both ways.

Parental responsibility is parental responsibility. Period.

Let’s take a look at these situations free of emotion:

Momentarily losing sight of a child, especially when caring for multiple children, can happen to any mom or dad. So when a child disappears, even briefly, good parents blame themselves — as they should — for their momentary lapse, because the buck stops with them. And harsh as it sounds, no amount of justification or excuses changes that fact.

So does the boy falling into the gorilla enclosure make the mom and dad irresponsible? No. Bad parents? Nope. Accountable? Absolutely. Sure, maybe the barrier was too easy to bypass, and maybe the parents were temporarily preoccupied, but that doesn’t change the fact that they must bear full responsibility for what occurred.

The zoo incident should have been a parental reminder to be extra diligent with children in potentially dangerous situations, but for the Nebraska couple who lost their son in Disney, it somehow didn’t register. If it had, then perhaps their 2-year old would not have been playing near and in a lake, by himself (the father was reportedly “nearby,” but more than arm’s length away), at 9:30 at night — a lake, by the way, that was off-limits to swimming at all times, as numerous signs stated. Allowing that situation to occur, albeit briefly, was a mistake that cost a life.

“No swimming” means just that — no swimming. That’s a pretty straightforward message. In fact, Disney was so adamant about that rule that it posted guards during the day for one reason: to prevent people from swimming in the lake.

Yet, indicative of our society where we pick and choose what rules to follow, many are condemning Disney, because, apparently to them, “No Swimming” doesn’t really mean no swimming. In other words, the parents’ defenders are, in effect, arguing that the “no swimming” rule was optional, and only a gator sign should serve as the “real” warning not to enter the lake. Seems “no” really doesn’t mean “no” after all.

Being from Nebraska — or anyplace outside of Florida — isn’t an excuse for not knowing what potential dangers may be encountered in the Sunshine State. That’s why God made the Internet.

As wonderful as Disney is, it isn’t exempt from dangers that are an everyday part of life: pickpockets, assaults, fights, accidents, terrorism (why do you think they check everyone’s bags), and yes — wildlife in its natural habitat, including alligators. Just as people traveling to areas with sharks, mountain lions, bears and rattlesnakes should be aware of, and prepare for, those types of dangers (same applies to dangerous parts of a city), Disney visitors should make themselves aware of any potential risks to their safety. That’s not being paranoid; it’s common sense.

We must stop excusing irresponsible behavior. Doing so further empowers the “do-whatever-makes-you-feel-good-with-no-accountability” mentality taking hold in America — one that favors passing-the-buck over owning up to, and taking responsibility for, one’s actions.

That’s a tall order, considering that so many of our supposed role models continue to let us down: both presidential candidates believe saying “I’m sorry,” and “I was wrong” are foreign concepts, instead subscribing to the “never apologize, never explain” mentality. Movie stars constantly blame everyone and everything — but themselves — for their behavior.

Chris Freind is an independent columnist and commentator based in Philadelphia. He can be reached at CF@FFZMedia.com