MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin Reactionary laws come at a painful cost

I’ll never forget how I felt when I saw Izzy Scott’s face on social media. I had to do a double take because he looked like my oldest son, and when I saw the accompanying news that Izzy had drowned during swimming lessons, my heart sunk. Upon further research, I found that Izzy was born only a few weeks before my boy.

Nearly a month ago, “Izzy’s Law” was passed by the Georgia House, and the intent of the bill was to provide a standard for the legislation and the legacy of Izzy, but it came at too high of a price.

I remember the life of Melquan Robinson in a similar fashion. Back in 2018, Robinson was electrocut- ed as he climbed a fence at Fleming Park. It was later found during an inspection that the park didn’t have an equipment grounding conductor, which would have prevented the tragedy.

I often talk about how governmental responsibility is more important than personal responsibility, because where personal responsibility impacts an individual or family, government responsibility impacts entire communities and countries. Further, the resources poured into government are invested under the promise of redistribution – better lives for us all. In this case, I want to share why diligence should be a standard for us all. We as adults are better able to equip ourselves for the uncertainties of life than our children. Further, if it “takes a village” to raise a child, as society declares, then it is up to us as a collective to be proactive in our efforts to support our kids.

This support happens in various ways – through anti-poverty initiatives and by investing in schools, among other options. If you’re reading this and you are responsible for a child in any way, make a checklist and do your due diligence in protecting the kids around you. Are you able to defend and protect your home? Are you aware of your kids’ surroundings at school? Do you know how to swim? When we conduct ourselves in this manner, everything we do becomes an act of legacy on behalf of our children. When we don’t, we leave our children at the mercy of the world around us, and that mercy is harder to find every day.

Ken Makin is the host of Makin’ A Difference and a freelance writer for ESPN and The Christian Science Monitor, among other outlets. Look him up on Facebook at Makin’ A Difference, and you can also send him an email with your thoughts at makinadifferenceshow@gmail.com.