The problem you have in the society of today is that nobody in charge has got the ability to apply common sense or any form of reality to an incident such as this. To them it is a black and white rule broken and therefore it must be condemned and punishment awarded. Take Mary Scanlon’s comments for example. She should be the first to understand the importance of the role that the coastguard plays in that area and the danger that potentially comes with it. She could quite easily have seen the incident for what it really was and made a rather more appropriate comment.
I have no doubt that the crew of that aircraft would bend or even break rules to save the life of a person in distress. I have no doubt that they would put their own lives in danger to try and save the life of another. They are not selfish people and they are certainly not corrupt or fraudulent people.
It is the qualities and attitudes of people like the crew of this aircraft that are being eroded away because of the self righteous attitude of certain people in charge or in prominent positions such as the local MSP. Ask me who I would trust in any form of situation I might find myself in; the pilot of this aircraft, the person who ordered the suspension (who I have no doubt has probably moved his way up the greasy pole in the normal way – most of you will know what I mean) or the MSP (who have a tendency to change their values or beliefs at a moments notice if the party requires it).
I do hope to God that we see the light soon and start applying common sense with respect to the so called rule book before all of the qualities, values and honourable attitudes of decent folk have completely spiralled out of the bottom of the tube. If we don’t then this country really will become screwed and I mean far more screwed that it already is.
