Final Word from Friday, June 23, 2006
Aside from the soccer defeat and the political ups and downs, the big news this week was the death of a five-year-old boy who fell out of a moving train. The case is worth noting because of what it says about Czech society. The mother was clearly at fault for letting her tyke trot off to the restroom on his own and for not recognizing the risks of riding in a Communist-era train. Czech Railways' defense, though, that children up to age six must be accompanied by someone 10 years or older merely compounds the mistake. In today's risky world, a small child - whether 5, 6 or 8 - cannot safely be left alone in a public place, and perhaps not even in an enclosed backyard. Many Czechs, including those setting the rules at the railroad, are stuck in the past. The death of a little boy is a high price to pay for a reminder that with freedom came increased risk and personal responsibility.[Czech Railways safety]