Some ideas seem good when you first hear them, but they lose their gloss upon more sober consideration.
That was the case this week when the state news was full of the suggestion that a guy wanted to literally dump a helicopter full of money on Wichita.
Gee, what a nice guy.
But think about the safety implications.
People running all over, tearing at each other over dollar bills?
Not a good idea.
Here are the details from the Associated Press, in case you missed them:
“A Kansas man who wanted to create some holiday mirth by dropping dollar bills from a helicopter is facing regulations that could squash the plan.
“The generous person, who doesn’t want to be identified, called Mayor Carl Brewer before Tuesday’s City Council meeting to ask if there were any ordinances barring such a plan. The Wichita Eagle reports that City Attorney Gary Rebenstorf said there could be problems with a littering and a permit.
“Rebenstorf said the city requires a permit to hold an event with more than 250 people, and it takes 15 to 20 days to get the permit. He said it’s likely more than 250 people would want the free money.
“‘I don’t think we’d be able to issue a permit before Christmas,’ he said.
“The safety of people chasing after dollar bills also poses a concern.
“The donor isn’t saying how much money he would spill.”
Supposedly the man is going to do some other stuff, and that is good.
We’ve heard of the people who, this season of the year, pay for a stranger’s gas. Or they pick up a bill in a restaurant for someone they don’t even know.
It’s a wonderful way to celebrate this season — or any season, for that matter — and it would be nice if this generous person in Wichita were to follow through. You could make days brighter for a lot of people for what it would cost to charter a helicopter.
And in the process he has, hopefully, raised considerations for a lot of the rest of us, too, so that we all might be considering ways we could positively impact someone’s life during the Christmas season, and the rest of the year as well.
— Chuck Smith