[farmerjohn911]

jimworcs,

There is a distinction between like and not liking (to me that is a choice) and having an aversion. To not like dogs would mean I am opposed to dogs in all cases. I am not. In fact I totally approve of military, SAR and police dogs. I just could not have a roommate with one. I just avoid being around dogs due to this aversion.

My reaction is not a conscious action in the way I do not like coffee after dinner because it keeps me up. If a waiter puts coffee on the dinner table I just ignore it. If he put a dog on the table I would have to get up and walk away quickly. It is really a bit of a mild phobia. People have all sorts of phobias of varying degrees of severity. Some of these are evolutionary remnants and some is due to trauma. Maybe one of my ancestors tribes was nearly wiped out by a pack of Lycaon pictus, or maybe as a child I had a very bad experience - don't know.

Another great example is heights. Some people are fine walking the cables on the GG Bridge. Others cannot look out the window of a two story building. Others in between. I know people that think the Skyway bridge in Tampa is gorgeous but could never drive across it. They go around on I-75, I-4, etc - can handle the causeways.

Non-libertarians have a hard time with the following concept. If I was a legislator I would vote to severely cut back all regulations. ADA and ACAA are two of them. If an airline wanted to allow people to bring on chickens loose I would not prohibit it. They would just go out of business. If an airline wanted to prohibit all animals (and children) that to me would be fine also.

That does NOT mean libertarians are opposed to ALL regulations. Just the orientation is that less is more. And they need to be specific and not arbitrarily applied. Take Wall Street regulations for example. Every financial scandal of the last two decades was ALREADY against SEC regulations. So what happens? More regulations, and all will be selectively enforced.

I think we both agree that the current regulations on animals on airlines is loosey-goosey and is currently being abused. My prediction is that when pet owners read, for example, Delta's rules, and my friend's wife keeps posting on Facebook and having dinner parties, etc, etc, more and more people will figure out the scam. Or see little Fluffy sitting on Mabel's lap and inquire. Then maybe at least one airline will say enough is enough - the optimist in me - and only allow REAL ADA and SAR dogs in the cabin and put Fluffy in cargo where it belongs IMHO. Or let me arrange travel to avoid them, including skipping the occasional flight.

My last flight was a menagerie. At least one passenger admitted to being IN on the scam.