On December 1, 2009, I've had a row with the security guards of our school.
"What's this," the male guard asked, referring to the white smoke cellophane in my bag.
"Slippers," I said.
Then the male guard asked for my I.D. One moment, I said, why are you confiscating my I.D.? Then I turned to the lady guard, who I think is more genial. I asked for an explanation. She obliged and said that students are no longer allowed to bring slippers inside the school campus.
Why? I asked. Because, the lady guard said, some students, once they're inside the school, wear the slippers they bring.
I was shocked. In my mind I wanted to discuss with the guard if that new regulation had undergone procedural due process before it was implemented. And I wanted to ask the guard if he could show me a written document saying that students are not allowed to bring slippers because, as far as I know, the only thing that's prohibited with regard to slippers is when you wear, not bring, them.
I was even more shocked to hear the raison d'être of the new regulation. I can call it for what it is: silly. It's true that some students wear the slippers they bring when they get inside the school. But it's still absurd to prevent students from bringing slippers just because they might wear them inside.
Isn't that what you call the "slippery slope fallacy"?
I'm just curious: Will they soon prohibit the bringing of ball-pens because students might use them for stabbing? Will they prohibit the bringing of papers and books because students might use them for setting the school on fire?
I wanted to say all that to the security guards, but I opted to remain silent, and gave my I.D. instead.
Sad and funny.
ReplyDelete