Turtle tales

Two days ago, I had the amazing privilege of watching loggerhead turtle hatchlings scramble from a nest on Emerald Isle into the breaking waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Ninety turtles made the trip in all, but I only saw the last four. They were helped out of their nest and scootched along, sort of, by the Turtle Rescue people.

Three of the four came out of their nest and charged ahead like hell on wheels, heading straight for the ocean without even the hint of distraction. But then there was the fourth one, the one that spent half its time heading the wrong way and wandering around like a lost soul. The first three made it to the ocean (not the safety of the ocean, just the ocean) in less than five minutes. The fourth took twenty minutes. It was exhausting.

People watching laughed and clucked knowingly. This little turtle was never going to make it, they said. Wrong Way Willie, they called it. Which would just about break your heart if you had seen the little bundle of energy scuttling everywhere but in the right direction. Thank god the Turtle Rescuers midwives were on the scene to help.

Which raises this question. What's the right amount of help the Turtle Rescuers should have given? Should they have stood back and crossed their arms and wished Willie luck? They didn't. They reached out their hands in support.

Conservatives believe that offering help is a matter of personal preference, that it should be volunteered by individuals - or not. No one, they say, should be forced to help others. And if not enough people volunteer to help, well tough tomoatoes. You should have been lucky enough to be born rich.

Progressives believe that one of the roles of government is to help those most in need.

I understand that this is not a black or white issue. It is, of course, a matter of degree. Most conservatives don't say NO help is desirable, in fact, they relish that help when it suits their needs. For example, they like to help paving and government contractors make money. But when it comes to poor people or handicapped people or sick people or people who aren't very smart, they always lean toward less help. Progressives lean toward more.

I don't know if Willie will be the one out of a thousand turtles that survives for 20 years and returns to Emerald Isle to nest. I don't even know if there will be an Emerald Isle in 20 years. But I do know this. A government controlled by people who always lean toward 'less' is a government that will not be able to help at times when help is needed most.