Monday, April 19, 2010
EU self-parody watch: Vacation is the new human right
If this happened here it would be a tragedy for any number of reasons, but in Europe it is both fitting and hilarious:
AN overseas holiday used to be thought of as a reward for a year’s hard work. Now Brussels has declared that tourism is a human right and pensioners, youths and those too poor to afford it should have their travel subsidised by the taxpayer.
Under the scheme, British pensioners could be given cut-price trips to Spain, while Greek teenagers could be taken around disused mills in Manchester to experience the cultural diversity of Europe.
Naturally, I have questions.
How does this policy square with the part about atmospheric carbon dioxide destroying the world?
If vacation is a human right, why aren't massages, good wine, India pale ale, and excellent cheese? Should I not be able to spend my vacation benefit on raising the quality of my staycation?
How do the Spanish feel about all those cut-rate British pensioners? Doesn't it suck enough to be a Greek teenager without having to schlep around disused mills in Manchester?
If they institute this policy in the United States, do I have to go to Detroit? Because I've been there already.
Your results may vary.
2 Comments:
By 
Georg Felis, at
Mon Apr 19, 05:32:00 PM:
And of course these vacationers will need bread to eat, and circuses to watch....
Rome, all over again.
By Don Cox, at
Wed Apr 21, 12:43:00 PM:
This proposal smells to me of money for the Italian proposer's friends in the travel and tourism industries. Maybe he even has some shares in a hotel chain?
