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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 Blogger 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 Blogger 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?  

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