CHILDREN'S PLAY NEWS – AT 10:41 P.M. ET:  New York State is protecting its citizens again.  We are inspired:

Syracuse, N.Y. -- State health officials today yanked proposed rules that defined childhood games like tag, Whiffleball and Red Rover as posing a significant risk for injury – a definition that would have forced some summer day camps to follow more costly and stringent state regulations.

The proposed regulations were part of a new law, which took effect April 1, meant to ensure safer policies at camps that now fall outside of health officials’ scrutiny.

But by attaching certain activities – like Dodgeball, Capture the Flag, and Steal the Bacon – to a list that also included scuba diving, archery and shooting rifles, health officials admitted they had gone too far.

“We believe that it would be appropriate for us to withdraw it and redraft it,” said Claudia Hutton, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Health.

In recent days, health department officials were slow to respond to questions about the policy, issuing brief written statements and advising those with concerns to make public comments on the proposed rules.

COMMENT:  I'd love to be there at some of those meetings where they draw up those rules, wouldn't you?  "Now we come to Whiffleball, a serious threat to our youth."  And can you imagine the discussion about "Capture the Flag"?  Not only can someone get a knee scrape, but the sheer nationalistic fervor that can be generated!  I mean, these kids in camp can start a war.  Or a Fourth Reich!  Don't tell me that "Capture the Flag" is just a game.

Only in places like New York and California, folks.  I know this crowd well.

But remember, it's for the children.

April 19, 2011