If stealing candy is wrong, stealing candy from a baby is worse, right? Babies are so itty-bitty and cute, so defenseless and incapable of retaliating.
Of course, there are people who would do just th
at, some used car salesmen, most politicians, all state lottery officials. But what happens when that kind of person is stupid, too?
An AP story last week described financial companies using “abusive marketing” techniques on military recruits. “Abusive marketing to military recruits of overpriced, unsuitable mutual funds and life insurance has led to a campaign to educate service members and their spouses on financial matters” the story says. Great, all of us, military or not, need that education.
The significant word here is unsuitable. Unlike most industries, caveat emptor, financial companies are not supposed to sell anything that isn’t suitable for clients. That is bad any time. But, selling unsuitable products to men and women – hardly babies – who are being trained in hand-to-hand combat and the use of deadly force, that is worse than wrong. That is just plain stupid.
