There’s Welcome and then there’s Welcome

There’s Welcome and then there’s Welcome

Here’s a “welcome” sign at the beach in Pt. Pleasant, New Jersey. We come here annually, and the beaches are terrific. But now they’re locked overnight until about 9 in the morning, with this unpleasant list of warnings. (My favorite is not to “misbehave.”) Why can’t you say “welcome” and offer restaurant discounts or a raffle for free beach passes?

I doubt that anyone who’s inclined to break these rules will be dissuaded by the signs. (“Oh, we can’t urinate just anywhere?”) I imagine it’s the lawyers’ way of minimizing the town’s risk for enforcing these rules (we warned you). Meanwhile, we still can’t go on the beach early and swim at our own risk and, like the wonderful TSA mentality, we’re all guilty until proved innocent!