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Greetings Scott,
Ironically, do you know why cigarettes and alcohol are taxed so high?
It is not to raise money but to discourage the use. The theory being that
the power to tax is the power to destroy. A theory that has been supported
by the evidence since this country's founding revolution with the exception
of addictions.
I am totally against the consumption of any type of alcohol with the
exception of genuine religious practices or health reasons, tobacco in any
form, and illegal drugs and some legal ones such as caffeine except for
genuine religious practices and health reasons. Despite this fact, I know
that prohibition has been unsuccessful in a democracy with the prime example
being alcohol in this country. I also know that complete legalization of
narcotic drugs was disastrous in China with the British commercial empire
having complete responsibility for its institution. The Chinese did solve
their drug problem. They made the offense terminal. No doubt a lot of
innocent people or politically incorrect people were put to death, but then
the drug problem was solved.
So, what is the answer. The answer is education and the acceptance of
each person of their responsibility for themselves and for their culture.
If a person uses alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to their detriment and are of
sound mind and an adult, they are responsible for the harm that they do to
themselves and others. Furthermore, unless an individual takes action to
improve a problem, the individual continues to share the cultural
responsibility for the existence of the harm. It does not lie with some
"all powerful unknowns." So, what do you do if you are against it and want
to make a difference. First, this requires not doing the act, which is the
problem, by example. There is no "do as I say not as I do" silliness. The
second is to vote. The third is to write letters to the media, public, and
others in "power". The fourth is to support any group or individual with
similar goals. The fifth is to run for office yourself or to financially
and physically support those that do with similar thoughts. The most
important point is to take action in some fashion. This forum is one way,
but it is only the first step if you believe it is important.
However, in the United States money talks. This is really not being
critical. It is always something. In some cultures, it is birth or class
and in others it is the ability to be violent. The fluidity of money is
definitely better. I have meant "big wigs, politicians, lawmakers, and the
rich". Some certainly are poor excuses. However, those that are self made
are usually outstanding. They got themselves to the success they have, and
they can get things done and do.
The point being is that each of us individually shares the success in
what is good in America today and the responsibility of what is not. There
is no big bad group in charge of it all. Of course, lobbies carry a great
deal of power,but who gives the money to lobbies? Of course, politics can
be nasty. But, there are politics in everything from the office to the
board room to this web site. Politics are the fact of life in large social
structures to define those "with" and those "against". On the other hand, I
have seen two different groups working in total sincerity for the opposite
goals against each other both believing that they were doing the right thing
as I have seen some others use a good goal for self-serving means.
Have you ever written a legislative bill? I have. It is not easy. It
is very hard to write a law that is fair to everyone in every situation. It
is very hard to write a law that takes into account all costs in every
situation. Well, you are thinking, this is not always the case. If you
are writing criminal statutes, what can be the problem? Even that can be
difficult in lesser offenses. The problem is the nature of the crime, first
time offenders, and the fact that the penal system is not a cure. It is
much harder in civil type and non traditional "crimes".
However, let us bring it closer to home. A senator has just lost an
adult child in a cave diving incident. He can see no reason why anyone
would ever need to dive in a cave. A good example of this is U.S. Senator
Birch Bayh. His daughter was mistreated as a juvenile placed with the adult
population in a jail in the south. By the time he got done, states lose
federal funding if they put juveniles with adults. So, juveniles are not
placed with adults in any state. (By the way, I do agree with this.) So,
much like Mr. Bayh, this grieving senator makes cave diving illegal on any
federal lands and ties it into state funding. The states and the public are
more worried about feeding the poor than who gets to cave dive, so it is
made illegal. A person, who has dove in caves all their life, still wants
do it. They have never hurt anyone or the cave. Climbers are still
climbing, and other people are still jumping from planes. However, at this
point if the cave diver is caught, they may very well go to jail. This is a
hardworking law-abiding person who simply likes to dive. Does it serve
society for this person to go to jail? No. Neither does it for users
(victims) of illegal drugs, tobacco or alcohol if they have not directly
hurt anyone else.
So, that is why education is the key, and I don't mean just in schools.
The culture must change to think of smoking, illegal drugs, and alcohol as
"not cool" i.e. "strokes". There must be the impression that it does not
mean you are special for how much you can consume or how you look doing it,
but that you are a loser. Maybe I do not know what I am missing. Maybe if
I tried it, I would think differently. Maybe I would understand the abuser.
Maybe I would, but I would still think they and I are losers. I don't care
what your stress or situation is. If you add another problem, the situation
is not improved. What education have I had that makes me feel this way?
Mainly, the education that has taught me that I don't want to be a loser.
Oh, I lose at plenty. However, as we all know there is a difference between
losing and being a loser. There are always those better than you in
anything you do; however, there are also those that are worse. Some things
you do not continue in, because you do not like them, but you make the
decision. But, this would not make you or me a "loser" as I define it. I
define "loser" by giving up control of self, which is a type of
responsibility. You cannot control the environment. You cannot control the
choices and behavior of other living organisms, but you can control
yourself. My education has taught me that I am responsible for my actions
and for trying to make changes that I deem worthwhile in the environment
around me as well as the costs of those attempts. I wish more people pitied
alcoholics, smokers, and drug abusers like I do. There would be a lot less.
They would be better off without a law being changed.
It is not simply a matter of diving but living day to day as many have
said in this thread. Except for some limited consumption of alcohol which
may have some value and drugs for medical purposes, there is no reason to
consume tobacco, illegal drugs, or alcohol except as a cheap thrill (no work
and no effort) or as an easy escape ( keeping the weight down and diverting
stress or thoughts). What do you get out of something that requires no work
for the "goodies"--nothing.
Sincerely,
Mary Jane Humphrey
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