Re: A Libertine Question

[tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)]

At 12:21 PM 7/29/96, Charley Sparks wrote:

>My opinions are just that, MINE but here's a question ..
>
>In the event that drugs are legalized like alcohol ( also a drug
>) and tobacco and cafeine, who will take responsibility for
>housing and feeding those, who are now blameless, individuals
>who can't or won't take responsibility for themselves and work
>or whatever. With freedom and liberty come a lot of
>responsibility. Too many people today balme every damn thing in
>the world for their problems -  and get away with it....

"No one."

Who takes responsibility when people fail to save enough of their paycheck
to last them through the month? Who takes responsibility when people drink
too much, miss work, and are fired? And so on.

Drugs are no different from ethanol. We tried outlawing ethanol, and
eventually came to our senses. Many of us--on all sides of the ideological
spectrum--think the same is inevitable with other drugs.

The issue of "who takes care of" people who can't hold their liquor, or who
overeat, or who smoke too much, does not enter into the equation. (Though
there are pathological examples of cases where insurance companies are
trying to sue tobacco companies for the costs incurred because of smoking
by policyholders. A bad, and, I think, dreadfully abusive, use of the court
system.)

--Tim May

Boycott "Big Brother Inside" software!
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