Wait a sec. Just earlier you were arguing that drug users need to be saved from themselves, now I want you to explain how, say, locking up someone who has grown marijuana for themselves is better for that person than them smoking that marijuana. Otherwise you whole argument goes to pot (boom boom)
I said you need to be saved from yourself? Okay, and if I did, you read that as "Drug users need to be locked up"?
See, this is one of the reasons why it's so hard to talk about this subject. I wanted to discuss the question of whether or not cannabis should be legal, and the response is accusing me of causing misery by incarcerating drug users in a country on the other side of the World. You didn't
ask me whether or not I think the sentences given in America are excessive - you jumped right to condemning me along with them.
Is it really impossible to see the issue as anything other than black and white? Can't I both think that cannabis should be illegal
and that possession should not result in a prison sentence?
I really, truly would like to discuss the matter civilly. Yet it always comes down to accusing me of the shortcomings of the American model. I've never suggested it's a very good model, so why should I feel obliged to defend it?
Well, yes there is, by supporting the prohibition status quo, which you are doing.
The funny thing is, I'm not particularly committed to the idea of keeping cannabis criminalized; I merely presented some arguments for it. Yet to even mention such arguments is apparently an act comparable to murder. It truly is sad that theses issues are so difficult to actually discuss.
And when you drive a car you are contributing to ecological degradation, African corruption and even murder, if you look at places like Nigeria. When you wear a pair of sneakers you are condoning the exploitation of children in third world countries. Whenever you throw away plastic some of it ends up in the oceans and kills dolphins. I demand all of your actions be made illegal! You are hurting people all the time and you aren't even aware of it!
I've no wish to get into these games.
My friends don't need any introducing thanks for your concern though, at thirty years old you can sleep soundly knowing that any friends of mine who make choices as consenting ADULTS made those choices many, many years ago.
Marvelously grasping the point again.
Riht-o, so when are you going to advocate alcohol also be prohibited by law? A little consistency would go a long, long way. And what about all those other things that cause societal problems? I guarantee you that motor vehicles are a thousand times more destructive than marijuana to society (have you ever known anyone involved in a serious road trauma?), so I trust you'll be advocating that we prohibit motor vehicles too?
Again, I'm interested in discussion, not silly games.
Yeah, you are definitely too thin skinned. I dunno, some people find it offensive that you would advocate using the violence of the state to punish them for choosing to do something that is essentially harmless. I mean, would you be a but put of if I was arguing that you should have violence inflicted upon you, have your liberties and freedoms revoked, your family taken away from you, you career prospects destroyed because you drive a car, which after all is much more of a societal problem than marijuana use will ever be?
I trust I could discuss the matter without resorting to bad analogies and hyperbole, and most likely even hold back my sarcasm if it was bothering the opponent, yes.
