Replies

"Ignorance of the law is no excuse." A simple phrase from a simpler time. Simpler because theft (Did that belong to you?), assault (Were you defending yourself?), and murder (Theft of anothers life.) were easy concepts to comprehend. These can be defined as property issues as well as moral issues. Actions of consenting adults which do not directly effect other people are moral control issues. Further, an examination of our "chosen" representatives shows that, in many cases, its a "do as I say, not do as I do" issue. None of these "moral" codes have improved society. A certain segment of society has ALWAYS wished to escape reality. Alcohol is a primary example. Prohibition was a CONTROL ISSUE. It not only failed miserably, but by the end of prohibition there were more drinkers than before. The Harrison Narcotics Act was passed somewhere around 1912(?), at that time 3% of the population use "hard" drugs. Has 90 years of "moral law" changed these numbers for the better? No. It does provide job security for police and prison officials though. Your real issue appears to be 'If we don't control this behavior, then others may join in.' And it should be applied in some cases. But the real destroyer of our society isn't sex, drugs and porn. Its the lessening of meaningful deterents to murder, assault and theft. Murderers should not only be publically executed, they should be killed in the same manner as their victims. Thieves should serve full sentences and make full restitution to their victims. People who commit assault should be beaten silly and released. What we have now is a society where murderers, thieves and violent criminals are being prematurely released into society to make room for potheads (the majority of people processed and jailed). Yes, a persons behavior has an impact on society around them. A black woman who, inspite of the "rules" of an "orderly community of like minded individuals" to the contrary, refused to sit in the back of the bus. There was a good example. I suspect that the actions of cancer patients, inspite of the laws of an "orderly community of like minded individuals" will have the same effect on marijuana laws. One last note, the State of Nevada shows no more societal breakdown than any other State inspite of legal gambling and prostitution. It won't change much when they pass the legalization laws on pot either. Stick with "real" crimes and real criminals. There are more than enough of them to go around.

"Your real issue appears to be 'If we don't control this behavior, then others may join in.'"

Close. My issue is that we be allowed to set standards for our community, provided the standards are constitutional.

"What we have now is a society where murderers, thieves and violent criminals are being prematurely released into society to make room for potheads (the majority of people processed and jailed)."

So the prison are full, no matter what? Then how is the WOD providing "job security for police and prison officials"? You're so flip about making these statements, you don't realize you're contradicting yourself.

"... the State of Nevada shows no more societal breakdown than any other State inspite of legal gambling and prostitution."

I would guess that the vast majority of the people who gamble and use prostitutes in Nevada come from out-of-state, wouldn't you? Now, why would you look at the state of Nevada itself to form a conclusion like that?