The 'right thing' tears at a family

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | July 8, 2002 | Chris McGann

[KantianBurke]

I never said you attacked me. And yes both sides engage in flaming but the Libertarians seem to be more fanatic. Obviously thats just an ancedotal observation on my part but its hard to ignore.

[vin-one]

OK to grow pot and smoke it in front of or with your kids

Is it ok, to buy and drink, beer, in front of your kids,

because most people in the know, realize that pot, is on a scale or lesser scale than booze

[Protagoras]

I don't know what went on in that family but I know the father was wrong in growing marijuana.

Which is beside the point of the article. It's point is about a son turning in a father. If it wasn't about that, it wouldn't be news. Thousands upon thousands of people are arrested every day in this country for using unapproved substances, it's not news. Turning on your parents is news.

That's no example to set for your child.

But parents turning in children is a good example? Perverse.

[Protagoras]

And yes both sides engage in flaming but the Libertarians seem to be more fanatic.

From my perspective it is the other side.

Obviously thats just an ancedotal observation on my part but its hard to ignore.

Anecedotal for sure, and hard to ignore from the my perspective as well.

[Protagoras]

All that's obvious to me is that you think it's OK to grow pot and smoke it in front of or with your kids.

You are wrong. That is an opinion based on nothing. I don't think it's OK and if you say it again that would make you a liar.

[stands2reason]

Get over yourself. As a one-time dealer, I think the father deserves what he gets. He had no respect for his family.

[Protagoras]

I would handle the situation myself the first time.

That separates you from the other "moral" people here. They would turn in a family member, mother, father, sis or bro, son or daughter, the first time, for their own good.

If he continually did it, I would feel I'd have to turn him in for HIS good. I know you disagree with that but tough love is better than letting the child ruin his life with drugs.

Yes, a few years in the pen where drugs are as easy to get as anal sex will not ruin his/her life. It will make them a better person.

Damn, this is sad.

[tomakaze]

RE:I wonder how many who think the kid did the right thing would think the same if a liberal school administrator had convinced him to turn his father in for having an unregistered gun.
 
Exactly.

[FreeTally]

And yes both sides engage in flaming but the Libertarians seem to be more fanatic.

Lets see, an example of flamming is calling those who are opposed to the War on Drugs "potheads", "crackheads", "Liberaltarian-dopers" or "people who want to see this country fall"., because, the accusations have no basis in fact. The words are used purely for inflamatory purposes.

On the other hand, when posters who oppose the WOD refer to those who support it as "statists" or "jack-booted thugs", they are stating the facts as they are, for those who support the WOD(for whateevr reason) support the kicking down of doors, imprisonment and killing of those who are peaceful, but who have violated some edict.

If you can not differentiate between "flames" and the truth, then oh well.

[Alan Chapman]

Amazing! A kid with morals raised by streetfilth!

I believe the motivation was either revenge or delusions of heroism. If the kid believes that abiding by the law is the same thing as being moral then I submit that the kid is confused.

[Protagoras]

AMEN!!!! As a former dealer, I totally agree.

What a good person you are. I'm so proud of you for keeping your criminal life away from your family. It almost makes it OK.

You did serve your time in the pen, didn't you? What prison were you in?

[JediGirl]

Note: that hasn't much to do with anything here. Making idiotic remarks are a favorite past time of yours, no?

[Protagoras]

He had no respect for his family.

But you had respect for yours? Kinda like Vito Corleone?

[Badray]

"An underage person may consume alcohol if they obtain permission from their guardians and drink on their private property."

This does not prove your point. The restaurant does not qualify as private property unless the parents own the restaurant.

[John O]

Giving your child banned substances is illegal and you could even lose your parental rights.

depends on the state you live in. In some states supervised cosnsumption of alcohol is allowed as long as it is the parents own child and in their own home.

GSA(P)

[John O]

both are criminal behaviour and they should be treated as such

And I do.

GSA(P)

[Alan Chapman]

This father was wrong, plain and simple.

Modern-day liberals would make the same argument with respect to having guns in the home with children.

If you are raising children, you don't raise pot plants in the house at the same time.

Why not? Parents keep all sorts of noxious cleaners and solvents in the home. Should that be made criminal?

You have an obligation to protect those children, and having a garden in the garage isn't the way to go.

If the father could buy marijuana at the drug store it's unlikely he would have to grow his own plants in secret.

Would he have liked it if the cops did a raid and busted down his door and trained their guns on his 7 year old while he was playing video games?

No-knock raids and similar law enforcement practices are a violation of everything that is right. One can hardly lay the blame for such actions on the parent.

I sure ain't stupid enough to have a pot garden in my garage while my kids are living on the other side of the door. That's just ignorant.

Well, I'm sure the same argument could be made with regard to a wine collection. Or, maybe even a collection of weapons.

[trussell]

Now, would you kindly see the other side. Many, many people do not agree with prohibitory drug laws, and can do nothing to change the laws. So, they refuse to compromise their morals and support laws they morally disagree with. Whether their disagreement entails not "turning someone in", vocally opposing all such laws or indulging in the prohibited products themselves, it makes no difference.

I can understand what you are saying, and will not flame you for your views. This boy felt he was in the right to turn his dad in, doesnt he have that right, based on what you just said above?

Can you open your eyes and realize that "morality" is not universal, while the violation of rights is. People have many different views on the "morality" of certain laws.

My eyes are open. Are yours to the rights of this boys rights to his ideas of morality?

Sounds like a tonguer twister, and I am sorry. Dont know how else to ask my question.

I have been flamed because I will not tolerate drug abuse from my children. I am trying to teach them that drugs are wrong, and harmful to your body.

My daughter has a very good concept of that already. (She gets onto her dad for smoking cigarettes, and is very proud of me for quitting). I dont believe I will ever have to turn my own children in because I am trying to practice positive parenting now. We have discipline (consequences for bad behavior). They realize that at 7 and 2 YO. They are being taught that the consequences of drug use is Jail time. I am hoping that by teaching them that now, we will not be faced with that situation later.

Blessings, trussell

[John O]

cosnsumption

I meant consumption (hick, pass me a beer)

GSA(P)

[stands2reason]

I was single, doofus, and my family didn't know. I was also not dumb enough to get caught. Nor did I deal to or around children. The reason I quit is that the risks outweighed the rewards, meaning the longer I continued to deal, the more likely it would be that I would be caught, so I quit. Tell me, Tom, do you buy your dope in the middle of a shopping center, or do you do it in a more out-of-the-way place? Whyever for? Of course, you'll probably say you don't do drugs, like most of the libertarians here say.