I have been involved the last few months with politics, at a political blog website.

This has been an interesting experience, one which I may share here, at a later date.  There is much to still get my mind wrapped around, so it will have to wait.  I might start sharing my thoughts here, too.

Here is a sample of a recent post of mine:

Drug Use a Victimless Crime?  NO!!!

We have a problem in this country of equating legal/illegal with moral/immoral, legal/illegal with ethical/unethical.  Until this is corrected, we will have a lot of problems.

This misbegotten turning away from ethics and morals, not only fosters an environment for the drug abuser, but also keeps proper punishment and effective law enforcement from occurring.  Corruption is one of the key ways in which liberties are lost for the majority by the actions of a minority. Statists of all flavors thrive on the corruption and immorality of a society.

This moral and ethical equivalency and degradation is encouraged  purely for the benefit of the Leftists and 99 other flavors of Statists to justify oppressive response.  Irresponsibility does nothing for Liberty.  The selfish people in our society whine about their rights and privileges without once talking about what their responsibilities and duties as a Free Person are!

If people base their decisions solely from a selfish, loophole oriented perspective, you end up with a decayed society, much like the one we live in.  The society and individuals relinquish their own self-responsibility to another authority, for bad or worse.  A Free Person must evaluate their decisions not only from a rights and privileges perspective, but also from a responsibilities and duties perspective. 

Authority without responsibility is a very, very stupid way to run a society.

For narcotics, much less any drug to be other than illegal or regulated, requires a population which has a tradition and accepted duty towards self-responsibility or otherwise, society will suffer.  A society which would not be destroyed by drug abuse is one in which it would never cross a person's mind to abuse drugs..

I do not use narcotics, nor do I drink to excess or abuse tobacco.  Why?  Because of legality or illegality? Heck no!

I am a Free Man, and as such, I not only recognize my rights and privileges as such, but also my responsibilities to my Nation and community.  If I incapacitate myself, I become a burden upon not only myself and family, but to my fellow man as well.

If I do stupid things while so incapacitated, I risk not only damaging another, but also damaging their Liberty.  I have the freedom right this minute at use and abuse all manner of things, legal or not.  But because I am a Free Man, I will not damage another person's Liberty for the sake of my own selfishness.

The sort of people given to drug abuse, legal or illegal, not only make a selfish decision right from the start, but are also engaging in a behavior which will increase their selfishness and diminish their judgment and responsibility. Legal or illegal, society will degrade.

What in the world makes anyone think that an irresponsible person. acting in an irresponsible fashion will be anything other than irresponsible?

It has been stated that narcotics are a victimless crime.  Up the thread and probably later down the thread, it will be contended that the drug abusers, illegal and otherwise, are only committing a crime when they commit a crime, ignoring the decrease of responsibility and increase in selfishness demonstrated by drug abusers.

When a drug abuser, illegal or legal, injures themselves or another, does that not potentially affect my insurance rates, my taxes, my quality of health care and run the risk of legislation and regulation being increased on otherwise legal activities, all because of a drug abuser's selfish lack of responsibility?

When a drug abuser, illegal or legal, damages property (even their own,) does that not affect my insurance rates, my taxes, my law enforcement availability, my piece of mind, my sanctity of property and does this also not risk the increase of regulation and legislation potentially affecting my property?

When a drug user, illegal or legal, commits a crime or is irresponsible with a gun, does that not affect my chances of keeping my own lawful and rightful ownership of weapons?

The list goes on and on.  I am very much impacted, in many ways, in serious ways, by drug abuse.

Encouraging the abuse of drugs, illegal and legal, in an atmosphere of "do what you feel moral equivalency" does nothing more than increase the chances of irresponsible behavior, thereby giving the Statist mentalities room to justify the removal of my liberties.

Victimless crime?  Heck no!

Drug use, legal or illegal is only victimless if I never see it, never deal with it, never have to see the aftermath of it and don't have to fund it.

I have yet to meet a self-responsible drug abuser, and I have lived a long and interesting life.  So as soon as a crack-head can show me that they are a stand-up citizen and are not incapacitated by what they are doing, I will be more "open-minded" about it.

The bottom line is that every time someone is irresponsible, I end up paying the bill.  Increasing potential and allowing, as a society, for irresponsibility is beyond stupid; it is suicidal.  And very expensive, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of other rights abridged and in areas of domestic tranquility.

Before worrying about getting more privileges and helping the Leftists and Statists get more justification for oppression, try educating the populace as to their rights and responsibilities as citizens.  You need to get people back to understanding the difference between rights and privileges and remind people that privileges are earned and can be lost.  Accountability must be restored, corruption crushed and dignity made a priority.

Talk of increasing privilege without obligation is truly stupid.  It serves no one.

People want the privilege of drug abuse, legal and illegal.  Okay.

I want the privilege of horsewhipping them for their stupid, selfish, jackass behavior that I end up paying for.

For all our love and understanding, our compassion as caring human beings, we need to recognize that drug abuse is a selfish choice, a choice made by an individual. Drug abuse is a jackass thing to engage in.

As much as we may love and care for someone, however much we might want to help them and work with them, the choice to stop will also be theirs, and theirs alone.  They chose to be a jackass and have to pay the many penalties accompanied with not only being a jackass, but the long road back from such behavior.

We can help, but the best way we can help is by getting a grip on our common sense as a Nation again and get back to some basic standards.

To add a little to this:  I understand that some people get caught up in use and whatnot.  I do feel empathy for them, truly I do.  What I will not do is tolerate the idea that weakness of mind and spirit, cultivated oppression, or irresponsibility serves people in any way that is good.

People have to be accountable.

Well said!! It left shivers down my back. I am extremely happy to see posting again