A question...

[Matt D.]

I am going to bring up a topic that will get some heat, but here goes.
Is it really necessary to put this much emphasis on drugs at the moment? Go back to the 1920's. Beer smugglers were firing at each other with the then legal automatic weapons, killing bystanders and officers at an impressive rate. But why were they doing that? Because much money was at stake importing such a valuable illegal product into the US. Why does that not happen anymore? Beer is legal.
Drugs would call for a completely different approach, but the fact remains the same. Legalizing alcohol made crime less prevalent. So if we could come up with a good way to take the money out of drugs then the gang and cartel related violence would be cut way down. Our borders would be more secure, and we would probably be better off. Don't get me wrong. I do not like to see drugs out on the street. I despise them. Nothing has ruined more lives in this country than drugs in the last 20 years. The same can almost be said for alcohol, but only to a much lesser extent. The problem is complex, and requires a complex answer.
  But I really don't want to give up my rights, that I have been given by God, just for my security. I will take care of that. When you read the words written in the Bill of Rights, in the Second Amendment, do you not get the feeling that it applies today more so than it did then? I think really it applies to all arms. It says right there. Arms, as defined, is basically anything from a sword to a rocket launcher. I know they know that, and it scares the heck out of them. They are afraid of the day the population realizes that. In Heller the supreme court did the worst possible action for us. They said the second amendment does not apply to a M16 or weapons like that, meaning automatic weapons. (Referred to by the government as "machineguns".) They could not figure it out. But I guess the fact is most of the men in government are not Americans, they are afraid to trust the people with a power equal to that of the military, which is what the founding fathers wanted.
  Who here agrees? 

[Rohn]

Matt,
I am sure not in favor of any kind of legalized drugs.  When we think about the legalization of alcohol stopping crime, I think we are looking in the wrong places.  It may have kept people from killing each other for the money involved but at the same time it has taken far more lives  by allowing its use.  It has broken families and wasted more lives than can be imagined.  Many "good" people have gotten hooked on alcohol and their lives have become shambles and wrecked because they can't leave it alone.  Alcohol seems to be fairly accepted in today's world because people have closed their minds and eyes to the outcome of it.  I am a firm believer that we still need to take a strong stand against it.  I personally have never tasted an alcohol beverage.  I refuse to eat in places that serve alcohol and I do not attend gatherings that have it.  I have seen first hand what it does to many who drink it.  Lives that could have been lived with meaning and purpose are in total ruins because of alcohol. 

I can't imagine how any legalization of drugs could have even a shadow of positive effect.  I believe that leagalizing drugs would have the same effect as the alcohol has had on people, only perhaps worse.  Passing laws to allow wrong to reign is a step backwards.  We need to get back to the basics on moral issues and teach our children and young people the truth about right and wrong.  Our society today is a feel good society, anything goes, if it feels good do it, and believe how ever you want to believe, it's OK.   That is the same ideology that legalized alcohol and  wants to legalize drugs and it is a step backwards from what we need to support and it will continue to take us down as a nation. 

I still believe in the Bible and if we would teach our children and young people about this most important book of God's laws it would solve a lot of problems and confusion that we are in today.  We need to get back to moral principals and convictions in this country.  That is the only thing that is going to help us.  Take a stand against the sins of this day and don't embrace it by making it legal.

That's what I think, Matt.

[Sid Matheny]

I have to agree with Rohn on this one. But do not have a problem with legalize marijuana for medical use.


Sid

[Matt D.]

Rohn,
I believe the best way to end drug related crime might be to legalize, Then tax out of existence. If the venue to get the drugs were as controlled as the pharmacies across the country, Then we may be able to remove the money from the trade. But then again illegal distilled alcohol is fairly prevalent in some areas, So there it's a good chance it wouldn't work. I am not going to take this any further because I now this is a hot topic, but I feel that by the constraints that are in place now all that do is make it a profitable business. I guess the same can be said about alcohol today though because of legalization. . In my opinion we should do one of two things, either my first approach, which should probably be a last resort, our we should go to the other extreme, and start using force against the suppliers of drugs. We have the ability to do both, but the problem with the last resort is that it could cause a war with whoever country we go to take out the cartels. I just looked at this from a constitutional point of view, did our founding fathers give our government the power to regulate addictive substances? You could argue that was being done under the "general welfare" clause though.

I have gotten to the point that we just supply all the residents in those areas that have drug crime and tell them to have at it.

Sid, I agree with you on the medical marijuana. My grandmother had cancer and she had to take it. If you have to take it, you might just have to take it.