On 2/17/2011 2:13 PM, Doug Miller wrote:
In articledrGdnYvOyMbp9MDQnZ2dnUVZ_omdnZ2d@earthlink .com, wrote:
People whose only crime is possession of a banned drug for their own
consumption don't belong in prison in the first place.

Exactly so.

If they're holding
up liquor stores that is another matter, but if all they're doing is using a
street drug then prison is a waste of public money. If you have a couple of
shots of Old Overcoat in the evening while watching The Good Guys it doesn't
cause society any problems, ditto if you smoked a joint instead. Let's save
prison for those who actually harm others.

AMEN!


There is a sort of foundational problem with this though: It really
gets in the way of the widespread instinct so many people have to tell
everyone else what to do. (This thread being one prima facia example.)

It never ceases to amaze me that individuals that wouldn't think of
sticking their noses into their neighbor's business, are only too
happy to do exactly that when the means is indirect by use of their
government.

There is some deeply twisted psychology that brings together the
people that want to tell you what to eat, drink, smoke, snort, chew,
or shoot, how to be married, how to be a parent, what to wear in a car
or motorcycle, and of course, how to spend your money. As individuals,
humans are pretty decent on the whole. In groups, they behave like
obnoxious Nosey Parkers.

I rather like P.J. O'Rourke's quote on the matter -

"There are just two rules of governance in a free society:
Mind your own business. Keep your hands to yourself."