Off-Topic Re: Alcohol again

Achilles achillesz@usa.net
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 23:32:38 -0500 (00919333958, 04310856450527@unifour.com) 

On 17 Feb 99, at 14:38, Donald T Scott wrote:


> >Ed

> >

> >These drugs are already available to anyone who wants them.  Everyone who

> >wants to use them already does, and everyone who wants to get them can do

> >so.  

> >

> 

> DTS

> That's very true, and I also think legalization should be considered on a

> drug by drug basis.  In my own ideal scenario, most would be legal.


Achilles
Which would not be, and why? 


> Heroin, if I understand correctly, is highly addictive, of course, but is

> in itself not very harmful physically.  The unsanitary conditions and

> unprofessional diluting ("cutting") procedures that accompany the illegal

> drug trade are considerably more hazardous than are some of the drugs

> themselves.  And, highly dangerous drugs develop a bad reputation rapidly

> enough within the drug culture to limit their use.  The late '60s slogan

> "speed kills" originated within the drug culture.

> 

> Constitutionally, I draw a distinction between criminalizing drug sales

> and drug possession.  I am uneasy with the vast majority of "possession


Achilles
I see no such constitutional distinction myself. Perhaps you can point to the 
Article or Amendment which makes such a distinction? 

<snip>

> Drug laws and gun laws also provide a lot of interesting parallels.  I'm

> sure this list is represented by members of almost every gun-control

> persuasion from the NRA to Handgun Control Inc.  


Achilles

You are saying everyone here is anti-gun? Or perhaps you are merely unaware of 
the way the NRA has changed in the past ten years. I'd as soon give a dollar to 
HCI as the NRA, they both are working for the same thing now. If anyone thinks 
that supporting the NRA is supporting the 2nd amendment, they need to catch up. 

http://www.goa-texas.org/sbnra.htm
http://www.goa-texas.org/Howard.htm
http://www.goa-texas.org/Badgrade.htm


> Personally, I like my

> Second Amendment along with all of the other ones.  One can argue against

> both drug legalization and gun ownership by citing their irresponsible or

> criminal uses; one can argue for both drug legalization and gun rights by

> appealing to personal responsibility and individual rights.  Strangely,

> many of the gun lobby's most rabid advocates for unrestricted firearms

> possession are some of the most vociferous opponents of drug legalization.

>  They just don't see the parallels.

> 


Achilles

Agreed. This is veering completely off topic, perhaps if others are interested 
it could be continued in a different forum, off the list?


/Achilles     achillesz@usa.net

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Random thought for the moment:

    It has long been known that one horse can run faster
    than another, but which one? Differences are crucial.
           -- Lazarus Long in Time Enough for Love