Like if I make the choice to drink. Then I make the choice to drive. Should I not be responsible for all what happens after my choice? Like now in Hollywood they are now going after the supposed drug dealers instead of blaming the star who made the choice to use hard drugs and they knew the consequences? Why should we celebrate or say good job to people who say I have been clean for such and such long? They made the choice to use whatever drug and they should live with the consequences. It should not be celebrated that they rectified a very wrong choice years ago when they were not suppose to make that decision in the first place or even put themselves in that position. Why should we feel any empathy? That would be like me getting a gun and shooting a random person, get a chip, and say I have been clean from killing people for 5 or whatever years.
I think because we dont just one day say hey I think I will try meth today and in our difficult moments we do something stupid and addictive, its really hard to break addictions. Constantly the addiction demands you keep doing it, but, you choose not to. Even years later that addiction calls you, maybe not as strong, but, its there and choosing better is commendable. Anytime someone turns their life around its commendable.
Ok with that said. Then why go after minor drug dealers? I am a firm believer in catch and release. Why is it that we blame gun manufacturers (which I hate, cause no one needs an M16 rifle to hunt). Instead of blaming the person who chose to lift the gun and use it on people? You were not suppose to do it in the first place. Your not suppose to do cocaine in the first place your not suppose to do heroin in the first place. Why celebrate a bad decision when you weren’t suppose to make it to begin with?
So much for moving to Canada.
In Canada, we believe in the responsibility of both the person and the society around them. Someone might make a mistake and do something wrong, and be held to account for that. But the system that allowed them to make that mistake also comes under scrutiny. It’s why we don’t have concealed carry up here and why firearms and alcohol possession laws are much stricter than in the US.
Funny thing to me is that your attitude doesn’t really match to an era in history; it maps to an age of a developing person. I’ve heard those questions from people in their teens and twenties for the past 40 years. Usually by the mid 30s they realize it’s not so simple. Some people realize it much earlier, a few never seem to learn.
Ok lets get real. I had a huge drinking problem ten years ago. Don’t know how many dwi’s I got. Before that I was addicted to oxy and cold turkeyed it. Now should someone give me an award for quitting driving while drunk or feel sorry for me if I got killed during a DWI…no they shouldn’t. Should the admonish me for quitting a 50 pill habit of oxy. No they shouldn’t. I would never hold myself above anyone else and never will. I don’t drink as much as I used to and don’t use any opiods and never will. Why should I get special treatment if I die of a heart attack brought on by my past drinking and drugging years later? Oh and the Canada thing is my brother.
You’re not celebrating the bad decision, you’re celebrating the correction of that decision. You shouldn’t get special treatment and as far as I know people dont. They go after drug dealers and drug users equally, from what I can see. The only ones that get special treatment are those with money and celebrities. I saw your post below that you got off oxy, thats amazing, you should be proud of yourself. You should consider yourself lucky you didnt kill anyone when you drove drunk. I’m happy to hear you’re getting your shit together, it takes work, but, there are no parties. AA gives you a coin you can hold onto. Everyone needs different levels of support and if you need less thats great, but, a lot of people need some encouragment and support. Its not a celebration more of a comradery of support.
Do you want people to change their behavior in positive ways or not?
Also, lots of people use drugs as self-medication (though usually counterproductive), and I find it hard to blame them for that, given the lack of access to healthcare, social services, workers rights and other things you need to live a good life. e.g. Prince didn’t take the drugs he died from because he wanted to party, but because he was in pain and couldn’t get pain medication through proper channels.
What I want is people to own what they did. Why give a chip or whatever for a bad decision you should not have made in the first place? It should not be anything to brag about or rewarded.
I guess you prefer the bad behavior to continue. Cool.
Why do you only want to hold them responsible for their negative actions, but then refuse to give them credit for their positive actions?
The only contradiction is that you get to decide which actions they should be held accountable for.
Honestly, this whole post just sounds like you’re jealous of all the attention that someone else, who truly deserves it, is getting.
