Worthy News: Nevadans to Vote on Legalizing Marijuana - Las Vegas Sun

[George]

Gambling, prostitution, and now pot? Organizers of a Nevada ballot measure hope voters in a state where almost everything goes will go one better and legalize marijuana.

http://www.worthynews.com/news/lasvegassun...101703814-html/

[Marnie]

This will be a fascinating thing to watch unfold here.

Opponents, including law enforcement, the nation's drug czar, and civic and business groups, argue the measure would encourage the use of other drugs, and they question whether it will even prove to be a good source of tax revenue.

I think that's a dopey argument for two reasons: (1) the current drug "laws" are stopping virtually nobody from getting the stuff. If the state legalized pot, citizens were asked if they would take it up. Every respondent answered No. So just because a thing is legal doesn't mean more people would try it. You cannot legalize morality, the drug problem is not so much a legal problem as a problem of character and of the heart; and (2) Of course it would provide revenue; look at the money generated from booze and gambling!

The legislation also imposes a $45-per-ounce excise tax, with some of the proceeds going toward the budget and alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse programs. An ounce of pot on the street costs upwards of $300, depending on the quality.

Only a government bean-counter would think anybody would pay that kind of tax for the stupid reasons cited. Typical government foolery...$45 bucks an ounce tax--crazy. I'd love to see little Johnny asking Dad for an advance on his allowance so he could get an ounce this week.

Navada politics is funny to see.

[Gerioke]

Maybe they'll become too stoned to gamble.

[JustinM]

quote Marnie: "(1) the current drug "laws" are stopping virtually nobody from getting the stuff. If the state legalized pot, citizens were asked if they would take it up. Every respondent answered No. So just because a thing is legal doesn't mean more people would try it. You cannot legalize morality, the drug problem is not so much a legal problem as a problem of character and of the heart; and (2) Of course it would provide revenue; look at the money generated from booze and gambling!"

So, if it is difficult to stop something, you just give up and accept it? What kind've defeatest ideology is that? What next, a super powerful enemy decides to invade our country and we just let them have it, because it would be too difficult to fight back?

Anti-drug laws are not "legalized morality. Ask yourself what kind've prosperous society would we have if people were allowed to do cocain, heroin, marijuana, acid, ecstasy, methamphetamines, crack, codine, etc.

OF course our ultra-elitest liberal society would love for that to happen. Then they can take the country by the hand and rehabilitate it, while at the same time taking your property, money and wealth away from you, you won't notice or care, because you just received your daily heroin injection.

Then you want to say that someone has a character flaw for getting into drugs. How about the kids in the playground that are solicited "candy" by drug peddlers in an attempt to get the kids addicted at an early age? Children need to be taught and if a parent is not around to teach them, then they are gonna learn from society. Society is not the best role model, as we all know.

Society wants to reward laziness with entitlements, it doesn't want to take responsibility for its mistakes, it wants to oppress the weak, it wants to teach you that you must do whatever it takes to be successful. Even if that means breaking laws or cheating. It wants to remove all traditional virtues and replace them with deception, ruthlessness, betrayal, selfishness, laziness, unearned entitlements, etc.

[Marnie]

Justin,

I am all for laws that make sense; laws that punish somebody for doing harm to somebody else. Prohibition against any kind of vice--prositution, drugs, alcohol, etc. just don't work. Before you freak out, just ask yourself (and whomever else is reading this), if they decriminalized (NOT legalized, for there is a difference) pot, would YOU start using it? I am sure that 99% of you, like me, would not. So what difference would it make? Well, for one thing, it would free up law enforcement to actually enforce laws against criminals, not against some weekend pothead who watches football and gets high. I mean, who is he hurting? Nobody except himself. You could ask youself that same question in regards to prostitution: If it were decriminalized, would you go find a hooker tonight? Of course you wouldn't! People need a change of heart, not a plethora of vice laws.

Please understand, I am not saying we should legalize these vices, but we should decriminalize SOME of them, and even regulate them just like we do booze and smoking. People will always find a way to get their kicks, prohibition proved that beyond a doubt.

[JustinM]

You are still missing the point. Decriminalizing drug use, prostitution, etc. is of no benefit to society and it sets a precedent for the "decriminalization of other substances. You can't preserve the foundation of society by drilling a bunch of little holes in it. Because those little holes become major cracks and weaknesses in the foundation. Before you know it, society (the foundation) has crumbled and the boundaries that we have established between right and wrong, moral, immoral, etc. no longer exist.

You cannot make exceptions to things like that.

Of course, if marijuana was decriminalized, I still wouldn't use it or a woman for sex. But, if society accepts it and allows it, whose to say what choices our children will make when the grow up, and they will have no moral guidelines to follow?

[apothanein kerdos]

Before you freak out, just ask yourself (and whomever else is reading this), if they decriminalized (NOT legalized, for there is a difference) pot, would YOU start using it?

It would be a HUGE temptation for me and MANY others my age...

[Marnie]

You are still missing the point. Decriminalizing drug use, prostitution, etc. is of no benefit to society and it sets a precedent for the "decriminalization of other substances. You can't preserve the foundation of society by drilling a bunch of little holes in it. Because those little holes become major cracks and weaknesses in the foundation. Before you know it, society (the foundation) has crumbled and the boundaries that we have established between right and wrong, moral, immoral, etc. no longer exist.

You cannot make exceptions to things like that.

Of course, if marijuana was decriminalized, I still wouldn't use it or a woman for sex. But, if society accepts it and allows it, whose to say what choices our children will make when the grow up, and they will have no moral guidelines to follow?

My sense of morality was first and foremost instilled in me by my parents. I do NOT look to Washington DC or any human authority to tell me what is moral and what is not. It is not the states business to tell anybody what is moral and what isn't; that should be part of raising a well integrated child. But then, this would mean that parents would actually have to take responsibility for their offspring, which, in modern America we know they do not; parents of this generation pawn their spawn off on various and sundry preschool and daycare schemes. For shame!

Just because an act or substance is decriminalized in no way suggests society at large condones it! The vast majority of Americans don't travel to Vegas or Atlantic City to gamble, and in fact don't gamble at all and that is a decriminalized activity. Same thing with smoking and drinking; huge numbers of Americans don't do either.

As far as your last sentence goes, Justin, dude, I know you wrote it without thinking because I am sure you know Proverbs 22:6 which clearly states:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

That admonition was to parents, not the state. No, it does not take a village to raise a child, it takes two dedicated full time parents. Sadly, a rarism in America today.

[Marnie]

Before you freak out, just ask yourself (and whomever else is reading this), if they decriminalized (NOT legalized, for there is a difference) pot, would YOU start using it?

It would be a HUGE temptation for me and MANY others my age...

Why? We're likely around the same age, or from the same generation at least. Knowing the deleterious effects of various drugs, why would you even be tempted? You have an amazing mind...why risk it?

[apothanein kerdos]

Before you freak out, just ask yourself (and whomever else is reading this), if they decriminalized (NOT legalized, for there is a difference) pot, would YOU start using it?

It would be a HUGE temptation for me and MANY others my age...

Why? We're likely around the same age, or from the same generation at least. Knowing the deleterious effects of various drugs, why would you even be tempted? You have an amazing mind...why risk it?

Because I used to do it. Likewise, I know of many friends that would certainly give into it, and this is at a seminary. Different parts of the nation probably explains why we view this differently.