Posted on 03/14/2009 2:20:58 PM PDT by Painesright
"In a report in the New York Times of March 29 1896 the following graphic description of an opium den in Lucknow was given: “you will find yourself in a spacious but very dirty courtyard, around which are ranged fifteen or twenty small rooms. This is the establishment of the Government collector -the opium farmer. The stench is sickening, and the swarm of flies intolerable. Enter one of the small rooms. It has no windows and is very dark, but in the centre is a small charcoal fire, the glow of which lights up the faces of nine or ten human beings - men and women - lying on the floor like pigs in a sty. A young girl fans the fire, lights the opium pipe, and holds it to the mouth of the last comer till his head falls heavily on the body of the inert man or woman who happens to lie near him. In no groggery, in no lunatic or idiot asylum, will one see such utter, helpless depravity as appears in the countenances of those in the preliminary stages of opium drunkenness” (Schaffer, par. 6) The reporter suggests that up to 14,000 people in Lucknow alone were “abject slaves of this hideous vice.” This report suggests that to the late nineteenth century mind the image of opium was very much entangled with concepts of the Orient, of deviance, and sexual licentiousness in an Eastern context - a very different image of the drug than the pharmaceutical panacea it was seen as earlier in the century."
http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofEnglish/imperial/india/opium.htm
That passage is made in reference to the “Book of Revelation” exclusively. Maybe you need to spend more time in Sunday School studies. Now chew on your scriptural lesson, Einstein.
Not a chance. BUT, again, toss the person breaking the law in prison. It is the LACK of punishment in this country that is the problem, not the law.
And loosening the law definitely will NOT make anything better, in fact the problems of drug abuse will just explode, costing your FAR more than the "war on drugs" does now. And, it would erode your freedom far more that you think as well. The freedom to walk down the street without being mugged, the freedom to have windows in your house, doors that don't have to be made of 1/2 thick steel to keep thieves out.
Living in a lawless society is not any kind of "freedom" It's hell.
Like heck it is, Birdbrain. Besides, there are plenty of other places in the bible hat tell you what a contemptible sinner you are as well.
Observing several potheads over a lifetime is not a "strawman argument" either. In every case their lives are at best depressing, a far cry from what they had the potential of achieving, and in a few others they commit suicide or wound up dead. In one case, murder and suicide and three ruined lives of children.
Strawman argument? hardly.
“They basically want to waive the white flag of surrender regarding the WOD.”
You can’t surrender if you’ve already lost. This stupid war on drugs is a total failure. Our problems with drugs could be no worse if they were legal, so we not only have the drugs, we have the massive crime problem that goes along with illegal drugs. I’ve never heard of libertarians wanting to tax drugs, but I’ll take your word for it. But it wouldn’t mean higher taxes to anyone except those who use it.
Why should we give Britain's experience more credence than America's?
All you "proved" with your hasty number gathering was prove what i said about Cocaine in the early days. Not too many people knew about it.
Garbage. Cocaine was in coca-cola, and several preparations were freely advertised. Anyone who wanted it could get it, same as today.
But, after it became illegal, and despite the explosion of it's popularity, the "war on drugs" managed to keep it's use under control, unlike what it would have been like if it were legal, which would be as widespead as opium use was in the UK in 1800 through to 1900.
Now THAT'S a persuasive argument. Over the course of 100 years of prohibition, addiction only tripled, so it's working. Only a Drug Warrior would make such an argument.
Do you really believe that there are millions of people out there who would just love to smoke pot but are to afraid to do so because of the government?
Seriously?
Here’s a prediction; if pot was legalised not a single person who isn’t already currently smoking the stuff would suddenly decide to smoke it.
Even if pot were legal I still wouldn’t smoke it, I have been offered it many times and I just can’t see the attraction, I very much doubt that I am any different than the rest of the population who doesn’t smoke pot right now.
Why don’t you ban booze by the way if you’re so concerned about what chemicals other consenting adults put in their bodies?
“It all started with pot though.”
Did he drink orange juice when he was partying hard? A tee-total drug abuser? Hmmm, that’s a new one on me.
Even if all those things you say about pot smokers are true, and they well may be, what the hell business is it of yours?
When did it become the job of government to regulate how lazy, sexually stimulated, dirty, fat, clear complexioned or stupid people should be?
What concern is it of yours and are there any other areas of private life that you believe the government should take control of? Eating too many cheeseburgers? Not washing their bottoms enough? Telling dirty jokes? Not phoning their mothers?
You are sadly mistaken and have no real clue about much of anything. What cultist hole did you crawl up out of? The Church of God According to Zachary N? You judge that which you do not understand and are intolerant of any views other than those of your own. All the books of the Bible were compiled by the Catholic Church centuries after the last book was written. The Septuagint was the only true compilation prior to that, the rest were split books or “stand alones” and the Book of Revelation was nearly excluded. You judge and condemn me? Guard your words well as the Lord binds everyone by them and WILL judge all accordingly. I will have to pray for you although I really am very reluctant at best as you are arrogant and obviously of a malicious temperament. Good day!
It's already super easy for kids to get pot. According to government surveys teens are only almost as likely to try pot as they are to try cigarettes, and cigarettes are a legal drug. I'm linking you to a survey of teens on drug use. The marijuana numbers are in the first page and you will find the cigarette numbers if you scroll down to the the last page. What you will see is that 29.9% of 10th graders and 42.6% of 12th graders have tried marijuana, compared to only 31.7% of 10th graders and 44.7% of 12th graders who have smoked cigarettes. And look at the historical numbers on this study, what success we've had or haven't had cutting down on the numbers who will try either cigarettes or marijuana, and note that we've had a whole lot more success reducing the number of teens who will try cigarettes, again, a legal drug, compared to the increase in marijuana use we've seen since 1991, the year this table starts. If keeping marijuana illegal for adults works at all with teens, then why has teen use of marijuana gone up while cigarette use has dropped dramatically? I can understand why people would think we'd have better luck reducing teen use of an illegal drug than a legal one, but maybe people need to reexamine that notion.
Sounds like we’re talking about Huckabee again. ;^D
It says something totally different than your inept translation...is says “THIS BOOK” not “scripture”. The only one here adding to or taking away the Book of Revelation is you. So, by your own words, you condemn yourself.
I know plenty of over 40 and 50 year olds who have been extremely sucessful in life, living the american dream who are rgular smokers. oh, and most are Not drinkers mind you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.