dalpat077
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2019
- Messages
- 3,091
After now having scrolled all the way back and reading the posts made since I pulled back from this a week ago: given what I now see I don't think there is any point or benefit to quoting certain posts and end up rehashing older arguments made.
But I do feel compelled to address two issues here (in closing and for now).
More than once on this thread: the moment narcotics have been brought into the equation there's been a kickback under the auspices of this being a harm reduction site and that the vast majority here are users or addicts and therefore the issue of narcotics is off limits. To be blunt: that's not doing anybody here any favors. And please believe me when I say that this out of concern i.e. it's certainly no skin off of my nose (possibly even counter intuitive on my part). But I think it needs to be said that being a user or an addict doesn't get you a free pass when it comes to law enforcement. And while some here feel that they're being targeted (and I'm just putting this out there): are you being targeted and unfairly treated because you're a user or an addict? Or are you being targeted and singled out because of your actions as a result of using. Only individuals can answer that for themselves. And I'm not trying to be contentious here at all. I'm just giving you food for thought. And while some may feel it's their right to use or abuse: that's all good and well. But that's not the country you live in. Not yet anyway. And even should the drug laws change: you will still have to take into account your actions and the effects of various substances. On this very thread and by their own admissions: there are individuals who would have done things differently were they not under the influence (or wouldn't have ended up in less than stellar situations in the first place). And even if every single substance on the planet was decriminalized or legalized: you'd still not have free reign when it comes to law enforcement and certain other laws.
The other issue:
I've seen views expressed here that border on blind hatred for, and a generalization of, law enforcement. Be careful with this is all. Because it could play a role in attitude and action if, for whatever reason, confronted by a law enforcement officer in the future. And you could well end up being just another statistic. In many of these cases: that's played a major role in the outcome. Attitude and mistakenly assuming certain rights. And while it stands to reason that there are a few law enforcement officers that abuse their powers or cross the line: they are not in the majority if my true belief. And as noble a notion as it may be that people should be able to police themselves and that law enforcement in its current form should be done away with: I put it to you that were people any good at policing themselves there wouldn't ever have been the need for law enforcement. No law enforcement agency was created or formed to provide employment. Such were created or formed because there was a need for them.
And that's about it. I don't expect to win the popular vote for the above. And probably will have arrows being fired my way soon enough. But I say the above out of concern for some pretty decent people that I've interacted with here in the past year.
Sometimes certain things just need to be said. And, well, given that really and strictly speaking I'm an outsider here (possibly even the enemy): it may as well be me. And as unpalatable as all of the above may be to some: if it results in a user or addict taking pause and results in neither a user or addict or law enforcement officer ending up in the firing line (both literally and figuratively speaking) well then it's accomplished its purpose. In my ever so humble opinion of course.
But I do feel compelled to address two issues here (in closing and for now).
More than once on this thread: the moment narcotics have been brought into the equation there's been a kickback under the auspices of this being a harm reduction site and that the vast majority here are users or addicts and therefore the issue of narcotics is off limits. To be blunt: that's not doing anybody here any favors. And please believe me when I say that this out of concern i.e. it's certainly no skin off of my nose (possibly even counter intuitive on my part). But I think it needs to be said that being a user or an addict doesn't get you a free pass when it comes to law enforcement. And while some here feel that they're being targeted (and I'm just putting this out there): are you being targeted and unfairly treated because you're a user or an addict? Or are you being targeted and singled out because of your actions as a result of using. Only individuals can answer that for themselves. And I'm not trying to be contentious here at all. I'm just giving you food for thought. And while some may feel it's their right to use or abuse: that's all good and well. But that's not the country you live in. Not yet anyway. And even should the drug laws change: you will still have to take into account your actions and the effects of various substances. On this very thread and by their own admissions: there are individuals who would have done things differently were they not under the influence (or wouldn't have ended up in less than stellar situations in the first place). And even if every single substance on the planet was decriminalized or legalized: you'd still not have free reign when it comes to law enforcement and certain other laws.
The other issue:
I've seen views expressed here that border on blind hatred for, and a generalization of, law enforcement. Be careful with this is all. Because it could play a role in attitude and action if, for whatever reason, confronted by a law enforcement officer in the future. And you could well end up being just another statistic. In many of these cases: that's played a major role in the outcome. Attitude and mistakenly assuming certain rights. And while it stands to reason that there are a few law enforcement officers that abuse their powers or cross the line: they are not in the majority if my true belief. And as noble a notion as it may be that people should be able to police themselves and that law enforcement in its current form should be done away with: I put it to you that were people any good at policing themselves there wouldn't ever have been the need for law enforcement. No law enforcement agency was created or formed to provide employment. Such were created or formed because there was a need for them.
And that's about it. I don't expect to win the popular vote for the above. And probably will have arrows being fired my way soon enough. But I say the above out of concern for some pretty decent people that I've interacted with here in the past year.

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