• 🇳🇿 🇲🇲 🇯🇵 🇨🇳 🇦🇺 🇦🇶 🇮🇳
    Australian & Asian
    Drug Discussion

    Welcome Guest!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
  • AADD Moderators: swilow | Vagabond696

We have a long way to go

M

mort

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
248
In the debate over Nguyen Tuong Vans execution, it is scary to see the strength and vitriol of the anti-drug sentiment we still find in abundance in Australia.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/12/01/1133422048286.html?from=top5
http://blogs.theage.com.au/yoursay/archives/2005/12/bells_toll.html

Let this be a reminder to all that despite what may appear to be a high level of acceptance in current society, we are all still very much in a minority and society does not accept our views. I know for one that this is very easy to forget this when surrounded by very liberal minded peers.
 
FYI: my reply to some of the people in The Age 'Your Say' forum (although I think it didn't get put up).

Everytime someone tells a story of a loved one who died from heroin, my heart breaks for them. But I'm sick of people saying that it justifies this young man being executed.

At some level the people using drugs and the society that fails to help them must bare some responsibility. We don't outlaw liquor and punish bar owners because many people die from alcoholism, nor do we ban guns and punish gun dealers because many people shoot themselves. Instead we accept that, whilst these 'dealers' have some responsibilities in how they sell their product, these tragedies are largely the responsiblity of the person involved and recognise that we as a society should do as much as we can to help them.

This young man didn't attempt to smuggle drugs with the intent to kill people, he did it because he was foolish, short-sighted and greedy. And in doing so he broke the law by attempting to bring something into our society that we have made clear is not wanted here. But that doesn't mean he couldn't understand the error he made and be reformed.

His death will also do little to deter the drug industry (and it is an industry). There is and always will be drugs in our society and no amount of punishment and murder will ever change that. Hanging the messager will not solve anything.
Click to expand...
 
Very well put.

I wouldnt be surprised if it does get published. I've seen a lot of arguments from both sides of the debate being put forward in the SMH etc, and the majority of them werent as well thought out or articulate as yours.
 
Top post mort, my exact sentiments.

Spending a lot of my time watching the media and in particular, anything related to drugs, I feel saddened by the majority of attitudes I see, but not surprised.

I think you have to be a bit detached from reality to not realise the sort of venom and ignorance that many people out there feel for us, as drug users, and our cause.
 
The reason I hold out hope is that it is inevitably the vast majority of the older generations that hold these views, and will always continue to hold these views.

As time passes, these people will die (that sounds harsher than i mean) and there WILL be a shift in majority...it may just take a good 20 years from now
 
^^^While I share your hope for a more accepting future; history hasnt really held this true in regards to drugs.

Look at all the hippies from the sixties and seventies. The vast majority of them are the age of those who make the rules. And while there are a few out there who still remain faithful to the views and ideas of the drug taking community; most of them jumped ship and became anti-drug or completely neutral on the issue.

While I hope, through education and persistence on our part, the next generation of lawmakers will be more open and accepting, I wouldnt bet the farm on it.
 
To be honest, I never really thought of it and that context, and wouldnt wanna argue the point cos now im not sure if i agree or not...interesting idea!
 
Jimity said:
Look at all the hippies from the sixties and seventies. The vast majority of them are the age of those who make the rules. And while there are a few out there who still remain faithful to the views and ideas of the drug taking community; most of them jumped ship and became anti-drug or completely neutral on the issue.
Click to expand...

I think this can be a bit of a misnoma - there were actually a lot less hippies in the 60s and 70s than current popular culture would have you believe, especially in comparison to the percentage of people in the X & Y generation who have been tried drugs in some way or another.

I actually have a similar hope to Cyberbyne - maybe one day the focus will shift/soften as the old generation dies out.
 
mort said:
I think this can be a bit of a misnoma - there were actually a lot less hippies in the 60s and 70s than current popular culture would have you believe, especially in comparison to the percentage of people in the X & Y generation who have been tried drugs in some way or another.

I actually have a similar hope to Cyberbyne - maybe one day the focus will shift/soften as the old generation dies out.
Click to expand...


Interesting point. However, all we can really do as responsible drug users, is to try our best to educate and inform as much and as loudly as possible.

I think what we need more is people and orginisations like Johnboy and Enlighten. People who arent afraid to speak the truth, and put their arses on the line to help people understand the drug issue and safely partake; without just yelling the novice pro-drug cliches and slogans that we all believed and sprouted when we first started using drugs and when we thought PLUR actually exsisted.

Only through intelligent dicussion and debate will we have any chance of an accepting Z-generation world.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top