Anti-Smoking Green Movement

Ok.....this entry is going to be tough for me. I think the topic is touchy, I think that no-one has an open mind about it (Read my blog about being open-minded to understand my definition)
http://mattpearson.blogspot.com/2011/04/open-minded.html

but in honor of 420 being yesterday I think this is probably a good time to do it.

The legalization if Marijuana. It's a never ending conversation, and very rarely are either sides willing to give to the others. Today I want to address the topic. Not of whether or not Marijuana is bad, but whether or not our government should legalize it. I think I'm gonna frame this discussion around arguments that have been presented to me. And you know what, before I started writing this I said I wouldn't  because I didn't want even more people arguing with me about it, but if after having read this have this this irresistible urge to, instead of internalizing what I have to say and using it in the future, make this into an ugly argument of everyone versus me. So be it.

I also want to say that is entry is not so much for people who already know where they stand on the issue of legalizing Marijuana, it's for the people that are so indifferent, that when it finally comes time to vote, they're gonna vote for it. So here' goes something.....

CAUTION: Extreme use of hyperbole and exaggeration may occur to make a point and scare people into agreeing with me. Other effects may be extreme anger, disappointment, confusion, or laughter if you're high right now and have no idea what's going on. lol

People are going to do it anyway, we may as well tax it: Yep. People are going to do it anyway. People are going to smoke pot, people are gonna snort coke, people are going to smuggle underage girls across countries for prostitution. We may as well tax it. This is the most disgustingly passive aggressive reason I can think of. My kids are gonnna drink anyway, may as well  let them do it at home at the age of 12. There are my tangents. Allow them the resonate before you continue into the rest of this. People are going to do it? I don't smoke pot. All of my cousins, family, most of my friends do it, so why not me? Cause it's illegal. That's why I don't smoke pot, because it's illegal. Not because I think it's daaaaangerous and scary. Not because I think it's going to have terrible harmful effects on me. I don't smoke pot because smoking pot is illegal. And you know what, I could find hundreds of thousands of kids that don't smoke pot because it's illegal. And as long we pot is illegal, those hundreds of thousands of kids will continue to not smoke pot, they will continue to be productive members of society. (Oh whoops I said that kids that smoke pot aren't productive members of society. Not what I meant....) On the issue of taxing it. Ya you know what, we do have a problem with out economy. Are the pot smokers really prepared to start paying taxes for their weed. Cause u know what? I really am not ready for that whine.

It's gonna help people with cancer: Ok ya, this is one I agree with. I don't know any of the science behind it, and I'm not gonna bother doing the research, but on surface level if you wanna tell me that something in pot helps with cancer then yes, we should hone that. However if it cured cancer, wouldn't it be legal? Maybe not... But yes, if we wanna legalize thc pills or something for cancer patients so they can get help for their cancer. Let's do it! But That does not mean Joe blow down the street needs to be smoking a bowl. Honestly that has nothing to do with Joe. But I hope when they decide to use thc pills to cure cancer, but not for everyone else, I sure hope Joe Blow comes out to vote. I really do. I'm gonna steal this from Chelsea, "just because Vicadin is legal, doesn't mean just anyone gets to use it" lol

Alcohol is legal, why not pot? It's better for us anyway: Ya. It probably is. Again I don't care to go do all the research on the effects of Marijuana, the CONSTANT reminders of it by the smokers are all I need. But here we go. Alcohol is legal why not pot? Really? We have one drug, so why not two? Why not every drug be legalized? We have some guns legal. Why not all of them? May as well. Having sex with someone is legal. Why not with animals. Ya'll how many times does two wrongs don't make a right have to be said to make sense? That argument simply doesn't work cause it's inherently pointless, I'm sorry. Should they switch out pot with alcohol? Sure make it happen. I don't care. I don't want even more drugs to be legal though soooo.

It's not hurting anybody: Ok. So this is why we should legalize it. Because nobody is getting hurt? (Disclaimer: Most of these examples could also apply to alcohol, I realize this, but we're talking about legalizing something that is currently not legal) No person is going to get in a car after smoking at crash it? No child is going to emotionally scared by their deadbeat pot smoking dad? Drugs are bad yall. They do effect our decision making, they do effect our actions. Yes we choose to do them. Yes it is a choice, but we're talking about something that's ILLEGAL. Meaning right now, it shouldn't even be a choice.

We're wasting jail space with repeat offenders of this nonviolent crime: You know what, I completely agree. Is legalizing it the answer? We should legalize trespassing, loitering, reckless endangerment. The fact of the matter is, these people KNOW they are committing a crime. They KNOW it. That's the problem. If you KNOW you are breaking the law over and over then STOP complaining when you get arrested. I don't get why that is so complicated. Repeat offenders are dumb, I'm sorry. And ya they should go to jail for it. For BREAKING THE LAW. So here's the rebuttle, MATT the point is that if it wasn't against the law these people wouldn't be in jail. You're right. They wouldn't. And if child molestation wasn't against the law, child molesters wouldn't be in jail. but MATT we have the choice to legalize marijuana.

But I don't want it to be legal. Yep, after all of that my plain and simple point is that i don't WANT it to be illegal.

Want

A very simple concept that we are allowed to enjoy as Americans. Speaking our opinion and Democracy. What do the people want? If America wanted Marijuana to be legal, wouldn't it be?

I know my entry is god-awfully long, but I want to tell you guys my real reason for not wanting pot to be legal. A reason that really only applies to me.

For those who know me, I grew up around a LOT of marijuana. I won't get into specifics, but it was very readily available to me from a very young age. I was that self conscious shy fat kid with a fear of standing up for anything. Peer pressure was very much on top of me for a very long time, and it was quite inescapable. A lot of my family and friends lived very questionable lifestyles and did things that they now regret, or are doing things that they will regret in 20+ years (hopefully they will have grown up by then).

So why, why did I never smoke pot?

Why was I the ONE kid in my family that never smoked pot?

What was the solid foundation that helped me in the struggle when I was constantly being offered?

It was illegal.

I never had to smoke pot because it was illegal. I could could stand firm when I said, "No, I won't smoke it because it's illegal." And I'm eternally grateful that the law helped me through those very important developmental years.

And if ONE kid can use the fact that Marijuana is illegal as a way of reassuring themself that it's ok to be uncool. Then I VOW to help that kid keep it illegal.