Restrictions Rooted in Racism

My son was vomiting through much of the early morning hours today and I thought I'd quickly toss out this post so I can care for him.  I drafted this post right after the election, but chose not to publish it because I didn't want to take the time to complete the research.  For the record, I do not and will not smoke pot whether or not it's legal.


The California voters are darn near impossible to understand.  We are a state who consistently favors liberal politicians (indeed, true conservatives stand no chance and that's why we end up with a Democrat or a squishy Republican In Name Only), but we inexplicably also voted to outlaw same sex marriages.  Half of the state wants every tax-payer funded social program and heavily subsidized transportation boondoggle under the sun, but the other half (the ones who fund unicorns and rainbows it would seem) will not stand for paying any more in taxes than we already do.  There is one thing that California is fairly consistent about and that is creating and keeping worthless legislation.

I blogged about Prop 19 back in September and my feelings haven't changed on the matter.  The electorate disagreed, however, and Prop 19 was defeated on November 2.  Many years ago, the voters of this state approved marijuana usage for medicinal purposes.  Though a 20-year old who suffers "migraines" can choose to use pot instead of a medication actually designed and proved to relieve migraines, virtually no one has a problem with medical mary jane. 

Why do people have a problem with just getting high because it's a day that ends in Y?  It might be that we like wasting tax dollars arresting, prosecuting (and defending!), and housing potheads and petty dealers.  It could also be that we like dictating what substances other consenting adults can choose to use.  A big part of it is that we vote against whatever it is that we don't do - think of motorcycle helmet laws and even the cigarette legislation of the 90s:  "I don't smoke/ride motorcycles, so I don't care."  See, we have to save others from themselves.  I think a little bit of all of the above is correct, but I'll toss in that although we claim to want change, we fear change.

Who were the main groups against Prop 19? 

The deep pockets of the liquor lobby for one.  I guess this isn't shocking since some might choose to smoke weed instead of drink booze if there were no legal risks.  I think that most drinkers aren't going to become smokers, but young adults might be likely to choose one over the other.  Though both impair brain function, modern marijuana is damn near hallucinogenic, it doesn't taste good, and you tend to pass out after just a couple of hours.  I like to party, therefore, I drink.

Hypocrites who may have smoked at one time or who currently do smoke weed were also against Prop 19.  These people have no problem indulging in the very thing that is supposed to be so dangerous, but they want to restrict your access to the fun.  These also tend to be people who are concerned, "for the children," but that excuse is disingenuous.  After all, we have age restrictions and advertising restrictions on alcohol and cigarettes and there is no reason to believe that this legislation-happy state wouldn't do the same thing for pot.

At first glance, it seems bizarre that current pot growers were against outright legalization.  Okay, so these peaceful hippies don't want to comply with excessive regulations.  As if any business does like government oversight, but the reason it isn't really that easy and it is far more despicable.  The current pot producers in this state are selfish pricks who would rather risk criminalizing themselves and their users than risk messing with their bottom line.  Keep pot illegal keeps more money in their pockets.  Funny, they sound just as bad as Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Whatever-Industry-We're-Supposed-to-Hate-Today. . .only looking out for their own interests, even if that means flouting laws and injuring consumers.  Peaceful hippies, my foot.  More like the greedy capitalists everyone detests and blames for everything these days, eh?

* * *

I was watching an interesting program the other night about cocaine and how the first widespread drug prohibitions against it were racially motivated.  It's laughably stupid today, but the specific theory was that black men would get coked up and attack white women.  Oh, Lawdy, not that!  The show was fascinating and I wonder how many other laws are passed or defeated thanks to bad intentions. 

Did some people vote down Prop 19 because they carry the mistaken belief that only other races succumb to drug use?  There is definitely a racist root in cocaine restrictions, is there one for marijuana too?  And, if there wasn't a racist element at work when the pot laws were first established, is there one now?

You're Crazier Than We Thought

Holy smokes!  I didn't think it was possible to make yourself look any worse than Matt Stone and Trey Parker depict you, but Mel Gibson has somehow found a way.  Check out some of South Park's episodes featuring Mel Gibson to know exactly what I mean.  They show him as a Grade-A lunatic and, in light of his recent troubles, I think they were incredibly restrained in their scathing depiction.

I haven't seen all of his movies, but I've seen enough to know that Mel Gibson can make a good freaking movie.  He's a good director, he's a good actor, and he's easy on the eyes.  Heck, even is comedic timing is pretty good.  He was good at his job, but that doesn't really reveal anything about his personal character or state of mind.

Talk about a guy who seemed like he had it all.  He was a major player in the movie industry.  He had power.  He had fame.  He had wealth.  He was good looking.  More important than any worldly trappings, he had a long-term marriage (nearly 30 years!) and many children.

But that cat has fallen in a most spectacular fashion.  And why is that?  I think it's because something else (besides God) was placed above his family in his heart.

Mel Gibson has had some highly publicized personal problems recently.  His history with addiction is well known and has been documented breathlessly by celebrity gossip rags.  I half expected to wake up and hear that another one of his crazy rants had been recorded and released.  His rapid descent from Hollywood A-lister to reviled pariah may have happened anyway because he sounds batsh*t crazy, but it was certainly hastened by his addiction to alcohol. 

I'll be blunt:  It appears that his addiction was ultimately greater than his love for his family.  Does that sound harsh?  Well, it's meant to be.  There is nothing sadder than throwing away your loving family.  Nothing.

He had a nearly 30-year marriage.  Several children with the wife of his youth - seven, I think.  And he threw them away.  Worse, he brought an innocent into his personal turmoil by procreating with his mistress.

He claims to be a devout Catholic.  He's a convincing actor and I'd guess that he would still claim the Lord God as his master, but his actions are far more telling and believable than any words.  Believers should put God in the top spot in their heart, followed by spouse and children, and everything else falls somewhere far below in the heart of a Christian.

Gibson's actions aren't really consistent with one of God's children.  That's not to say that a Christian never strays from the correct path, but it's a sure bet that they are no longer on the correct path when they are totally living in the world.  Is he living in the world?  Uh, yeah.  Drunken partying, extra-marital affair, divorce, out of wedlock child.  I'd say it's pretty clear that he's totally in the world at this point.

All this destruction seems like it stemmed from his addiction to alcohol.  That's really heartbreaking.

Don't take this as an indictment of alcoholics or addicts.  I know and love some wonderful people who happen to be addicted to alcohol or who were addicted to drugs.  Addiction doesn't make someone a bad person.  No, it doesn't.  But understand that addiction can make good people do bad things.  Listen to just one of Gibson's maniacal rants you'll hear some of the bad things that an addict will say, do, or threaten.

Rehab is something that most celebrities don't seem to take seriously, but it can be a life saver.  A life changer even.  Is it expensive?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  If it works, it's worth ten times the cost.  Absolutely.  I feel the same way about sober coaches.  Having someone with an addict 24/7 does a lot to cut down on opportunities to give in to an addiction.  In my experience, tough love can ultimately work just as effectively.  Hitting rock bottom sometimes seems like it resets something in the brain of an addict.  It's like they suddenly realize what a gift their family really was and they long to have the relationships restored more than they long for whatever it was that fueled their addiction.

I can't help it, but I'm pulling for the guy to get some help and get his life back on track. I'm a romantic at heart and, yes, I even hope that his family is restored by some miracle.  Frankly, I hope that he gets back to work soon because I find his movies are far more entertaining than the mess he's made of his personal life.

Is It Rock-Bottom Yet?

Apparently not.

How do you save someone who doesn't even recognize that they need salvation? I'm not talking about religion here, I literally mean that their life is in danger because of their actions. Yet they still can't admit that they have a problem. Even worse, they blame their family for the situation that they have found themselves in. A situation that they have entirely brought upon themselves.

I realize that rock-bottom is different for everyone, but I would think that most people would have stopped fighting by now. Actually, just fighting the current circumstances would be preferable. This individual is making their situation far, far worse than it has to be. And it doesn't appear that they're going to straighten up anytime soon.

At this point, this individual seems content to terrorize their own family. Making serious threats and accusations. Directing the most evil vitriol toward the family who they had always loved and cherished. The family who still, even with all the pain and havoc that addiction has wrought, the family who still loves and cares about this individual.

Dammit all so much! It's like we don't even know who this person is anymore! Who has this person become? No one who I would ever recognize in a million years.

I've had an incredibly difficult day. The last several weeks, months actually, have been emotionally draining. Yesterday was pretty damn bad, but I think today takes the taco.

I am angry, appalled, bewildered, frightened, frustrated, scared, stunned, and upset by this most recent turn of events. I think I'm mostly angry and frightened. Maybe stunned too.

I have so many emotions warring inside myself that I can hardly get my thoughts together. Goodness knows that I'm having trouble writing my thoughts. I'm sure I'll read this post at another time and think it's a jumbled mess of words. Typing through tears has never been my forte.

My heart is just breaking for this person and their family. I'm afraid that I don't see a happy outcome. Even the best case scenario in my mind can't really be called a happy outcome because an entire family has been so completely wounded.

I've witnessed an absolute tragedy. It took several years to unfold, but it is tragic nonetheless. And I hate that I didn't do something, couldn't do anything, to stop it from happening. It's a true nightmare.

One person's addiction. It's hurting so many people. More than anything, it's so damn sad.

Addiction Hurts More Than the Addict

I feel like addiction has always been in my life. I have had close relationships with addicts at various stages in my life. From very early childhood to adolescence to adulthood, there has nearly always been an addict in my life.

Thanks to addiction, I have cried oceans of tears. I have worried, I have feared. I have bargained and I have begged. I have pleaded, I have prayed.

More than anything though, I have wept. Wept for the damage that the addict is doing. Wept over my helplessness to remove the addiction from their life. Wept in frustration that someone I love (or loved) is powerless to fight a substance that beckons them.

Addiction is seductive and it doesn't take no for an answer. It lures the addict back with promises of good times. Of course, those good times are increasingly hollow and eventually fade away altogether.

Addiction is a thief. It steals the addict's health, time, and money. Even worse, it steals the very soul of the addict. They become someone their own family doesn't recognize. And, if they live long enough, the addict wouldn't even recognize themselves.

Addiction consumes the heart and mind of the addict. The addict eventually loves their addiction more than their own family. More than themselves.

I hate addiction. I just hate it. I hate what it does to the addict and I hate the pain it inflicts upon their family. It hurts friends and family so much more than the addict could ever guess.

I'm very concerned about someone I love. I have maintained their anonymity out of consideration and respect, but I'm worried. They refuse to participate in the program that they are currently enrolled in and they are growing increasingly combative. Please take a moment to say a prayer that this individual can break free from the bondage of addiction and give this person's family the strength to stand firm in demanding sobriety. With God, all things are possible. Please ask, and continue to ask, for His help with this painful situation.


Happy Easter. . .He is Risen!