dbell@maths.tcd.ie (Derek Bell) (04/30/89)
In article <3994@ficc.uu.net> jeffd@ficc.uu.net (jeff daiell) writes: >First, on ethical grounds -- Human rights are universal -- and second, >on practical grounds. As Ayn Rand put it, when The State wants to >violate a right, it starts with the most socially unacceptable >elements and violates their rights ... but then moves on to the >rest of us. If we can prevent politicians from repressing the >leftwing crazies and the rightwing crazies, then the rest of us >should be fairly safe! Hmm... Dou you mean _all_ leftwing crazies & rightwing crazies shouldn't be repressed? And what would you think of as oppression, stopping extremist acts (eg harassing ethnic minorities) or cracking down on (say) racist propaganda?? >If we adopted the ACLU's drug legalization program, homes wouldn't >be burglarized for drug money, because drugs wouldn't be a Mafia >monopoly with monopoly prices. Nor would we have pushers trying to >hook our children. When's the last time somebody broke into a house >for booze money -- or hung around a school yard selling whiskey? What does the ACLU propose? Legalising all narcotics, or a few? No restrictions or just allowing it on prescription to addicts on 'cold turkey'? (If that's the phrase.) These drugs will still be addictive, and if legalised with no restrictions, could cause much more problems that alcoholism does now, IMHO. >Jeff Daiell -- ********************** 'It reads: The Grail is in Castle AARRGH!' * dbell@maths.tcd.ie * 'Oooooohhhhhhh!' * belld@vax1.tcd.ie * 'No, it definitely says AARRGH!...' ********************** Monty Python & the Holy Grail
cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (05/01/89)
In article <778@maths.tcd.ie#, dbell@maths.tcd.ie (Derek Bell) writes: # In article <3994@ficc.uu.net# jeffd@ficc.uu.net (jeff daiell) writes: # #First, on ethical grounds -- Human rights are universal -- and second, # #on practical grounds. As Ayn Rand put it, when The State wants to # #violate a right, it starts with the most socially unacceptable # #elements and violates their rights ... but then moves on to the # #rest of us. If we can prevent politicians from repressing the # #leftwing crazies and the rightwing crazies, then the rest of us # #should be fairly safe! # # Hmm... Dou you mean _all_ leftwing crazies & rightwing crazies # shouldn't be repressed? And what would you think of as oppression, stopping # extremist acts (eg harassing ethnic minorities) or cracking down on (say) # racist propaganda?? There is nothing you can say or write to an adult that is so offensive or "dangerous" that it justifies putting someone in prison. (This is not to say that slander and libel laws go away -- there may well be financial consequences to damaging someone's reputation -- but no one goes to prison). You can easily define those actions which are truly injurious to another party (burning a cross on someone's lawn is definitely vandalism and potentially arson, spray-painting Nazi symbols on a synagogue is definitely vandalism, throwing rocks through the windows is definitely assault), and those actions which are merely offensive (yelling "nigger" or "capitalist" at someone). # #If we adopted the ACLU's drug legalization program, homes wouldn't # #be burglarized for drug money, because drugs wouldn't be a Mafia # #monopoly with monopoly prices. Nor would we have pushers trying to # #hook our children. When's the last time somebody broke into a house # #for booze money -- or hung around a school yard selling whiskey? # # What does the ACLU propose? Legalising all narcotics, or a # few? No restrictions or just allowing it on prescription to addicts on 'cold # turkey'? (If that's the phrase.) These drugs will still be addictive, and if # legalised with no restrictions, could cause much more problems that alcoholism # does now, IMHO. # # #Jeff Daiell # * dbell@maths.tcd.ie * 'Oooooohhhhhhh!' It's hard to believe that ANY of the illegal drugs would significantly increase in use after legalization -- for practical purposes, the laws do nothing but benefit the dealers now. Practical experiments with decriminalization of marijuana suggest that everyone who is trashing themselves with crack now is everyone who is interested in trashing themselves with crack under any circum- stances. -- Clayton E. Cramer {pyramid,pixar,tekbspa}!optilink!cramer Governments that don't trust most people with weapons, deserve no trust. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer? You must be kidding! No company would hold opinions like mine!