But here on the brink of the destruction of our country, I have returned.
Throwaway acct, I am not in fact Richard Lewis. Us Reddit Refugees ought to be careful lol.
Know that you have silent supporters like myself wearing liberal clothes in a liberal state.
Godspeed Patriots WWG1WGA
I personally believe someone's sex preference (as long as its between adults capable of informed consent) is between them and God. However, just as I wouldn't force my heterosexuality in someones face, I don't want someones sexuality thrown in mine, and I certainly don't want my kindergarten-age child being taught to question their gender or my 5th grade child being taught how to have anal sex with a cucumber - because that infringes on my child's right to an "innocent" childhood and my right as a parent to make decisions in the best interests of my children.
I'm okay with legalization of marijuana because it's natural which is more than I can say for alcohol. My problem with legalizing other drugs has more to do with their addictive nature (if heroin was legalized, more people would be willing to try it and, bc it's highly addictive even after one use, more people would end up addicted.) Plus the social cost of addiction.
As far as guns, I disagree with red flag laws and registration - b c, let's face it, most criminals don't have registered guns , and, in most states there are already mental health procedures in place to deal with those who are considered dangerous to themselves or others..
I can agree with most of that.
Stuff like this is important to talk about because it seems like a lot of issues have been divisively amplified - esp race and sexuality.
I come from a conservative Republican family, and because of that, have ended up being around a lot of conservatives. I know a few Dems - most of who now support Trump and a couple who don't but can't back that decision up by anything other than the accepted Dem narrative. The irony is that they pretty much want the same things out of life that I do - IMO most Americans are on the same basic page of what we want for our families.
We are so much more similar than different, but the differences are routinely amplified. We get along better than the media will have people believe.
Yes! You said it so much better than I tried to. The media propaganda amplifies the differences and creates . extremes. For example, I don't believe for a minute that most Dem parents are okay with their 8yo child having gender reassignment surgery - yet that's what the media seems to want us to believe.
I have been reading a lot of your replies and appreciate your willingness to be "outspoken" towards your progressive view but this response caused me to pause and re-read. What about that above statement do you not agree with with you say you agree with most? Genuinely curious about this due to my profession and the area in which I do it.
Ya so I don't think addictive/dangerous drugs should be readily available for anyone , but the one stipulation in my belief is that I don't believe in repercussions that do not fit the severity or lack thereof of the crime. Basically I want people to be able to bounce back to life after addiction without any extreme damage to their ability to get a job etc.
Well, I hate to be this person to burst that bubble but that is not something that is realistic. Criminal reform? Sure, I am for this BUT at the same time, it needs to go both ways. There are people who need to be in jail that are let out and those who don't deserve the punishment that are kept in.
That is one angle of what you are referring to. Now, as far as the addiction aspect of it. Yes people should be able to get help to kick the stuff if they get addicted to it. I support this 100%. Problem is, that is MORE tax dollars spent on those who CHOOSE to do these substances. I am all for helping people, no doubt. But to mandate I pay MORE money for others bad decisions is not something I agree with. There are plenty of people I know who have bounced back and went on to live wonderful lives. There are also those (including my own family) who did not bounce back and OD'd and died. Now, in the area where I work doing the profession I do, I see this DAILY. Rehab clinics just suck up tax dollars to push government funded opioids aka methadone. Thousands of people every day go to these clinics. Vast majority in the area I frequent have been on it for many years and continue to use the "real stuff" on top of it. Guess where most of them are found? Dead. Daily, people die from over dosing. And this is with the local government handing out "narcan" like candy for free (More Tax Dollars).
This is not even touching the actual violent criminal acts that are attached to the distribution of these substances. There is no half legal, half illegal with these substances. Either open the floodgates and there will be an even greater generational epidemic with opioids than there already is or keep it illegal. That being said, I lean towards the latter. BUT, extreme punishments for "dealers" and very minor if any at all for the "user". That is the system I think would destroy the generational addictions to these substances because there wont be anywhere near as many people who dare sell the stuff. So after a generation or two you would see addiction and OD numbers drop. Just my 2 cents on it tho. And just real quick before people quote distribution jail sentences, if you think those are actually enforced the way the law is written, I have several bridges to sell you. Inner city court systems are a joke and that is why the violence / addiction is perpetuated. And to reiterate after that, dealing gets big punishment, using doesn't in the world I described.
But thank you for replying, I was just curious why you didn't agree with the previous statement. My understanding of what you said leans more on criminal justice reform which I do agree needs some work. At the end of the day, the more hand holding the government does, the more money that is taken from people.
2nd reply, forgot to add this part.
There are TONS of programs and centers that help people discreetly. I work with several people who have had to go to AA or other forms of rehab and kept their jobs. The job even still paid them as long as it was completed properly. These things exist. Sad part is, many CHOOSE not to get the help. If that is them or the addiction making the decision, I don't know. But I do know that there has never been more help than there is now for opioids. The supply to the next generation is what needs cut and we can triage our way through those addicted now and help them stand again. But until the supply is fixed, you are effetely putting a never ending costing band aid on a gun shot wound. This is the side of the coin people don't want to talk about. If the next generation is less addicts then costs go down, (nurses, doctors, police, corrections, attorneys, judges, medical costs, etc.) Then that is less taxes needed or more improvements that can be made for all Americans. Then continue the cycle and it gets better and better. But none of that can happen until the addictions go down instead of sky rocketing like they are today.