Why do people think the laws are perfect?

[chuckman1]

While reading through this thread http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.351308-So-how-do-you-feel-about-marijuana-possibly-being-legalized-in-Canada-next-month?page=7 I felt I should talk about this.

Why does it seem so many people think our great politician lords would never harm us and every law is always perfect the way it is?
(mentioning drugs apparently turns things in to a flame war) I brought up marijuana here but my flame shield wasnt powerful enough so please go check out the bottom for a better example supplied by Blablahb)
It's basically them pulling the "because i said so" card parents pull on you, that always irritated me I feel there needs to be a valid reason for things not "thats just the way it is"

If nobody ever rebelled against the laws then America would still be full of slavery, genocide, and murder for sexual orientation.

So my question is, Why are so many people content when things are HORRIBLE and dont see the error in the way things are and NEVER wanna change?

EDIT READ BEFORE POST
Since this turned in to a MARIJUANA IS BAD
NO ITS GOOD
NO ITS BAD

A much better one is stuff like gun laws, extreme 'self-defense' laws that basically legalise murder, or police brutality. Especially the US seems to accept the idea that laws are never wrong and self-justifying. I was amazed by the number of people defending an obese policeman who decided to use a taser on a cuffed arrestee trying to run away, killing her in the process. You hear things like 'but she was running away' or 'but she broke the law', completely disregarding any sense of proportion and ethics.

Even the fact that said policeman said to the media he'd gladly kill another unarmed handcuffed person if they ran from him (hello psychopathic personality disorder) didn't sway their opinion.

 

[requisitename]

Drugs are illegal because they are more or less dangerous, depending on what drug you're talking about. Have you seen first-hand what cocaine, meth or heroin do to people's lives? It's not pretty. While marijuana isn't usually considered as dangerous, it's still not completely safe. Smoking *anything* isn't good for your lungs. Then there is the fact that people get stoned and decide to drive while their perception is impaired. And, if you're thinking of throwing up the "But alcohol is WORSE and it's LEGAL" argument.. don't. X being "worse" than Y doesn't make Y good by any stretch.

I would talk about other laws and trying to change laws you don't like, but I get the feeling that all you care about is weed being legal. My apologies if I'm wrong.

 

[Thaluikhain]

So my question is, Why are so many people content when things are HORRIBLE and dont see the error in the way things are and NEVER wanna change?

You are assuming the laws are horrible. That's a subjective thing. People judge them on how they affect themselves.

I've never been beat up by the police because of the colour of my skin. Therefore, being beat up by the police due to the colour of my skin isn't a serious issue for me, or by extension, anyone else, myself being the yardstick by which other people are judged.

If I don't want to do X, why should I get upset that doing X is banned? If I don't like ti, nobody else should.

[small]I'd argue that the US is still full of murder for sexual orientation, though that depends on your definition of "full"[/small]

 

[White Lightning]

The laws we have now aren't perfect but they work. Back when slavery was the norm it made sense to rebel but not now.

 

[Erttheking]

Buddy, there is no such thing as a perfect law maker, we gotta make due with what we've got. Also there's a big gap between the selling of humans as property, and not being allowed to smoke weed, a BIG gap.

 

[Thaluikhain]

The laws we have now aren't perfect but they work. Back when slavery was the norm it made sense to rebel but not now.

Er, for a given value of "work". There's always a big difference between rebelling and trying to improve the laws that exist.

 

[Keoul]

Regnes is right about the whole "afraid of change" thing
Laws aren't perfect at all just look at how many amendments are made to the constitution, isn't that enough evidence to show that we need to change laws according to the times? our moral stances against things change over time and laws should reflect just that, Our current morale stances on things right now, not 20 years ago.

 

[Zeckt]

It might have something to do with many American corporations either twisting laws in a warped and sick way or outright breaking them and human rights in other countries. What use are laws if 1% of the population is pretty much immune to it because they have all the money? America is the country where you can cause a housing crash causing many of their own countrymen to lose their homes all in the name of profit for the rich and either get a slap on the wrist for it or no punishment at all or even worse a cushy government job.

And to go with the topic, the government has brainwashed us into thinking pot is the root of all evil but encourages consumption of alcohol which destroys many, many more lives and families then pot ever will. It disgusts me they manipulate us into their way of thinking only because they have no control over the pot.

Also, how you can you respect the laws of a government that put the very same tyrants into power that they turn around and wage war on knowing full well they hurt their own populace not for that but because they no longer agree to be an American puppet? Laws and the people who make them are crooked, the only true thing to protect you is good will to your fellow being.

Tell me whats worse, a guy who shoplifts at the super market to feed his family because he can barely pay the rent and provide for the people he cares for or a guy who caused the whole god damn economy to crash so he and his executive friends can be even richer to pay for more higher class prostitutes? according to law, the shoplifter.

I spit on laws and all they stand for. Fuck them!

 

[Hoplon]

The one that boggles my mind is why people equate the law with justice.

Drug laws are mostly bad for the same reason the prohibition of Alcohol was a terrible idea. They create an underground for these things rather than controlling them. I am not saying Heroin should be available from the corner shop but at the same time really neither should booze and cigarettes.

 

[Redweaver]

People who say marijuana is dangerous in some way are utterly ignorant. Ignorant of the history of hemp. Ignorant of who Harry J. Anslinger is. And ignorant of all the medical studies done not paid for by interests who goal is to keep weed illegal.

And, unfortunatly, there is truth in the phrase: "ignorance is bliss".

 

[TotalerKrieger]

Quite a few people are either unwilling or unable to think beyond the staus quo. They prefer to accept what they are told without question as doing otherwise would place them out of their comfort zone. Our culture is all about maintaining that bubble of ignorant happiness, damn the consequences or responsiblities.

That is why you see families cutting off contact with their elderly or disabled relatives, that is why hostility towards intellectualism is on the rise, that is why voter turnout is falling and that is why many choose to think our laws are perfect...so many refuse to carry the burden of learning, adapting or caring...it's simply easier not to.

Be thankful if you are not part of the "sheeple", it means that more than a handful of neurons in ye'ole frontal lobe are firing properly...

 

[Limecake]

A lot of people's main argument against legalization of drugs is "theyre illegal for a reason" WHAT REASON!?!?!?

Pay attention to the next thing they said, and you would've known the answer to that.

The other way around, all arguments I've ever seen in favour of legalising drugs are "Because I'd like to get more, easier, and cheaper, and I don't care about anything else", which is a really selfish and bad argument.

You picked a really bad example for this discussion.

wow that really is a terrible reason for legalizing drugs, good thing I've never used that argument when talking to people about drugs.

1) Financial, legalizing and taxing drugs would add quite a bit of funds to the economy instead of going to drug dealers (most of the time overseas)

2) Knowledge, legalizing drugs would make the study of drugs and there effect much simpler. not to mention there have been studies that have shown THC to slow down cancer growth.

3) Safety, people like drugs because they work. They deliver exactly what they promise. Regardless if they are legal or not people will do them. wouldn't you rather them get the same product in a safe environment where they know what they're getting and have no danger of being killed or beaten?

4) Society, I hear the arguement 'if you make drugs legal, more people will do them'. So they're telling me the only reason I don't kill the people around me is because there is a law to say I can't? if you make heroin legal I'm not going to 'give it a shot' it would just be more safe for the people who already do it (which would also reduce the spread of HIV).

The more laws you have the less free you are, total freedom would mean giving up all the safety we have in place. and total safety would mean that you have no freedom to do as you wish.

 

[HardkorSB]

A lot of people's main argument against legalization of drugs is "theyre illegal for a reason" WHAT REASON!?!?!?

Well, with marihuana, the reason was a massive lobby by the tobacco and paper industries.

People will say that law is perfect until the law starts affecting their lives in a negative way.
Law is made by people -> people aren't perfect -> law isn't perfect

 

[Vegosiux]

I think this thread would be a lot more legitimate if the OP's post wasn't basically a rant about marijuana being illegal.

Yes, there are bad laws, unfair laws, and corrupt laws, but really. The ban on marijuana isn't one of them.

 

[GoaThief]

They choose to use drugs, they also choose the consequences. Don't like that risk, don't play with drug dealing criminals. Their selfishness isn't an argument to legalize anything.

It's the same as saying "I like to beat people up at random. Let's legalise assault so I no longer get thrown in jail for it"

Talking rubbish I'm afraid, countries with lax drug laws see less drug use across the board. The comparison to assault is disingenuous at best.

And if you'd ever seen someone on heroin ever in your life, you'd agree with me that getting people off the stuff whatever it takes is the best approach. Especially heroin turns normal people into trash with nothing to live for.

Did you know that heroin was once legal? Even as a percentage, the amount of people that used it back then was far less than it is today. If you really have the interests of addicts at heart you'd legalise and control it, that way they won't be putting brick dust and the like into their veins plus the funding would be there for their rehabilitation and education.

It's a bit off-topic though, laws will never be perfect although there are some types who will blindly follow them regardless, as you well know.

I think this thread would be a lot more legitimate if the OP's post wasn't basically a rant about marijuana being illegal.

I don't think it makes the argument illegitimate , but it does weaken and limit in scope.