Legal or Not?

Necessary Change 24/7 argues for the legalization of marijuana in a May 9th article. The author lists the benefits of legalization as tax revenue, medical advantages and mood alteration. After reading, what I can only describe as a light hearted point of view, I'd like to take a moment to provide a logical argument on the issue.

The author firsts lists money as a reason to legalize marijuana. There is a valid point to be made for the revenue that can be generated from the taxation of marijuana if it were to be made legal. While we're at it, why don't we legalize cocaine, heroin and the rest of the gang? Just think of the money our government could make off the sale of these drugs. Since the author feels we should be making the illegal, legal for the sake of greed, why not include prostitution in the deal as well? True, it is the government's job to protect it's citizens, but in the interest of raking in some extra dough, we can release the government from that obligation. After all, marijuana has health benefits doesn't it?

Marijuana is used by a number of states for the treatment of cancer patients, those with AIDs and even those with glaucoma. It is, in no way, a cure for any illness, but instead a placebo for the symptoms. Marijuana is used to counter act the nausea many patients experience when they undergo chemo and radiation. Amazingly enough, there are alternate drugs (which happen to already be legal) that do the same thing. There are a variety of these drugs available since some people respond more favorably to one over another. Having helped my step-mother through chemo after she had a double mastectomy, I was able to witness first hand, the various options available for patients. Claims of the benefits for people with HIV and AIDS are also lacking scientific evidence. Though the use of marijuana for medical purposes is still a 'new' program, many problems have already been identified. Marijuana has been identified as an immunosuppressant which harms the ability of the body to fight off infections or harmful cells. As noted in 'Health _Concerns: What are the Medical Dangers of Marijuana Use?', "this suggests the conclusion, which is well-supported by scientific studies, that the use of marijuana as a medical therapy can and does have a very serious negative effect on patients with pre-existing immune deficits resulting from AIDS, organ transplantation, or cancer chemotherapy, the very conditions for which marijuana has most often been touted and suggested as a treatment." Based on the reading of my classmate's article, it seems that the author is one who very possibly enjoys the regular consumption of marijuana. Perhaps they'd also enjoy reading "Marijuana use leads to as much as a 50 percent short-term increase in heart rate, can decrease the blood supply to the heart and cause chest pains. It affects glands and hormones involved in reproduction and may impair sexual development, fertility and functioning." which can be found in a letter to the editor of New York Times titled 'On Health; Don't Legalize Marijuana'. The author of the Necessary Change also feels that anorexic people should inhale or ingest marijuana so they no longer have a weight problem. Obviously this statement was no more thought out than any others that were made in the post. Anorexia is a mental illness that causes the person to starve themselves as a result of believing they are too fat. This mental illness would not be improved by the use of marijuana. In fact studies have linked mental disorders to the use of marijuana. In the same article as noted above, Medical Dangers of Marijuana Use, 'It has been suggested that marijuana is at the root of many mental disorders." My classmate claims people should relax and that Congress "looks uptight" and suggests that the use of marijuana will result in good moods for everyone.

Last I checked, triggering bipolar disorder and schizophrenia were not conducive to good moods. They are however linked to the regular use of marijuana. Learning, thinking, judgement, perception and memory are all impaired by the regular use of marijuana. I believe my classmate was making an attempt at humor in the finishing comments about memory loss. I saw it more as a an argument against the legalization of this 'harmless' drug.

Equality, but not really

Achieving equality for all citizens is something this country has not managed to accomplish. Priding ourselves on being a melting pot of races and religions, a government for the people and by the people, a sanctuary for the tired poor and huddled masses, we are still neglecting a significant portion of our citizens. Supposing to be a country tolerant of varied religious views, one religion is consistently used to make laws, for and often even against this country's people. A current battle for equality is in the arena of same sex marriage. This topic is a volatile one often generating extreme reactions from both sides of the fence. There are a few common arguments repeatedly made against same sex marriages that I'd like to address.

Homosexuality is against God's word. The Bible contains numerous passages describing the act of homosexuality as an abomination. Many of those same passages also describe premarital sex, promiscuity, adultery and even lying in the same passages. Oddly enough, most of that information is glazed over or ignored completely since it is not convenient to those trying preach the religious argument. One won't get very far in their persuasion efforts if they also explain that premarital sex is an equal abomination in the very same passage as homosexuality. Likewise, they won't find many eager listeners if they were to reveal that lying is also a sin. What humans have done, from the moment of the existence, is pick and choose which portions of the rules are most convenient to them and ignore the rest. It's true there are several passages that declare the act of homosexuality a sin, but it should be noted that it's not the only sin. I have yet to know a person free from sin, though I know hundreds that are ready to judge others. A portion of the Bible that is often quoted in argument against same sex relations is from Romans 1:29-32. True to form what is frequently omitted is the following verse, Romans 2:1 "Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgement on another, you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things." An attempt to argue that homosexuality is against the Bible, is generally weak given the list of other things the Bibles also speaks against but are commonly practiced by the same people preaching the faith. Aside from religious views, there's also the issue of the sanctity of marriage.

A great deal of people argue that same sex marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage. Given the world we live in today, I have to ask...what sanctity? We live in a society that allows drive-thru weddings, performed by Elvis impersonators as well as ridiculously extravagant affairs costing thousands upon thousands of dollars. This is a country with a divorce rate among heterosexual couples so high, that it makes the attempt to claim that the sanctity of marriage would be demolished, laughable at best. Even more damaging to the sanctity of marriage argument are the survey results of divorce rates among religious groups. That's right, God-fearing/loving Christians that hold the sanctity of marriage so high, they feel it necessary to deny other citizens the same right, are divorced. A controversial survey produced by Mr. Barna claims that 34% of those claiming Non-Denominational faith were currently or had been divorced. The number dropped to 29% for Baptists and lowered to 25% for Protestants. Catholics and Lutherans results were 21%, though many Catholics work very hard to get their marriage annulled rather than going through a divorce. Sanctity of marriage should be important to people, but in this country, it would be a blatant hypocrisy to site this as a valid argument opposing same sex marriage. Perhaps one of the most troubling sentiments in this topic is the one seeking to define marriage. Statements often heard are "It's not right," and 'It's not natural." A judge once said, "[Their relationship] is essentially different from that of man and wife joined in lawful wedlock." This statement, made by a North Carolina judge in 1868, was in regards to the marriage of two African American slaves which was seen as illegal due to their race. A heterosexual union, but one that was 'not right.'. Even more disturbing is how much that sounds like what we are hearing today. Marriage was redefined later when it finally allowed the union of mixed races in 1967. Prior to that, it was illegal to marry a person of another race. "Marriage should be defined as between a man and woman". That's the mantra of the opponents of same sex marriage and it's one that I feel must change with the times.

Family values are another frequent catch phrase for those against equal rights for all citizens.
Religious and conservative people often claim that same sex marriages will destroy the strong family system that exists today and the social decline that will follow will be immeasurable. Seriously? So only same sex couples can maintain a strong sense of kinship and familial ties? Only heterosexual couples can provide the united mother and father household that children need? The growing number of single parents in our country today have nothing to do with same sex marriage and everything to do with life choices made by individuals, most of whom are straight. Heterosexual couples frequently divorce, thus dividing the household and depriving children of the 'essential unity required' for their well being and a strong society. Being a child of a "broken" home, I feel I've had just as good a life, if not better, as my friends whose parents remained together. I have an even larger family due to my parents divorce and as a result, I have more support, love and guidance from my family. I do not consider this to be a negative experience. I have yet to find any real evidence that can actually substantiate the claims that homosexual couples are going to bring about the end of society and the world as we know it. The reason that no real proof can be found, is because it's not a fact, but an opinion.

This country was founded on basic freedoms and rights and the ideal of equality. Various battle have been fought for the security and enforcement of these rights. Are we really wishing to send the message to the rest of the world that we are a country of hypocritical bigots? Is hate, intolerance and forced religion what we really want to stand for? While I may not agree with the choices some people make, I do agree that they should have the same freedoms as everyone else to make those choices. The choice to get married should not be a right enjoyed by some. It should be a choice available to all citizens. Sexual preference should not dictate which rights a person does or doesn't have. The notion that it's okay, and even our duty to strip certain groups of their rights, is the same notion that was held when slavery and later segregation, were in full force. It's a notion that makes me sick.