In this drug culture and “TRUMP-FEST, REALITY SHOW IDIOCRACY” we find much of America embracing today, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. But it still shocks me when I hear someone tell me they don’t have ANY responsibility to set ANY kind of good or healthy example for young people. Sadly, a couple years back, I recall having to part company with a close friend who made such a statement when I reminded him of that responsibility one day.
A few days ago I was blindsided by yet another person I had begun befriending, who made the same inexcusably selfish, ignorant statement. Each time this has happened, it has been due to the individual wanting to advocate and justify the use of drugs for RECREATIONAL use (not talking about medicinal use).
There is no better, more accurate barometer of whether one has good or bad character than this. One does not have to have kids or grand kids to innately understand the importance of adults realizing that whether they like it or not, they ARE a “role model” for all young people…ALL OF THEM.
Kids and young people in general may not listen to everything we say, but they WATCH EVERYTHING WE DO like a hawk. You want to know why we have such a high degree of pregnancy and abortions by teens and very young adults? It’s because of the lack of responsible example when it comes to sex by the media and more importantly the older adults they see around them.
You want to know why we have such a problem with bullying and youth violence? It is because of the adult meanspiritedness and violence they see around them. You want to know why we have such a problem with teen and young adult drug use? SAME GOD D#MN REASON!
It doesn’t take a genius to see this truth. This most recent individual who showed their ass with such a low character comment to me is an attorney of all things. Why should that surprise or shock me? Yet it still does for some reason.
To make it even more surprising, this individual adamantly stated that the law has nothing to do with morals. This was an even more low character, ignorant thing to say, because morals, human ethics and community values are EXACTLY where our laws derive from. It is amazing how many attorneys corruptly and unethically ignore and turn a blind eye to that truth in “practicing law”.
More and more in America, we see that attorneys often want to use the law for a completely opposite objective that kicks ethics, community morals and values to the curb in the interest of a selfish, greedy agenda. Is it any wonder most politicians are former attorneys, and we have the level of corruption that we do in politics?
Morals were around long BEFORE organized religion…and morals need have NOTHING TO DO with organized religion, the Bible, the Koran or any other religious book. And the fact is that communities have always enacted laws to reflect the community values, morals (often referred to as community “morays”) and ethics they naturally knew from “common sense” would create healthy boundaries for their citizens and children, within which to maintain safety and healthy order in their societies.
Human values and community morals(not religion), as they are used to inform the laws that our federal government and local communities enact, are very often derived from “The Golden Rule”. And when for example, Christian Conservatives seek to use their Bibles and “religious beliefs” to create laws that are prejudicial to others, this generally always runs afoul of the fundamental Constitutional community moral of ALWAYS treating others with the EQUAL respect with which you would like to be treated…
“Equality under the law for all citizens”…This is the primary theme of the 14th Amendment in the U.S.Constitution, which ultimately was the precedent of law that became the undoing of this effort by Christian Conservatives in America especially related to the topic of gay marriage.
It should be no shock to me I suppose, because using marijuana and other drugs for recreation at the very least makes you stupid. So no wonder such stupid, irresponsible, amoral statements would come out of someone’s mouth who is an advocate for “drugs for fun”.
But I guess what shocks me is the severe degree of ignorance and moral bankruptcy that they often display…This same individual proudly and loudly stated that he believes in abortion of unborn children at ANY late point in a pregnancy, with NO trimester limit like even Rowe vs. Wade dictates. (Rowe vs. Wade does not allow abortion after the 2nd trimester, except in rare cases involving life/health of the mother.)
When I asked how they could advocate such a harmful thing regarding unborn children, their response was, albeit slightly tongue in cheek, “Have you ever MET any children?”
Even though this was meant to be “humorous” in their mind, (and a lot of our immature 20 something comics reading this will think, “Yeah, aborting babies in the 9th month of pregnancy, that’s FUNNY SH#T.. I gotta write that down!”)… our further discussion revealed they were ‘deadly serious’ about not valuing the unborn child as a human being until the moment they exited the birth canal.
I am only about to turn 52 (can’t believe I am this old already), and yet I remember a time in America when such a sick, unconscionable level of moral bankruptcy was unheard of. (Yes, I ended that sentence with a preposition, so SUE ME you grammar Nazis!…And the grammar Nazis are thinking the same thing, “Well I remember a time in this country when such unconscionable, irresponsible abuse of grammar was unheard of as well!) Sorry to digress, I will get back to the point now…
If you know you don’t want your kids to smoke…If you know you don’t want your kids to drink irresponsibly to the point of getting drunk, if you know you wouldn’t want your kids to use drugs for recreation, if you know you wouldn’t want them to run around having sex for recreation with no understanding of the huge adult consequences and responsibility that comes with sex, THEN DON’T ADVOCATE OR DO THOSE THINGS YOURSELF, RIGHT??… DUH!!
Those who read the above and don’t get that huge “DUH!” are people with zero good character. And we have a growing pandemic of this in America today. It belies zero character because it is a CHOSEN DESIRE by them NOT TO CARE about that responsibility of setting the right example with the way one lives their life…a desire to selfishly and irresponsibly only care about doing what feels good with no regard for the real damaging and unhealthy consequences. This absolutely shortchanges young people who, just like you and I when we were young, always look to adults for their guidance on how they should behave.
Understand, even kids who aren’t YOUR kids are watching everything you do, and you DO bear responsibility for that. Young people learn from and derive their community values from adults, period.
That said, like in a portion of my standup comedy act, I like to say that I do feel kind of conflicted about “METH”…Methamphetamine…
Well you need a little “wiggle room” right? I actually feel kind of patriotic about meth, because it’s the ONLY thing left that Americans still PROUDLY MANUFACTURE!
Think about it…It’s seemingly the last remaining bastion of “FREE ENTERPRISE” in America for Mom and Pops in this country today!
Just wait till the Chinese start manufacturing our METH…That’ll be the END of the “American Dream!”
Connie Bryan
(Connie Bryan is a writer and comedian in Sacramento, CA…Check out all of her material on her blog and website at www.conniebryan.com)
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