Stolen opinions meme
Apr. 29th, 2004 03:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparkindarknessI have this on my other journal, but I've decided I'm opinionated enough to put it on both :) Besides, usually my two journals, and who reads each one, doesn't cross either. And I want to reserve the right to come back to it and change some things but I may want to change some things on this journal that I daren't on the other (coward that I am).
Abortion?: PRO. I’ve never understood the idea that a woman looses all rights over her body just because there happens to be some proto life inside her. It’s her body, and if she doesn’t want to go through the life threatening (because even with modern technology you can still die in childbirth), life changing, agonising process of pregnancy and childbirth then that is her decision. Maybe the latest of abortions are more reprehensible (when the baby can live without the mother) but the line is still fuzzy. Oh, and it isn’t a replacement for contraception (which should receive fill backing and education - including the morning after pill). On the morning after pill it is and SHOULD be available over the counter {as opposed to on prescription, requiring you to wait for a doctor’s appointment which... well, the delay rather makes it pointless, right? And don’t doctors have better things to spend their time on?)
Death Penalty?: ANTI. Unequivocal, in no case, in no way. Nunca! See my argument in the last post, but also, the state shouldn’t kill, even the guilty. You WILL get innocent people killed. Not an if. It’s a WILL. From crooked cops, crooked forensics, simple mistakes and a hundred other things (take DNA, as someone has pointed out but I will repeat - DNA matching doesn’t look at the whole strand. Often what you will ACTUALLY have is a 1 in a million chance of it being anyone else. Fine, long odds and enough to knock out ‘reasonable doubt’ in most cases. But think for a minute - a 1 in a million chance in a big city means the chances are, there IS someone else, or even several someones, in the city who would also match). The death penalty isn’t about justice - it hooks right into vengeance, not a good thing to encourage, it’s all part of the ‘violence to solve problems’ mentality. Add in that the vaunted deterrence factor that pro death penalty advocates prate on is actually a complete fallacy. When Britain abolished hanging there was no spike in murders. The removal of the ’ultimate’ deterrent meant nothing. Murderers DO NOT expect to be caught. Think about it - 25 years in prison is enough to deter anyone. A criminal doesn’t sit down with a balance sheet and work out the pros and cons. They do not think they will be caught. As phrased by legal scholars far more knowledgeable than I - ‘deterrence only works when you have a near total conviction rate’. In other words - it works only if people see no chance of getting away with it.
Prostitution?: PRO. Their bodies. Their choice. Most of the problems with prostitution come from its illegal status. Legalise it. Have licensed brothels - you can even tax it! That way the prostitutes can say ‘no you ARE going to wear a condom’ can get regular STD checks at clinics and are protected by bodyguards and the law. The pimps will die out, there’ll be less exploitation and violence and death all round. While at the same time the customer knows they’re not going to be knifed and robbed. You’ll not get rid of prostitution, all you can do is make it as safe as possible.
Alcohol?: PRO. Well, do I need to say anything about this? Aside from anything else prohibition doesn’t work, especially since alcohol is so damn easy to make. It’s even worse than Methamphetamine. Heroin they smuggle in. Alcohol can be made in every kitchen in the country.
Marijuana?: Legalise it. Come on, the stuff’s less harmful and less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. Slap an age limit on, legalise it, tax it to the hilt like we do cigs and booze and completely eliminate it’s smuggling straight off. Additional income to the country, free up custom’s resources, invigorate third world countries like Ghana which could completely overhaul their economy with a cannabis crop and get ultra cool cannabis cafes. Yeah, it’s not good for you, but nor is McDonald’s, tobacco, alcohol, driving, or listening to a politician.
Other drugs?: Ok, I’m ambivalent. Part of me says ‘your body, your life. You want to kill yourself, your deal’ legalise, tax, age limit and sell. Another problem is frankly there’s been a lot of misinformation been spread (this is your brain on drugs? Hah!) which generally means it’s hard to say exactly HOW dangerous some of these things are. I’ve read reports that say ecstasy can kill with the first pill, and others that says it causes long term damage about the same rate of alcohol. Much the same with LSD. Basically, everyone who writes these reports now seems to have an agenda and it’s very hard to know what to trust.
I do know that a substantial amount of drug deaths are caused by dodgy dealers mixing it with stuff they shouldn’t. Organised crime and smuggling is pretty much fuelled on the drug trade as well. But on the anti legalisation side we have the fact that at least some drugs cause horrendous harm and addictive to the point of making the poor sods helpless.
So I don’t know. Maybe some illegal, some not? I AM sure about treatment for drug offenders though - they need help and treatment, not punishment.
Gay marriage?: PRO. Simple reasoning - we live in a free society. In a free society, everything should be legal and all should equal unless there is a PROPORTIONATE reason why it should be prohibited/they should suffer less equal treatment. Therefore, given there is no proportionate reason not to allow gay marriage (religion is not a reason that binds the state) nor a good reason to allow prejudice against gays, it should be legal.
Illegal immigrants?: Depends on the type, Some illegal immigrants are genuine refugees who are slipping through the cracks. Some are just desperate for a better life. Basically, the population of the UK is FALLING and AGING. There is also a HUGE requirement for TRADESMEN (like plumbers, electricians etc) as opposed to academics (which we have in spades). We need immigration to keep the country viable, and frankly, legal immigration has a lot of hoops to jump through.
That being said - we’re a small island. We’re already overpopulated. Green belt land is falling all around us (not helped by the British insistence on a HOUSE rather than a flat). There’s a limit to what we can take.
Oh - on the asylum issue. Want less asylum seekers? Then complain to your government about creating and supporting the situations that CAUSE them to flee.
Smoking?: Allowed, basically same as drugs and alcohol. BUT smoking is a choice. Your choice to smoke or not. I have a choice as well - which also includes my not having to breathe your toxic fumes. If you’re in an enclosed space which isn’t set aside for smoking (you can get smoking rooms in some pubs now) or at VERY LEAST isn’t well ventilated, put it out or go outside. I don’t need lung cancer, and the poor bar staff don’t either - and they can’t walk out the pub.
Drunk driving?: Recklessness to this scale SHOULD constitute murder. You know, They know, I know, EVERYONE knows it’s foolish. There’s really no excuse. (BTW same applies to anyone stoned, high, tripping or anything else on drugs while driving).
Cloning?: Going with the clone organs (transplants, stem cell research etc) because of the sheer good it can do, but not people because there’s no need for it. The world’s overpopulated already, and we don’t want to get all eugenics and Gattica with our genetic code - diversity is strength.
Racism?: Big question. WHY? I honestly do not understand it. So someone’s got a different skin tone? BIG BLOODY DEAL. Seriously, who cares? No, I know who cares, but WHY? Same goes for all prejudice. Why?
Premarital sex?: Why not? (see my freedom argument). Besides, it’s not like you’re going to stop it.
Religion?: Ok, simple rule - I don’t care what anyone believes. Believe it with myblessing full support. It’s wonderful what strength some people get from their faith. Everyone has the right to worship who they want, how they want and what they want and I’ll fight to defend that right. BUT:
1) Your faith, your business. Evangelism is frankly rude - especially aggressive door to door evangelism.
2) Your faith your business #2. Your faith, and the moral codes that make up your faith bind YOU and your fellow believers. They do NOT bind me or anyone else who doesn’t share the faith. You cannot expect us to follow them and you have NO right to demand we do.
3) Your faith your business #3/government and religion. Your faith is personal - the state should have no role in religion. The legislature certainly shouldn’t. Do not expect or demand for your faith to be codified in law so you can enforce it against others.
4) Your faith your business #4/government and religion #2. Similarly, education providers, unless specific PRIVATELY FUNDED institutions, should not press any faith onto the children. That is brainwashing, indoctrination and has no place in the education system.
5) Government and religion #3. Government should stay out of religion - which includes funding wise. Your religion is your own, do not expect the non-believer to pay taxes to upkeep your faith (aside from anything else, especially in the case of the CoE and the Catholic church they are ROLLING in money). This includes government hand outs and TAX breaks. The church should NOT be free from tax. Charities are tax exempt - churches should qualify IF they can prove a charitable action.
The war in Iraq?: My opinions are so very well known on this issue.
Bush?: People like him make me understand Torquemada.
Downloading music?: Ok, I can see the music industry’s point on ‘theft’ and all. But basically, I have little sympathy because of their pricing if nothing else. It’s pretty well documented how little of the money spent on a CD actually ends up in the artist’s pockets. Singles are frankly, extortionate. Albums are better value but come with half a dozen songs you just do not want. Besides, downloading music can lead people to buying the CD - it does me. Because I want to hear a song/album before I buy - especially the albums. I don’t want to get home and find that the album of 12 songs I bought has only one song actually worth listening to.
Oh, and I am against regulating the internet beyond the bare minimum necessary. Let’s keep SOME areas of freedom left.
The legal drinking age?: Personally, I go with 16, and lower at home. One of the reasons for binge drinking is simply lack of experience. I’ll never forget the French exchange trip which also involved 14 girls from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (I think). We drank sensibly. Half of them were downing drinks like water then throwing up. The other half smelled the fumes off the bar and were gone. And one was sat in a corner moralising (born again). Experience is needed.
Porn?: Ok, freedom speech again. See above - if someone wants to look at porn, there choice.
Suicide?: Ok, some of this annoys me. Especially the kids in comfortable middle class homes who think their life isn't worth living. I want to drag them round the mass graves that are scattered liberally round the world, force them through the AIDs crippled communities of Africa, and poverty stricken areas throughout the third world and just scream at them. I understand they feel terrible, and I guess life can suck horribly at times. I agree and sympathise. But there is so much horrendous suffering the world, those of us in the comfortable first world should just laugh every day and thank whatever you want to thank for being so incredibly lucky that we live how and where we do.
Anyway, back to topic. I’m generally of the opinion that if someone wants to, they will do it eventually. Also that it’s their life and their choice. I know you can talk of loved ones left behind, but when it comes down to it, it is their choice. I do think they need help and support - all we can give, but in the end, it is their choice.
Oh and Euthanasia? Definitely pro. There are some things we cannot ask people to live through.
Abortion?: PRO. I’ve never understood the idea that a woman looses all rights over her body just because there happens to be some proto life inside her. It’s her body, and if she doesn’t want to go through the life threatening (because even with modern technology you can still die in childbirth), life changing, agonising process of pregnancy and childbirth then that is her decision. Maybe the latest of abortions are more reprehensible (when the baby can live without the mother) but the line is still fuzzy. Oh, and it isn’t a replacement for contraception (which should receive fill backing and education - including the morning after pill). On the morning after pill it is and SHOULD be available over the counter {as opposed to on prescription, requiring you to wait for a doctor’s appointment which... well, the delay rather makes it pointless, right? And don’t doctors have better things to spend their time on?)
Death Penalty?: ANTI. Unequivocal, in no case, in no way. Nunca! See my argument in the last post, but also, the state shouldn’t kill, even the guilty. You WILL get innocent people killed. Not an if. It’s a WILL. From crooked cops, crooked forensics, simple mistakes and a hundred other things (take DNA, as someone has pointed out but I will repeat - DNA matching doesn’t look at the whole strand. Often what you will ACTUALLY have is a 1 in a million chance of it being anyone else. Fine, long odds and enough to knock out ‘reasonable doubt’ in most cases. But think for a minute - a 1 in a million chance in a big city means the chances are, there IS someone else, or even several someones, in the city who would also match). The death penalty isn’t about justice - it hooks right into vengeance, not a good thing to encourage, it’s all part of the ‘violence to solve problems’ mentality. Add in that the vaunted deterrence factor that pro death penalty advocates prate on is actually a complete fallacy. When Britain abolished hanging there was no spike in murders. The removal of the ’ultimate’ deterrent meant nothing. Murderers DO NOT expect to be caught. Think about it - 25 years in prison is enough to deter anyone. A criminal doesn’t sit down with a balance sheet and work out the pros and cons. They do not think they will be caught. As phrased by legal scholars far more knowledgeable than I - ‘deterrence only works when you have a near total conviction rate’. In other words - it works only if people see no chance of getting away with it.
Prostitution?: PRO. Their bodies. Their choice. Most of the problems with prostitution come from its illegal status. Legalise it. Have licensed brothels - you can even tax it! That way the prostitutes can say ‘no you ARE going to wear a condom’ can get regular STD checks at clinics and are protected by bodyguards and the law. The pimps will die out, there’ll be less exploitation and violence and death all round. While at the same time the customer knows they’re not going to be knifed and robbed. You’ll not get rid of prostitution, all you can do is make it as safe as possible.
Alcohol?: PRO. Well, do I need to say anything about this? Aside from anything else prohibition doesn’t work, especially since alcohol is so damn easy to make. It’s even worse than Methamphetamine. Heroin they smuggle in. Alcohol can be made in every kitchen in the country.
Marijuana?: Legalise it. Come on, the stuff’s less harmful and less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. Slap an age limit on, legalise it, tax it to the hilt like we do cigs and booze and completely eliminate it’s smuggling straight off. Additional income to the country, free up custom’s resources, invigorate third world countries like Ghana which could completely overhaul their economy with a cannabis crop and get ultra cool cannabis cafes. Yeah, it’s not good for you, but nor is McDonald’s, tobacco, alcohol, driving, or listening to a politician.
Other drugs?: Ok, I’m ambivalent. Part of me says ‘your body, your life. You want to kill yourself, your deal’ legalise, tax, age limit and sell. Another problem is frankly there’s been a lot of misinformation been spread (this is your brain on drugs? Hah!) which generally means it’s hard to say exactly HOW dangerous some of these things are. I’ve read reports that say ecstasy can kill with the first pill, and others that says it causes long term damage about the same rate of alcohol. Much the same with LSD. Basically, everyone who writes these reports now seems to have an agenda and it’s very hard to know what to trust.
I do know that a substantial amount of drug deaths are caused by dodgy dealers mixing it with stuff they shouldn’t. Organised crime and smuggling is pretty much fuelled on the drug trade as well. But on the anti legalisation side we have the fact that at least some drugs cause horrendous harm and addictive to the point of making the poor sods helpless.
So I don’t know. Maybe some illegal, some not? I AM sure about treatment for drug offenders though - they need help and treatment, not punishment.
Gay marriage?: PRO. Simple reasoning - we live in a free society. In a free society, everything should be legal and all should equal unless there is a PROPORTIONATE reason why it should be prohibited/they should suffer less equal treatment. Therefore, given there is no proportionate reason not to allow gay marriage (religion is not a reason that binds the state) nor a good reason to allow prejudice against gays, it should be legal.
Illegal immigrants?: Depends on the type, Some illegal immigrants are genuine refugees who are slipping through the cracks. Some are just desperate for a better life. Basically, the population of the UK is FALLING and AGING. There is also a HUGE requirement for TRADESMEN (like plumbers, electricians etc) as opposed to academics (which we have in spades). We need immigration to keep the country viable, and frankly, legal immigration has a lot of hoops to jump through.
That being said - we’re a small island. We’re already overpopulated. Green belt land is falling all around us (not helped by the British insistence on a HOUSE rather than a flat). There’s a limit to what we can take.
Oh - on the asylum issue. Want less asylum seekers? Then complain to your government about creating and supporting the situations that CAUSE them to flee.
Smoking?: Allowed, basically same as drugs and alcohol. BUT smoking is a choice. Your choice to smoke or not. I have a choice as well - which also includes my not having to breathe your toxic fumes. If you’re in an enclosed space which isn’t set aside for smoking (you can get smoking rooms in some pubs now) or at VERY LEAST isn’t well ventilated, put it out or go outside. I don’t need lung cancer, and the poor bar staff don’t either - and they can’t walk out the pub.
Drunk driving?: Recklessness to this scale SHOULD constitute murder. You know, They know, I know, EVERYONE knows it’s foolish. There’s really no excuse. (BTW same applies to anyone stoned, high, tripping or anything else on drugs while driving).
Cloning?: Going with the clone organs (transplants, stem cell research etc) because of the sheer good it can do, but not people because there’s no need for it. The world’s overpopulated already, and we don’t want to get all eugenics and Gattica with our genetic code - diversity is strength.
Racism?: Big question. WHY? I honestly do not understand it. So someone’s got a different skin tone? BIG BLOODY DEAL. Seriously, who cares? No, I know who cares, but WHY? Same goes for all prejudice. Why?
Premarital sex?: Why not? (see my freedom argument). Besides, it’s not like you’re going to stop it.
Religion?: Ok, simple rule - I don’t care what anyone believes. Believe it with my
1) Your faith, your business. Evangelism is frankly rude - especially aggressive door to door evangelism.
2) Your faith your business #2. Your faith, and the moral codes that make up your faith bind YOU and your fellow believers. They do NOT bind me or anyone else who doesn’t share the faith. You cannot expect us to follow them and you have NO right to demand we do.
3) Your faith your business #3/government and religion. Your faith is personal - the state should have no role in religion. The legislature certainly shouldn’t. Do not expect or demand for your faith to be codified in law so you can enforce it against others.
4) Your faith your business #4/government and religion #2. Similarly, education providers, unless specific PRIVATELY FUNDED institutions, should not press any faith onto the children. That is brainwashing, indoctrination and has no place in the education system.
5) Government and religion #3. Government should stay out of religion - which includes funding wise. Your religion is your own, do not expect the non-believer to pay taxes to upkeep your faith (aside from anything else, especially in the case of the CoE and the Catholic church they are ROLLING in money). This includes government hand outs and TAX breaks. The church should NOT be free from tax. Charities are tax exempt - churches should qualify IF they can prove a charitable action.
The war in Iraq?: My opinions are so very well known on this issue.
Bush?: People like him make me understand Torquemada.
Downloading music?: Ok, I can see the music industry’s point on ‘theft’ and all. But basically, I have little sympathy because of their pricing if nothing else. It’s pretty well documented how little of the money spent on a CD actually ends up in the artist’s pockets. Singles are frankly, extortionate. Albums are better value but come with half a dozen songs you just do not want. Besides, downloading music can lead people to buying the CD - it does me. Because I want to hear a song/album before I buy - especially the albums. I don’t want to get home and find that the album of 12 songs I bought has only one song actually worth listening to.
Oh, and I am against regulating the internet beyond the bare minimum necessary. Let’s keep SOME areas of freedom left.
The legal drinking age?: Personally, I go with 16, and lower at home. One of the reasons for binge drinking is simply lack of experience. I’ll never forget the French exchange trip which also involved 14 girls from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (I think). We drank sensibly. Half of them were downing drinks like water then throwing up. The other half smelled the fumes off the bar and were gone. And one was sat in a corner moralising (born again). Experience is needed.
Porn?: Ok, freedom speech again. See above - if someone wants to look at porn, there choice.
Suicide?: Ok, some of this annoys me. Especially the kids in comfortable middle class homes who think their life isn't worth living. I want to drag them round the mass graves that are scattered liberally round the world, force them through the AIDs crippled communities of Africa, and poverty stricken areas throughout the third world and just scream at them. I understand they feel terrible, and I guess life can suck horribly at times. I agree and sympathise. But there is so much horrendous suffering the world, those of us in the comfortable first world should just laugh every day and thank whatever you want to thank for being so incredibly lucky that we live how and where we do.
Anyway, back to topic. I’m generally of the opinion that if someone wants to, they will do it eventually. Also that it’s their life and their choice. I know you can talk of loved ones left behind, but when it comes down to it, it is their choice. I do think they need help and support - all we can give, but in the end, it is their choice.
Oh and Euthanasia? Definitely pro. There are some things we cannot ask people to live through.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-29 05:41 pm (UTC)But, as should be blatantly obvious, I definately agree with most of what you said.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-30 10:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-29 11:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-30 10:05 am (UTC)What utterly depresses me is the people who maybe mistaken for gothic angst queens (as I ranted about) but really have actual medical, mental conditions, such as depression who need help and treatment, but fall through the cracks or are ignored or ridiculed because they are confused with the angsters.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-05-05 03:58 pm (UTC)