What things should be legal

[BYU 14]

Just out of curiosity, how does having body armor really level the playing field to keep the government in check when hypothetically they could just call in air strikes and Tanks?

All widespread availability of body armor and other ultra high powered weaponry would do is put the Police at an even greater disadvantage and probably insure a few more widows and orphans every year.

[QuikSand]

I went for the whole shebang.

Mentally, I guess I inverted the question, sorta for argument's sake, and re-asked "what things on this list are so essentially harmful for people to have and use that there's a compelling government interest to step in and outlaw not just the bad things we associate with them, but their actual possession and use itself?" And at that level, I found the big weapons and hard drugs to be only modestly difficult to eliminate.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

I like the Canada legality of prostitution.

Which is what exactly? I don't remember it being made legal up here, although I'll be honest I don't exactly scour the newswire for updates on prostitution laws. I do know that my province impounds the vehicles of John's and I believe there is some kind of shame list or something where names are made public.

[RainMaker]

I marked no on hard drugs but I could make exceptions. I think if the drug is used in the privacy of someone's home, I'm fine with it. Basically, if you want to use crack, stay in your fucking house. When you enter public on that stuff, you become a danger to others and should be arrested.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I marked no on hard drugs but I could make exceptions. I think if the drug is used in the privacy of someone's home, I'm fine with it. Basically, if you want to use crack, stay in your fucking house. When you enter public on that stuff, you become a danger to others and should be arrested.

Hmm, so what happens when all these crack addicts spend their mortgage money on drugs and then have to throw on their body armor, grab an assault rifle and some claymores and take down a bank?

[molson]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Just out of curiosity, how does having body armor really level the playing field to keep the government in check when hypothetically they could just call in air strikes and Tanks?

Well, you don't necessarily need to overthrow the U.S. army to cause a lot of change/havoc in this country.

If the U.S. uses air strikes/Tanks on their own people, a people whose "cause" is seen as just by a good portion of the population (both domestically and internationally) - that would definitely shake things up.

[Jughead Spock]

Why is it that every informal poll I see trends so highly on approving things like marijuana and prostitution, yet they rarely, if ever, have any traction when brought up for voting?

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by molson

Well, you don't necessarily need to overthrow the U.S. army to cause a lot of change/havoc in this country.

If the U.S. uses air strikes/Tanks on their own people, a people whose "cause" is seen as just by a good portion of the population (both domestically and internationally) - that would definitely shake things up.

That first paragraph was TIC

I did mean the second paragraph though.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Jughead Spock

Why is it that every informal poll I see trends so highly on approving things like marijuana and prostitution, yet they rarely, if ever, have any traction when brought up for voting?

Because actual polls only show a third of people support legalization. If a politician even suggests it, then he would be killed by negative campaigning for being "soft on crime."

[panerd]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Because actual polls only show a third of people support legalization. If a politician even suggests it, then he would be killed by negative campaigning for being "soft on crime."

First of all I agree with you completely on the politicians but I think the medical marijuana voting results are closer to reality though than the "Do you support legalization?" polls. Its just like religion. The polls show a number a lot different than the number of cars in the chruch parking lots. But I do agree that politicians are spineless and all about reelection and not about freedom or at a minimum looking for additional tax revenue when states are laying off workers left and right. Hmmm... a huge additional source of revenue to spend on "jobs" or print a bunch of money to spend on pork project that does nothing but put as more in debt?

[albionmoonlight]

heh, trout fishing at just over 60%. Who knew we had so many animal rights activists at FOFC.

[Noop]

I would love to nothing more then to have sex with a drunk prostitute while I am high off weed and red-bull.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Noop

I would love to nothing more then to have sex with a drunk prostitute while I am high off weed and red-bull.

No Guns? You disappoint me.

[SportsDino]

I would love to nothing more then to have sex with a drunk prostitute while I am high off weed and red-bull.

... and then shoot her, chop up her body to do some trout fishing while coked up, and use my grenade launcher on the cops if they give me any guff!

(Just trying to get full coverage here)

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As for the poll I voted legalize everything but heavy weapons and hard drugs. The hard drugs are too damaging/mind-altering with limited usage. As for weapons, it really would only encourage radicals to arm up and be able to cause even more damage when they go nutso. I'm all for a check on the government, but supposedly that is what the political process is for. If it gets to the point of military coup we have failed at way too many points along the way to begin with (or been so apathetic and lazy in our politics that we pretty much deserve to be enslaved sheep).

[Toddzilla]

I can't believe I voted yes for handguns...damn you Cam!!!

[Marc Vaughan]

I voted yes for everything but weaponry (sorry I'm too english to be able to be comfortable with guns really).

Emotionally I'm against hard drugs being legalised - especially now I'm a parent, but I know statistically speaking it'd actually be much better for countries to do so really (if you look at most modern coutries where many drugs are legal they have no bigger problems with them than anywhere else - arguably less, the same thing can be found if you look at other prohibited substances such as alcohol etc. around the world).

Legalising them would allow regulation of them (so they'd be safer for people who do take them), remove a certain proportion of crime associated with them and bring in additional tax revenue to the goverment.

I also feel that EDUCATION is the most vital thing for any society to concentrate upon, if people learn enough to make informed decisions then most of them will avoid drugs and suchlike (and to some people making something illicit makes it even more appealing imho - its the 'risk' involved and the chance of being caught).

An interesting insight into the Amsterdam setup can be found here:

AMSTERDAM: FACTS AND FIGURES

(and yeah despite that - if I ever catch my kids taking drugs they'll be impounded in their rooms for the rest of their childhood, home schooling here we come )

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

(and yeah despite that - if I ever catch my kids taking drugs they'll be impounded in their rooms for the rest of their childhood, home schooling here we come )

I think that it is a very rational position to take. You can believe that something should not be a crime, but that it is still stupid as hell to do. And you can (and should, IMO) in that situation, do what you can to prevent your kids from doing it.

I don't think that unmarried people having unprotected sex should be a crime, but I will do everything in my power to keep my kids from getting pregnant and/or causing someone else to be pregnant until they are old enough to handle having a baby.

[AENeuman]

Given that by far more people die from the heavily regulated alcohol than hard drugs, i'm not sure how the case can be made that regulating drugs and prostitution will make it safer.

[cartman]

A lot of folks also have a disconnect between the concepts of legal/illegal and regulated/unregulated. Just because something that was once illegal is made legal doesn't mean that it is automatically unregulated.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

No Guns? You disappoint me.

I am not sure if I want any guns around while I am pile-driving a hooker.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I don't think that unmarried people having unprotected sex should be a crime, but I will do everything in my power to keep my kids from getting pregnant and/or causing someone else to be pregnant until they are old enough to handle having a baby.

I am hoping my daughter has the common decency to wait until I die to have sex.