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Jon,
Not to completely de-rail the thread but this last tangent between you and Jim/Solecimsic has me thinking.
You and I have shared a few PM conversations on differnet topics and generally I feel that I am probably the closest to any other member here of aligning with you philosophically. (Though I readily admit we veer far apart on a few issues)
Despite what some allege here and elsewhere the one thing I respect is your sincerity and, when analyzed objectively, consistency between your view points. That is even when I think you are up a tree I can see why you are up that tree and how you got there. That is an increasingly rare trait today and one I respect.
Having said all that, and with all due respect I am curious to get your thoughts on this. You are a "lawful good" and you believe nearly any punishment is fitting if it prevents the crime. I can understand and respect that, even without agreeing. You take a hard edge stance against drug abuse, again understood and accepted even if I disagree. Jim hinted at the question and you noticeably side stepped it (IMHO) ... and instead of starting a simple debate you can answer with "one is illegal and the other is not" let me ask this philosophically. "If tomorrow through whatever special session was necessary to enact emergency federal law, a law was passed that made tobacco a federal controlled substance and made possessing, consuming, smoking, whatever illegal...what would you do."
This isn't a trap question and I acknowledge the addictive nature of nicotine (took me a long time to kick it myself)..I'm just curious philosophically how you would rationalize and sort that one.
Again not accusatory, just curious. I personally think marijuana and tobacco are synonymous legally speaking and cant segment the belief that use of one should result in capitol punishment and the other be "totally cool". Again I get the "one is legal the other isnt" argument but frankly I am stronger minded than that simpleton argument and you are too...so help me understand, if you will, how you segregate the two.
Thanks
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