Re: ADDICT-L QUOTE OF THE WEEK

[Guest guest]

Hi Everybody

Thanks for the quote, Ken. There's a big chunk to chew on.

>Just came across this on the addict-l list contributed by the

listowner.

>

>Ken Ragge

>

>QUOTE OF THE WEEK

>------------

>

> " Instead of giving money to found colleges to promote learning, why

>don't they pass a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting anybody from

>learning

>anything? If it works as good as Prohibition, why, in five years we

will

>have the smartest race of people on earth. " -- Will

Most of humanity knows that attempting to force ways of life upon

folks does not only not work, but will actually encourage the

frowned-upon behavior.

Take drinking for example. Who, here, has ever taken anyone's

disapproval as incentive to stop the pleasureable

habit? I'll bet no one has, although sometimes we might lie about it

to avoid unpleasantness.

Same with forced participation in religion of any kind. History has

shown that forcing people to participate in religion has been

detrimental to the societies that imposed it, detrimental to the

religions

that were forced upon them, and detrimental to the individual

psyches of the forced.

Nearly everyone you ask will agree its bad.

Yet courts, agencies, employers, and the US military whole-hoggedly

coerce attendence at 12 steps religous meetings. Why is this

obvious affront to the US constitution tolerated?

I'll tell you why. Because the people forced to go are, or were,

drinkers or druggers, which is not a popular thing to be. So, they have

become fodder used to facilitate enormous exchanges of pork. Though AA

is " free, " there's money to be had for creating agencies

designed endorse, recommend, and track the coercion. An example

can be found right here in Yolo County. Officials are congratulating

themselves on the $160,000 federal grant they've received for

an abomination called " Drug Court. " For the hapless first-time, non-

violent drug offenders, the court room is transformed into a gigantic

meeting! They are sent away and come back with forms

signed off at 12-step meetings which must be attended during the

weeks in between drug court appearances.

Most of us sensible people could argue that none of these folks

belong in court at all. What's a first-time, non-violent drug offender?

About half the total population, that's who.

Certainly a group of folks the police should not spend precious time

bothering with.

Yet news of the drug court is splayed all over the paper and no one

in this town of 60,000 complains. Except me.

If people who made mistakes on their tax return forms were sent to

12 step groups by the IRS, do you think they would get away with

it long? Just curious. What do you all think?

Sincerely,

>

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