STATE BULLYING, PERSECUTION & THE WITCH HUNT
The Witch Hunt: Sadly, we still see fit to persecute people in this country, just as in the days of the witch hunt. The penalties may not be so harsh for today's victims, but this persecution and harrassment still causes a lot of resentment and upset. No society has a moral right to interfere with consenting adults for their beliefs and lifestyle choices, that is when they are causing no harm to any other, and yet we in the UK still do.
Track Record: Different societies have persecuted different people over the years for various reasons and tried to justify their cause at the time. Up until the 1960's we in the UK persecuted people, arrested and locked them up for being gay. We also imprisoned people for attemted suicide. Going back in history there are many other examples and looking around the globe it is still seriously bad in some other parts.
Morally Wrong: All people have to understand that it is fundamentally and morally wrong to harass, punish and persecute others for their beliefs or lifestyle choices. Consenting adults that choose of their own free will to participate in smoking cannabis or other similar social activities do not fit into this category. They are NOT hurting anyone else and they should not be persecuted, or prosecuted, for their beliefs. And in case anyone thinks that the term persecution is a bit harsh, let's examine some of the facts...
Some Dictionary Definitions Of The Word Persecute
- Pursue or hunt with intent to catch, injure, or kill; fig. follow up or pursue (a subject etc.).
- Seek out and) subject to hostility or ill treatment, esp. on the grounds of political, religious,
or other beliefs regarded as unacceptable; oppress.
- Prosecute (a person) at law. obs. exc. dial.
- Harass, trouble; annoy persistently.
- Persecute people for their beliefs - oppress, tyrannize, abuse, mistreat, maltreat, ill-treat, molest,
afflict, torment, torture, victimize, martyr.
- Film stars persecuted by the press - harass, pester, hound, badger, vex, bother, worry, annoy; inf. hassle.
Society The Real Criminal: Many consenting adults will be able to identify with the above definitions, because that is exactly what has happened to them as a result of their lifestyle choices. People have been fined, locked up and had their lives disrupted and adulterated. Many have been left feeling like they have been raped and violated. An offence normally punishable in itself. In such instances, it is our society that is committing the real crime and not the consenting adult, who is simply a victim trying to mind their own business.
Recognise That This Is Wrong: We have seen many instances of societies, or elements of societies, persecuting various peoples over the years because they feel they have just cause to do so. Such instances of persecution have been carried out because people have been judged by the persecutors to be blasphemous, evil, criminal, or simply the wrong colour, race, or religion. People have been ostracised, locked up, tortured and executed. Nowadays, we can usually look back and recognise that this was wrong and, likewise, we can speak out against it when it still happens in other countries. But, can we recognise the fact that we in the UK are still doing it ourselves? Behaving in exactly the same way, persecuting individuals for their personal lifestyle choices. Even though they believe in it, it is what they like to do, they are minding their own business and they are doing no harm to any other!
Following Orders Is No Excuse: In such instances the police that carry out their orders, although they may feel they are doing the right thing, are behaving just like the Nazis, who were likewise just following their orders when they walked all over people, invaded others ways and lands and persecuted the Jews. Society currently believes it is right to persecute and prosecute people for their beliefs, recreational activities and lifestyle choices. In actual fact, society's responsibility, and interference, should start and end with the protection of others. If no other is being harmed then society actually has no need, or moral right, to poke its nose in.
Think They Know Better: We've seen plenty of instances of bullying and persecution over the years on behalf of people's warped ideas of right and wrong and bigoted views and it still goes on in the world. The trouble is the topdogs in societies or religious organisations often think they know better, and yet it is patently obvious, when you look at the mess and the evidence both past and present, that they don't! If you are going to set yourself up as some kind of almighty, sitting in judgement over others and dishing out punishment, you have a duty to make sure you have got it right, because if you haven't, you are behacving criminal.
Is Society Really Concerned? We can hardly say that all this fuss about people taking drugs of their choice is to do with society being concerned with the best interests of the individual, as touching as that may sound. When you look around at the way society treats its citizens at times it is hard to believe that the politicians care about people at all. In fact the government's track record in just about every department indicates that the politicians really don't care and the evidence is all around. However, it is worse than that, by adopting the attitude that we have we have seriously compounded drug-related problems, increasin crime, causing people heartache and misery and even premature death. Not very responsible of us!