On my walk with the Hammer along the dyke today I made a common place discovery. One of my area's many marijuana growers had dumped some stalk and stuff by where I parked my car. I picked up a handful of the anonymous farmer's waste and deeply breathed in its magical sweetness. It reminded me of the time I found myself walking along the river's edge over a carpet of green leaves probably dumped from an up river bridge by another busy gardener.
It has been a good long time since I smoked the stuff myself. At one time I thought I would have a joint sticking out of my face several times a day until I was fitted for my wooden overcoat. After the initial two week shock of being smoke free I found myself much happier without climbing the Tree of Life. A cold beer at 4:20 works for me.
That said I am and will forever be in favour of the legalization of all restricted substances, especially the green gold of Dope City. Prohibition will always cause more problems than it foolishly sets out to solve.
"A careful enquirer will be strongly inclined to suspect the soundness of opinions which rest for their support on so ambiguous a foundation as that of innate impression. We cannot reasonably question the existence of facts; that is, we cannot deny the existence of our sensations, or the series in which they occur. We cannot deny the axioms of mathematics; for they exhibit nothing more than a consistent use of words, and affirm of some idea that it is itself and not something else. We can entertain little doubt of the validity of mathematical demonstrations, which appear to be irresistible conclusions deduced from identical propositions. We ascribe a certain value, sometimes greater and sometimes less, to considerations drawn from analogy. But what degree of weight shall we attribute to affirmations which pretend to rest upon none of these grounds? The most preposterous propositions, incapable of any rational defence, have in different ages and countries appealed to this inexplicable authority, and passed for infallible and innate. The enquirer that has no other object than truth, that refuses to be misled, and is determined to proceed only upon just and sufficient evidence will find little reason to be satisfied with dogmas which rest upon no other foundation than a pretended necessity impelling the human mind to yield its assent."
- William Godwin, Enquiry Concerning Political Justice
The pretended necessity of Prohibition is demonstrably false. I withdrew my assent to its violent, sleazy, uneven application long ago. I dropped the gloves in favour of liberty.
1 comment:
Excellent choice of quote, Mr. BNH. I too, thought I would never be without a home-rolled. Times and circumstances change. But it was, as it ought to be, by my own choice. Cheers.
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