Not too long ago I considered myself a conservative Republican.  I generally talked up the party line and said I was in favor of limited government.  One of the issues I accepted without ever thinking is that pot should be illegal and we should round up the dead beats that smoke it.  I once thought that libertarians who argued that weed should be legal only said so because they’re all pot heads and want it available at all times.   In case you’re new to the blog, I’ve since been enlightened.

Because of these past beliefs I’ve had, I shouldn’t get annoyed when people say things like, “Libertarians are just trying to get the 20-30 year old vote by saying they’re in favor of legalizing pot.  They think it sounds cool” but I do, and that is exactly what Chris Stigall said this morning on 1210 WPHT on my way into work.  Stigall also said he would never buy that it is for freedom like we say it is.

I consider myself libertarian.  I obviously do not think smoking marijuana should be a criminal offense, but I do not smoke pot.  I actually think it smells awful and I don’t think it is cool. I do not think it is good for your health.  I’ve even been to several Phish concerts totally sober.  My stance has nothing at all to do with being cool or appealing to young people or American liberals.  I just cannot see how it is in any way justified to search someone or knock down someone’s door, find out they have something that isn’t good for them, handcuff them, kidnap them, and force them to pay you money to release them.  It is absurd.

Chris Stigall, I know you’ll never read this, but you already said you would never buy our viewpoint.  You say you are a small government conservative, please stop supporting big government ideas especially when they are paternalistic.  I can take care of myself every bit as much as you can.  Please stop thinking other people are stupid and cannot make decisions for themselves.  What if instead of weed we decide to make cigars, potato chips, chocolate, or beer illegal?  They’re all not good for you.  If you use any of them too much it can be really bad for you and cost other people money through our wonderful healthcare system.

People like Chris Stigall have trouble thinking.  They rely on the state.  They think that if I don’t think it should be illegal, then I endorse it.  I do not think it is good to cheat on your wife, use prostitutes, only get 2 hours of sleep at night, drink excessive amounts of beer, smoke cigarettes, smoke pot, and do several other activities.  However, I don’t see how you can justify locking someone up for any of them, I’m a big boy and I can avoid them on my own…”Because it’s wrong” isn’t really a great argument.