While I don't disagree with you on nearly anything you said, I have to ask where does one draw the line? Should I be able to murder because I feel it is ok? Should a group like the Manson family be left alone to do as they desire? I know that's a bit extreme, but it illustrates the point. I'm just curious to see what you think.
I'm actually glad you brought that up. Like I said above, every religion has the same core values. Don't murder, don't steal, don't lie. And any halfway intelligent person would tell you those are some great core values. Since these core values are at the root of pretty much every religion (mainstream or not), I think it's something that everyone can agree on.
What I was referring to in my ultimate freedom section was ultimate freedom for one to do what they please to themselves. I'm opposed to any government that will tell me what I can and cannot do to my own body. If I want to cut myself up, fine. If I want to be the most healthy and active person in the country, no problem. If I want to smoke weed, drop acid, speed on meth, slow down on alcohol, and eat some ecstasy, who is the government to tell me I can't?
It goes back to natural selection and survival of the fittest. If you let a junkie do all the drugs they want at one time, you would have one of three things happen. Either 1) they would die 2) they would learn moderation or 3) they would realize, "Hey, this isn't illegal. Everyone can do it. I'm going to find something else to do". This country places so much value on human life but we have animals that are raised to be killed, forest's that are leveled and even though new trees are planted, in 30 years it will be leveled again.
I'm no tree hugging vegetarian hippy. I eat meat. Red, white, the one that tastes like everything else. I drive a car that gets 23mpg. I support the bland corporate machine as much as everyone else. But I also believe that nature and especially natural selection should be allowed to run it's course.
/begin drug rant
When it comes to drugs and this ridiculous "War on Drugs", I take a slightly radical point of view. It's my thought that 90% of a drug related deaths (from taking drugs, not the gang wars that erupt over the sale) are due to things that are easily preventable. Things like bad mixtures, driving under the influence, mis-education, allergies, or health related issues. What I would like to see is something like, well, drug bars.
But they wouldn't be privately run. They would be owned and operated by the government. First, to get in, you would have to be 18 (this 21 thing is bullshit but anyway). After that, you would have to see a doctor and they would make sure that you are healthy enough to do whatever you want to do. They would check allergies and once you pass that, you would be able to do the drugs you want.
Drugs would be broken up into heavily controlled (heroin, cocaine, meth, LSD, barbiturates), partially controlled (mushrooms, ecstasy, speed), and lightly controlled (marijuana).
Heavily controlled drugs would have to be done inside the building. That way, if something goes wrong, supervision and medical health personnel are there and able to help. If someone gets stupid, they get put into a kind of jail cell (but not as cold or as hard) until they come down. The first time they are warned, second time they are banned from every bar for life. You wouldn't be able to leave with the drugs since they would be administered by the workers and wouldn't be able to leave under the influence.
The partially controlled drugs would be a little different. You would be able to leave with the drugs but they could only be done in certain, designated, privately owned bars. Those bars would have to keep medical personnel on staff (usually two or three) and again, same rules apply. Get stupid under the influence, first time you are warned, second time you lose the privilege for life.
Lightly controlled (or, marijuana) would be the most relaxed. You can leave with it and smoke it in designated bars or in your own home or the home of friends. If you get caught driving on it or you get stupid under the influence, same thing. First time a warning, second time you lose the privilege.
This could help in alot of different ways. It can help control the spread of HIV/AIDS with heroin abusers because you are guaranteed a fresh needle every time. It would also make it so that only the highest quality drugs are available. That would not only make the drugs the best (and make sure people come back to legit stuff instead of take a chance on crap) but would reduce the number of deaths due to interactions of certain chemicals. It would all be controlled by the government and since no insurance company or health plan would cover it, it would all come out of pocket. But, it would be cheaper for each drug than what you could find on the street. This would help to reduce the amount of drug dealers. There are plenty more benefits that I'm probably not thinking of at the moment.
/end drug rant
Whoa, that turned into a huge post. Anyway. I know there are plenty of holes in this but hey, I don't see anyone else coming up with any ideas lol. And I know it doesn't really fit into my belief of ultimate freedom for oneself but it's a start.