Habili-blog 5/25/18
“War Murder on Drugs”
by Jared Mayes
President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines openly stated that he would order his own son to be killed if he found out that he was in any way tied to drugs. Now I can’t speak for everyone else but that seems a little dramatic to me. To be so ignorant that you would put a death warrant on not only the people of your nation, but your own flesh and blood instead of offering a solution to the drug epidemic happening all around us is a direct reflection of how far away we are from being on the same page. It’s like trying to have a debate with a group of people who are all from different countries and only speak their respective languages. When there is no rhyme or reason to the direction of the fight, the war is almost assuredly already lost. 12,000 or more estimated drug related murders have been reported thus far and the death toll continues to rise. The worst part about it; Bangladesh is beginning to follow suit. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sworn to eliminate the drug problem that is currently sweeping the South Asian nation. This new forceful tactic goes against not just basic humanistic morals, but breaks laws put in place to protect the country’s people. I can’t imagine living in a place where the government that I am told to trust and believe in are the very ones cutting legal corners to punish drug addicts. Being that I am a drug addict who values the breathes I take, I have to force myself to take an unbiased look at the situation and try to see it from a “normie” perspective because obviously during the years spent in my addiction I wouldn’t have been too fond of the idea of the police busting my door down and putting a bullet in my head just for possessing drugs. An honest look from all angles leads me to the same conclusion that two wrongs just don’t seem to make a right. I understand that a crime is a crime and it should be punished accordingly, but for a law enforcement agency to impose an eternal sentence on a “criminal,” by resorting to crime itself is contradictory by definition. Who is to hold these political executioners accountable for their wrongdoings other than whatever “greater than us entity” that you choose to believe in. I don’t know about you but that’s not swift enough justice for the thousands of lives whose opportunity to change was cut short due to these tyrants. So where am I going with this? Mainly to educate on the cruelty of a close minded and naïve individual, but also to bring to light some gratitude in an unfortunate situation. Gratitude that you have a choice. A choice to change the direction of your life without the persecution from the ones who vow to serve and protect. When you find yourself with the perception that life couldn’t get any worse, understand that you sitting here reading this blog, gives you a leg up on anyone who has died in any drug related fashion whether it be drug overdose, drug violence, or from governmental persecution. Next time you want to play the woe is me role, take a deep breathe and remember the ones who don’t have the option to feel their lungs expand ever again.