There have been many threads about typically divisive social issues such as drugs, prostitution, gay rights and abortion. I have always stood in favour of individual freedom and self-responsibility, as opposed to governments deciding what's best for people in their lives.
But another major reason why I am in favour of legalising soft drugs, protitution, abortion and gay marriages (which are all legal in the Netherlands and Belgium, btw) is that I want logical consistency in the way laws are made.
I personally don't care whether any of those are legal or illegal. I am not gay, don't know any gay couple, and have no reason to sympathise for them. I don't care about drugs, as I am already too worried about my health not to eat at McDonald's or drink soft drinks. I don't care about prostitution because I am happily married, and anyway would not find any satisfaction in it (I can be pretty stingy, and the very idea of giving money for sex somehow repulses me). As for abortion, I am not a woman, so I am a bit less concerned, but I don't see anything wrong with it (we do kill animals to eat them, right ? And a 2-month foetus is not as developed or intelligent as most animals, as it doesn't really have a brain yet).
So why do I argue so much in favour of all of them ? Well, I am under the impression that many people won't understand, but it is much more important for me to live in a society with consistent, logical laws, that the actual content of laws that do not concern me much.
For instance, I am for the legalisation of soft drugs because alcohol and tobacco are legal, and cannabis is probably less dangerous for health than those two. So if one wants to be coherent, cannabis should be legal as well, or tobacco and alcohol should be banned. I wouldn't mind tobacco to be banned, and only a little about alcohol (esp. wine). But I also believe that people should know what is best for them, and use these products in moderation, and that if they can't, they will just learn moderation the hard way. That's a kind a punishment for not being responsible, self-controlled and thoughtful enough. I like that.
Again, I am in favour of gay marriages, first because I know that homosexuality is a natural and normal condition, and because I am not too keen on the traditional image of marriage anywya (because of the association with religion). This way, it changes the image of marriage. And to be fair, everybody, gay or not, should have the same rights. So either marriage is allowed for all, or for nobody. I really wouldn't mind the disappearance of the institution of marriage. I only got married because it was important for my wife (the party I guess :blush: ), but otherwise it doesn't make much difference to live together and have children being married or not. In fact, I don't understand at all why some gays make so much fuss about wanting to marry. I don't even understand why so many straight people care. One can have a party and live in exactly the same conditions as married without signing a piece of paper, right ? Maybe it is just a way to make insecure people feel more secure ?
I have recently explained my views on prostitution. Basically, it is also for reasons of logical consistency that I am in favour of legalisation. I can't help to put in the same category people who have sex for money, and those who have sex for favours or presents. I also can't see why porn should be a more legal way to make money by having sex than prostitution. In fact, I see porn actors and actresses as prostitutes too. It's just prostitutes having sex together and selling their video or photos. In fact, in some countries the proper term for prostitute is "sex worker". Aren't porn actors and actresses sex workers too ?
So my message to governments is PLEASE be consistent and logically coherent in your laws. It make me sick to have to live with the idea that tobacco is legal and not cannabis or vice versa, or that porn and having sex with one's boss is ok but not prositution. Either ban all or allow all, I really don't care, but do not make rationally conflicting laws if you have any mental sanity at all.
But another major reason why I am in favour of legalising soft drugs, protitution, abortion and gay marriages (which are all legal in the Netherlands and Belgium, btw) is that I want logical consistency in the way laws are made.
I personally don't care whether any of those are legal or illegal. I am not gay, don't know any gay couple, and have no reason to sympathise for them. I don't care about drugs, as I am already too worried about my health not to eat at McDonald's or drink soft drinks. I don't care about prostitution because I am happily married, and anyway would not find any satisfaction in it (I can be pretty stingy, and the very idea of giving money for sex somehow repulses me). As for abortion, I am not a woman, so I am a bit less concerned, but I don't see anything wrong with it (we do kill animals to eat them, right ? And a 2-month foetus is not as developed or intelligent as most animals, as it doesn't really have a brain yet).
So why do I argue so much in favour of all of them ? Well, I am under the impression that many people won't understand, but it is much more important for me to live in a society with consistent, logical laws, that the actual content of laws that do not concern me much.
For instance, I am for the legalisation of soft drugs because alcohol and tobacco are legal, and cannabis is probably less dangerous for health than those two. So if one wants to be coherent, cannabis should be legal as well, or tobacco and alcohol should be banned. I wouldn't mind tobacco to be banned, and only a little about alcohol (esp. wine). But I also believe that people should know what is best for them, and use these products in moderation, and that if they can't, they will just learn moderation the hard way. That's a kind a punishment for not being responsible, self-controlled and thoughtful enough. I like that.
Again, I am in favour of gay marriages, first because I know that homosexuality is a natural and normal condition, and because I am not too keen on the traditional image of marriage anywya (because of the association with religion). This way, it changes the image of marriage. And to be fair, everybody, gay or not, should have the same rights. So either marriage is allowed for all, or for nobody. I really wouldn't mind the disappearance of the institution of marriage. I only got married because it was important for my wife (the party I guess :blush: ), but otherwise it doesn't make much difference to live together and have children being married or not. In fact, I don't understand at all why some gays make so much fuss about wanting to marry. I don't even understand why so many straight people care. One can have a party and live in exactly the same conditions as married without signing a piece of paper, right ? Maybe it is just a way to make insecure people feel more secure ?
I have recently explained my views on prostitution. Basically, it is also for reasons of logical consistency that I am in favour of legalisation. I can't help to put in the same category people who have sex for money, and those who have sex for favours or presents. I also can't see why porn should be a more legal way to make money by having sex than prostitution. In fact, I see porn actors and actresses as prostitutes too. It's just prostitutes having sex together and selling their video or photos. In fact, in some countries the proper term for prostitute is "sex worker". Aren't porn actors and actresses sex workers too ?
So my message to governments is PLEASE be consistent and logically coherent in your laws. It make me sick to have to live with the idea that tobacco is legal and not cannabis or vice versa, or that porn and having sex with one's boss is ok but not prositution. Either ban all or allow all, I really don't care, but do not make rationally conflicting laws if you have any mental sanity at all.