It is honorable and Christian to help poor and unfortunate people. In the Bible, Jesus told the parable of the “Good Samaritan” in which the Samaritan helped the robbery victim. Notice Jesus did not suggest helping the robber have a safer robbery career?
Recently, one of my sons said that when he was young his mother only had to say something once and her sons obeyed, or they received a swat. In recent years, parents have been conditioned to think they must not discipline their children beyond begging them or bribing them to obey. So people grow up with no self-control and thinking they can do whatever they want to do. This is where it starts.
We the people must begin to stand up for what is right and good and stand against what is evil and bad. Our government continues to allow illegal drug sales and use and all kinds of illegal activity.
In the March 21 Chronicle article titled “Needle exchange proposal sparks intense debate,” the reporter noted that the comments of Chad Nichols “encapsulated the debate.” Mr. Nichols described that his recovery was helped by the Gather’s “Syringe Services Program.” Congratulations to Chad Nichols for beginning his life in recovery.
Please reread Mr. Nichols’ comments. Notice that his addiction began when he was 12 years old and “during a stint in jail in November Nichols told representatives from Gather that he was ready for a change.”
Doesn’t this suggest that a tragedy exists when a 12-year-old in our community can become a drug addict? Also note that Nichols’ decision to overcome the addiction came while in jail.
We must conclude that the government’s current efforts to “help” drug addicts by making drug use safer for the drug users and drug sellers does not help. Drug use and overdose deaths continue to increase. Illicit drug sales and use is, or should be, illegal, and our culture and government should be endeavoring to put drug dealers in jail for the protection of the public and our children, and put addicts in a drug-free jail for the addict’s benefit.
Illicit drug use and unrestricted homelessness in its present form must be seen as a serious danger to our community, and this lawlessness will not go away if the unsuccessful attempts to coddle lawbreakers and criminals continue.
Our government should not support needle exchanges. It is correct for the county government to make ordinances that control the activity. Regardless of warm, charitable feelings, making illegal and destructive drug use “safer” is a mistake that facilitates drug use, and research indicates it does not reduce the occurrence of AIDS. Irresponsible people will continue to be irresponsible.
Mike Kimbrel
Oakville
