I've recently discovered that my youngest child has been smoking marijuana for about a year. He chose it. He purposefully went to see the friend that would give it to him and not go see the friends he grew up with.
When he finally admitted it after being caught he said he thought it should be legalized. He saw nothing wrong with this illegal activity even though he had had done everything he could to hide it.
The confession echos in my head. He lied repeatedly. He misled people. He hid his actions.
People hide many things: Watching porn. Beating their significant others. Alcohol abuse. Embezzling money. Abusing children sexually, emotionally, physically. Crossing into another country illegally. Taking welfare when it's not needed.
I've joked that companies will eventually have to say in their announcements and advertising whether sales and BOGO offers apply to their "non-paying customers". Then today I learned that a district attorney in Texas is choosing not to enforce the laws against stealing if it's less than $750 worth of merchandise and it's done to relieve "poverty" and not for personal gain.
I find it interesting and sad that so many people feel that the way to solve the "it's morally wrong" puzzle by legalizing it and changing the definition of "wrong".
I hope my son learns that defining deviancy down still doesn't make it right. And that the issue isn't necessarily the action, it's the choices and attitude that led to the illegal activity.
