The bad things in life

I've never taken drugs. I don't plan on taking drugs. I don't own a gun and, God willing, I won't have to. But you know what, I'm okay with all of the rest of you indulging. Freedom is a terrible and wonderful thing. It often puts us in very odd places. It often finds me at odds with my fellow citizens. That is the beauty of it, right? The freedom of argument (without being shot, I hope!) is a wonderful thing.

Over the last few days, a couple of things have gotten under my skin. Eleven people died in Alabama and another 15 died in Germany. Both were pretty senseless. My heart goes out to the families of the injured and slain. On the other hand, we appointed a new drug czar here in the United States of America. Awesome. Billions - BILLIONS - of dollars will be wasted trumpeting one ill (guns) and outlawing another (drugs). Just leave them be. Regulate, yes. Outlaw, no. (Tax the hell out of them both? Not sure about that). That's the price of freedom. It's not about some poorly worded amendment to the Constitution. It's not in deference to those hoping to cure cancer through cannabis.

For those on the right that seek to shelter your right to guns, you've got to part with the other freedoms that bother you - drugs, abortion, stem-cell research. Get over it and move on. For those on the left, guns are a way of life. Outlawing them will not cease to quell the violence, voluntary or involuntary. Free markets should not be outlawed either. For those of us squarely in the middle, and I believe the luckier bunch, we simply must continue to guide our wayward friends in their respective corners and help them understand that they are moving forward no time soon. We are never going to stop the bloodletting that comes from drugs, guns,and yes, free markets, by simply outlawing them.

The law governs what we can and cannot do. I'm so glad that we, as a civilized society, have laws to outlaw the "freedom" of rape, murder, incest, embezzlement, and the like. Of course, in the past we have, because of our lack of common ethos, sought to ignore certain laws, bend others to meet the needs of our donors, or simply repealed them altogether. Therein lies the ultimate problem - the degradation of our common ethos. If we can ever come to grips with the fact that freedom requires a strong moral fiber, then perhaps we can all live peacefully - armed or unarmed, high or low - together. But ethos should not involve the legislation of morality and the banning of all the bad things in life.

So, no more drug czars, no more NRA boneheads, and no more stimulus packages. Let's get on with the more important items - growth, innovation, search for fine cuisine, and, most importantly, serving one another. Let freedom ring!

As always, be thankful for what you have, buy only what you need, and work diligently for peace. I shall try to do the same. From the home office in Cincinnati, OH, I bid you and your family all the best.