As background, my wife and I try quite hard to be responsible consumers. We didn’t purchase “Ben and Jerry’s” ice cream because their founder supported convicted killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. We never ordered from Domino’s, because it’s owner, Tom Monaghan, gave considerable financial support to Operation Rescue. (And before some smartass comes along, yes, I am fully aware that both companies are no longer owned by these people). We avoid purchasing goods “Made in China”, both to support American workers and because of China’s poor human rights record and actions in Tibet. We would never buy something with real fur. And I’ve recently started to avoid Gap and Old Navy because the owners, the Fisher family, are doing clear cutting of forests in California. We always attempt to purchase Organic goods from small, family owned farms.
We do these things because, in our current world, one of the largest votes you can make is with your pocketbook. These companies don’t give a shit about my personal politics and viewpoints, they only care about me as a consumer. So that’s how I register my disapproval with their policies, I don’t buy their products. And I urge others to also.
The basis for our attempt at responsible consumerism is the fact that actions have consequences, both intended and not. To live a good life, and to be a good person, I try to increase the positive consequences and decrease the negative consequences of my actions. It seems like a good way to live my life.
Now, to the rant:
Drug Users:
Listen you brain-addled, self-righteous, delusional idiots: Your money supports an underground economy that is responsible for thousands of murders, beatings, and other violent crimes here in the United States and around the world. How hard is it really for you to understand the $20 you just spent for your LSD helps subsidize the murder of an undercover police officer? The dime bag you just brought was brought to you by a tyrannical egomaniac who doesn’t think twice about having judges in Columbia killed. These are the actions you are supporting when you buy your drugs.
I know you all get a fucking hard-on making fun of the latest round of Anti-Drug public service ads, but, in those commercials behind the politics and idiocy, is the point that you should consider: Your money supports Very Bad Things. Do you not know, or do you just not care? Is your fucking 3 hour high is worth the death of some young kid who died to keep his gang’s drug turf?
And before you start to spew some shit about legalizing would get rid of all these problems, I DON’T CARE. Regardless of whether or not you support legalization, the fact remains the pot you’re buying IS illegal, and your money IS supporting bad things. Once it is legal, go ahead, smoke all you want, but get rid of the fucking “It’s not my fault, it’s the War on Drugs!” bullshit and find another rationalization.
One final note: I know that not all of you buy your weed/LSD/ X from St. Joan who grows it organically without pesticides while singing Kumbaya and donating part of the drug revenue to charity, so I’ll take the first two people who are sure their money doesn’t really go into the system, and give them a pass and fuck the rest of you.
SUV drivers:
If you skipped the Drug Users part because you don’t use, many of the same arguments go for you. By driving your monster SUV, you are ignoring the negative consequences of your actions in favor for having a status vehicle that makes you feel safer, even though you aren’t. Do you not understand that your vehicle causes more pollution and smog, causes more fatalities on the road, and increases our countries reliance on oil? Or do you understand that, and just figure your comfort/convenience/bigger dick outweighs all that?
I know you all ALSO get a fucking hard-on making fun of the latest round of Anti-SUV ads, but, in those commercials, behind the politics and idiocy, is the point that you should consider: Your money supports Very Bad Things. The lower gas milage your vehicle gets causes more consumption of gasoline, which increases our dependence on foreign oil. Do you not know, or do you just not care?
One final note: I know that not all of you only own SUV’s because you need them for all that off-roading you do and you only buy your gas made from good old American petroleum, so the first two posters again get a pass, and fuck the rest of you. As an additional not, this part also goes for the idiot driving a ‘86 Toyota Camry with a broken catalytic converter that pollutes, and the owner of the ‘90 Cadillac that gets 14 miles per gallon too, so don’t pull that bullshit argument out here either.
So, although I’ve now alienated the entirety of the SDMB, I had to get that off my chest. Since most of us here are smart, I’ll answer myself that you just don’t care. And to those who just don’t care, a hearty Rot in Hell to you.