David W. Lewry
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Ignorance is Not Bliss Brian

9/9/2011

7 Comments

 
Article by  Brian Purdy, Q.C. - he spent more than 30 years working in criminal law. He is a retired general counsel with the federal Department of Justice and lives in  Calgary.
 http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/send+drug+addicts+isolated+work+camps/5368944/story.html#ixzz1XTZic6hP


Having poured through Brian’s article a few times between yesterday and today; read through the comments left below the article, and shared it with  friends, colleagues, and clients - it occurs to me that there really is no nice
way to say what I want to say to this ignoramus. 

Instead, I will simply attempt to look at the argument he puts forth and at the request of a new fellow, I will leave out the blaringly obvious  painful personal facts that have not been dealt with by the author, which most
likely lead to the absurd theory.

The last paragraph was provided by one of these recently sober and  clean criminals you wrote about… this individual read your article and through  his own anguish of being recently released from prison as well as being recently
clean from drugs and alcohol; he found a place of understanding for you. I  thought you should know this because that is not the mind or heart of what you  describe in your vicious piece. 

At no point does the article deviate from a position of judgment, so  finding quotes that are worse than the rest is difficult, hence I have attached  the link to his article above for your reference and convenience. 

Within the first two paragraphs he manages to build himself a perch with which to sit and look down on human beings in turmoil, struggling with an incurable disease; the lead off is capped by this quote, “…generally led a degenerate, lawless life.” 

I understand that in order to feed an addiction of any type or description some of us have broken many laws of both persons and property; in many cases we have hurt other human beings in ways the criminal code could never punish us harsh enough for because our own punishment short of death does not suffice until we clear the wreckage of our past.

 For our crimes, the punishment should be fitting with obvious considerations taken as to the “mental state” of the individual while committing those crimes – the“mitigating circumstances” Brian speaks of,
but then identifies as erroneous. 

Our justice system takes a different approach when convicting or dealing with other individuals who suffer from mental illness; why should addiction be treated differently (acknowledging that in some progressive courts – The Calgary Drug Treatment Court and others like it across North America, which approach through a combination of treatment, probation and sometimes incarceration; this resembles a more educated approach to treating the
addiction and criminal action)? 

Brian goes on to pontificate, if that is what you can call this, “An addict chooses to be an addict. Sure, some of them have had a rough or even tragic life, some not, but escaping into drug addiction is the action of an amoral
fool.”

Amoral: 1) Outside of the scope of morality; not concerned with or amenable to moral judgments… 2) without moral standards; not caring about good behavior or morals. 

Oh Brian, how casually you look at the “problem” and its ‘most plausible root causes’ only to turn into a passionate member of the Nazi party when you propose a ‘well thought out solution’. It hurts my heart hearing this kind of ignorance, but also knowing that as a crown prosecutor you were charged with protecting the sanctity of our justice system, which is supposed to be free of personal bigotry and stereo typical perspectives. 

Jury duty is supposed to be? Honestly, it is drivel like this Brian, which makes us lose more
and more trust in the system as a whole. 

Brian’s theory if the Nazi’s had won the war, “I suggest isolated work camps, where drug addicts will go cold turkey or are weaned off drugs in a medically supervised way. They will be taught a work ethic, by doing work of a meaningful type, such as farming or manufacturing. They will be  required to pass a basic education course, and a technical course to make them employable, before they are released. They will remain in the camp until they
have become drug free, physically and psychologically, and have passed the work and education tests.

I can already hear words like "gulag" and "concentration camp" being hurled about by those who want to help stray animals and broken people. Just remember, though, that stray animals are put into animal shelters. They are
locked into those shelters until they can be released into a new environment…”

The tragic thing Brian, your idea is similar to rehabilitation; difference being, your ice-cold, broken plan is about forcing, demeaning, segregating, degrading, isolating, and killing the very spirit needed for a human being to recover from the disease of addiction. 

You guessed right mister Purdy, someone and many others see “Gulag” and “Concentration Camps” in your sick, misguided missive. If it stinks like smoke stacks, vicious chained dogs, and wooden trains; chances are good that is exactly what is approaching over the horizon. 

Perhaps you should have mentioned frontal lobotomies, electroshock therapy, and mandatory committals – oh that’s right - it is exactly what you proposed, or maybe even a firing squad? I leave out the other possibilities as a result of your theory because they speak for themselves when “Concentration Camps”are mentioned. 

If there are people suffering, struggling, fighting, holding on for dear life; remember that the Brian Purdy’s of the world do not constitute the majority. Unfortunately the majority is usually silent and will take on this
shameful perspective, making it their own.  

We do recover, by the grace of God, from this incurable disease and we do it one day at a time with family, friends, complete strangers who are compassionate and caring, and most importantly a fellowship with other men and
women who have recovered from alcoholism and addiction. 

And for Brian, one final thought; “There is a principle, which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance – that principle is contempt prior to investigation. By Herbert Spencer”

God bless and thank you, 
David W. Lewry


 




7 Comments
Gary
9/9/2011 08:43:54 am

The prosecutor is right. Our families, communities and the public are the victims. That is why we make amends to them. We make a list of all people we have harmed (our victims). His plan which may or may not be morally right, protects the society until the doper decides to get clean. In the real world the doper is enabled to commit crimes until "they" decide they hit bottom. In that time how many people get robbed, stabbed, beat and murdered. 90% of prisoners were loaded when they were arrested. All this guy is doing is standing up for the victims. As users we lived in that victim role all our lives until we got honest. I also find your use of Nazi horrors insulting to the men and women who fought and died. This is only used when your cannot justify your position.
Let me state that I don't think these camps would work unless it somehow brings the user towards a Higher Power.

Reply
David Lewry
9/9/2011 03:30:32 pm

Hi Gary Rock,

I appreciate your opinion Gary, it is good to have multiple ideas and theories as to how one comes to find a Higher Power...it is essential in fact to be open and willing - acknowledging that indeed, there are many pathways to that Power... and if that Power can be found through forced rehabilitation then...

But I am curious though?

Since when does a pathway of love, tolerance, acceptence, and understanding need defensive evidence in order to be correct or stand alone? Neither God nor His works need to be defended Gary...if they do, chances are, they are already indefensible and not of that Higher Power to begin with...but that is opinion of course about God as I understand Him.

I am not sure how you missread the blog or the article in terms of the wrongs we HAVE done and our accountability for them...but this theory by the prosecutor does not suggest anything about ammends or even differentiating between those who have committed these crimes against people or property...but thank you for helping make my point.

When someone intimates or suggests, or flat out states that people will mention "Gulags" and "Concentration Camps" when attempting to process a ludicrous theory, I think it is offensive to everyone reading to NOT illuminate on the very nature of that theory.

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck Gary...chances are...

Initially I wanted to respond to your statement about my mentioning of the Nazi's being insulting to those who have sacrificed for freedom, but honestly, I think that statement is so far from plausible and not based on who I am and how I live my life, I will leave that with you to process because it seems as though it might be very personal to you and I do not wish to scratch upon any kind of deep scar in anyone just to make a point.

I just fail to see a spiritual or even human approach within this man's article; but because I try my best each day to work a program and carry principles as outlined to me, I seek guidence from many because as you obviously know, "left to our own thinking..."

May your Higher Power bless you on your journey,

David Lewry"


Reply
Gary
9/10/2011 01:11:33 am

I agree with your principles and beliefs in every way imaginable. You appear to be a humble and spiritual example to all who struggle. We must look at the context of the article as it is written from a legal perspective by someone who is fed up. He may or may not understand the "poor suffering addict" and is just expressing his compassion for the victims. In context he is talking about the criminal aspect of addiction, not the moral. He may not be spiritual or maybe he knows more about God then we do. No matter, God has a plan for all who seek. Personally I can only help carry the solution, not the user.

Reply
David W Lewry
9/10/2011 05:57:26 am

Gary,

Thank you again for the thoughtful response, it is greatly appreciated.

I value hearing well thought out points of view and perspective, as that is what has helped me so very much through the last few years.

Though there are many issues with the article and I appreciate where you are coming from in terms of the victims to be certain; a couple of major things stand out...the first thing; he uses the term "amoral fools" which indicates he is in fact making a moral judgement. I feel very deeply for the victims of crime, and in no way would I over look such things...and this leads me to the second point; the very principles we try to practice and carry with us come from the literature of a spiritual program that in no way shape or form teaches "forceable" anything - in fact the very basis of that program was born out of an alternative to such things in dealing with alcoholics and addicts when the "theories" of the time were confinement and medical experimentation or psychotherapy, which often included the latter.

The last thing and I appreciate the difficulty of this is that the types of theories this man pruposes, on top of being vulgar, are the near sighted nature of them; not taking into account the long term effects this process would have on the individuals and a "free" society in general.

Thank you again Gary,

David Lewry

Reply
Stacee Amos
9/10/2011 10:05:02 am

I, very similarly have read Brian’s article numerous times. Considered how to best respond and have found myself stuck hopelessly at an impasse as to how to get my point across that his drivel is nonsense.

What overwhelmingly amazes me, Brian, is that you classify your addicts which should be isolated as only those who engage in a needle or a pipe, entirely overlooking the fact that alcohol is also an addiction. And maybe your supposed high moral ground is being used to overthrow the reader from the distinct sound of the ice cubes clinking in your glass? My point here of course is that not all addictions stem from illegal substances, or those you have chosen to deem dangerous.

You are semi correct that many addicts do in fact engage in other crimes to get money, but at the same time many of us are actually content with perpetrating crimes against ourselves and allowing ourselves to be torn apart by how we enact our lives. In this, yes we hurt our families and friends, the professionals who try to help us and believe me we are FULLY aware of this as we are left to our own devices to try to eradicate this after we have begun recovery. I also question Brian that you have included prostitution in this list of other crimes we commit, as prostitution itself is not illegal.

You state that an addict chooses to be an addict. Choice is relative and I assure you that I have seen many clients who have become addicts not by their choice, but by the choices of those who they should have been able to trust. The 12 year old client who was introduced to alcohol, marijuana and huffing at age 7, it was their choice? The child who grows up in an addicted home and feels it is the norm, it is their choice? The individual who recreationally drinks (like I’m sure you do) and happens to have the chemical imbalance which makes dependency a problem, it is their choice? I would think not, unfortunately for many of these people the system has failed them already and therefore their addiction will grow to the point of a degenerate lifestyle you speak of.

You mention Insite, but only very briefly and I have to assume you have not spent much time trying to figure out what programming Insite offers beyond free crack pipes (by the way the point of this is to help reduce HIV and Hepatitis B, not pave the way to hell for these individuals who I guarantee are already in hell). Insite does not only provide free pipes, they watch for people who are overdosing, try to reconnect the disconnected with family, provide them with resources to begin the road to recovery, they connect patients with doctors etc. It is not only about free pipes it is about offering dignity and support for those who are seen as the bottom of the human barrel, as exemplified by your piece.

You suggest isolated work camps in an attempt to segregate “them” at no expense and to reduce the ability of drugs being accessed by these individuals. I question, if you are going to ensure these individuals are detoxed in a medically appropriate way and that they pass education tests etc is it not going to cost money? Better yet, buildings or at least structures for these people to be sheltered from the elements will cost money, initially AND to maintain. This isn’t Arizona, and you aren’t Sherriff Joe, you can’t just toss up tents and know you won’t have frozen people in the morning. Also you are going to have to have your camps staffed to ensure us stray animals stay put, that’s money you will have to be spending. The teachers for basic education and technical courses, there’s more money you will have to be spending. What about food, clothes, healthcare, it all costs money Brian. Face it you want to build new jails with the specific intention of locking us addicts away so that society no longer has to deal with us. Next Brian, you state that we will only regain our freedom once the addiction has been kicked. Unfortunately to an addict, a substance is a substance, be it crack, heroin, cocaine, alcohol etc. You may make sure that the addiction to illegal substances are eradicated but when we are released to civilized society there will still be widespread use of alcohol. Unless you are willing to put down your glass of scotch and reintegrate prohibition an addict who has not been given appropriate coping methods will use a new substance.

One last thing Brian, you pitch addicts in an “us vs. them” position. Examine the statistics; lots of high functioning people have addictions. This includes the defence attorney at the table beside you, the judge sitting in front of you, the sheriff standing in the prisoners’ box protecting you from us lowlifes.

I do thank you though Brian for sharing this, because for those of us who work with addicts and sometimes become exhausted from the daily struggle and repetition it is nice to read something like this, which helps us remember why we conti

Reply
David W Lewry
9/10/2011 12:24:16 pm

Thank you Stacee,

Your perspective is appreciated! Keep doing the good work it sounds like you're doing!

Thank you,

David Lewry

Reply
David Lewry
9/12/2011 06:29:46 am


David's Blog was in this paper on Sunday! http://paper.li/HenryStradford/1299067224/2011/09/11

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