Common Sense 2014 Issue 2
“Who the Author of this Production is, is wholly unnecessary to the public, as the Object for Attention is the DOCTRINE ITSELF, not the MAN. Yet it may not be necessary to say, that he is unconnected with any Party, and under no sort of influence public or private, but the influence of reason and principle.” Thomas Paine, Feb.14th, 1776
COMMON SENSE 1) Ordinary good sense or sound practical judgement. 2) normal intelligence. 3) decisions guided by reason and principle.
There is ignorance and evil in this world, but foremost there is intelligence, creativity and greater good. Most of us strive to intelligently use our creativity to forward those things which are for the greater good. It is an innate part of our being to be so inclined. It is Common Sense.
Unfortunately Common Sense does not always prevail and people use their greed, stupidity, lack of ethics and special interests to harm and destroy the greater good. Witness a recent newspaper article created and written by Nanette Asimov dated May 26, 2014. This article appeared on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle on Memorial Day. (You are going to have to locate this article on your own, Common Sense does not care to give it the light of day) Nannette’s intent was not to promote the greater good but to discredit the highly effective and successful drug education program highlighted in the article. This is not the first time she has attacked this program. In the past, she has covertly portrayed herself as an ally to drug education and then turned around and overtly attacked the program through her position as a writer for the Chronicle. Common Sense can only wonder, hmm…what sordid special interests have been lining her pockets?
Before going any further, Common Sense would like to mention some salient facts. The Drug Educational and moral challenges facing our society at this time are at a tipping point. The average age of first time drug users of both street and medicine cabinet narcotics and stimulants continues to get younger and younger by recent survey. (Drug users getting younger: video report at http://bit.ly/1rWPFoy) “Children as young as seven and eight are using ecstasy and cannabis, according to an official report. A Home Office survey found that some drug users admitted taking ecstasy when they were just seven years old, while others said they smoked cannabis at age eight. The youngest reported user of Cocaine was just nine.”
ref: http://bit.ly/1rWSrtX
“In 2008 there were an estimated 20.1 million drug users in the USA. The number of addicts were estimated at 7 million.” http://bit.ly/1CKM0wx In 2012 an estimated 23.9 million Americans aged 12 and older had used illicit drugs or abused psychotropic “medication”. “In 2013 7% of 8th graders, 18% of 10th graders and 22.7% of 12th graders used cannabis in the past month.” (National Institute of Drug Abuse and Addiction ref:http://1.usa.gov/1jnmHYt)
The Nanette Asimov article was published as a couched but unmitigated attack on a highly regarded program that has been attempting to reverse this alarming trend. The program has been successfully educating youth on the truth about drugs in California schools for many years and continues to do so. They do an excellent job and are loved by teachers and students alike. Newspapers like the San Francisco Chronicle have no qualms about glorifying such undeserving topics as Marihuana legalization and the perverse decorums of San Francisco’s Folsom Street sadomasochistic festival, then turn around and attack deserving organizations that are truly helping individuals and society at large. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Folsom-Street-Fair-No-pain-no-gain-2308028.php
Glorify illogic and attack Common Sense?
Common Sense would suggest that this is irresponsible reporting. It is not the type of writing that will raise our kids intelligence and creativity for the greater good. Shame on Nannette Asimov, her article is destructive and erodes the hard work of so many well meaning citizens who have spent hours and lifetimes working for the greater good. Maybe Nannette is a proponent of smoking dope and dancing naked in the streets of San Francisco, but it doesn’t sit well in our Elementary Schools. We wouldn’t stand for it, nor should we.
Most kids do not understand, they have never been taught that drugs are basically poison. Apparently most adults don’t know this either. Drugs in small doses can and do induce certain mental and physical reactions in a person. If used under caring medical supervision and sparingly, they can have beneficial properties that suppress and/or poison other organisms or malfunctions in one’s body. They should not be taken lightly. All drugs in large enough doses will kill you. They are not food. They in no way nourish the body or the mind. They are poisonous. They can be very toxic and harmful. To gain an understanding of this, all you have to do is study the warnings and side effects that come with the POSSIBLE benefit. Thousands and thousands of people die from the drugs they have been prescribed and not from the disease or original malfunction of the body being treated. http://bit.ly/1rLT0o6
If you believe our schools desperately need these drug education programs, then you very well are endowed with a good dose of Common Sense. And anyone so endowed, most certainly has no doubts or qualms about the truth of this matter. Deception and lies cannot stand up to the shining light of Common Sense.
Common Sense 2014, Richard Rensberry
QuickTurtle BooksTM LLC
http://www.quickturtlebooks.com
It’s Black and White/A Turtle Quest for the Ages/Navigating the ADHD Controversy by Mary and Richard Rensberry


QuickTurtle Books® 