Smoke Screen

Normally, I like discussing problems and dilemmas facing society with friends and family. It's a very interesting mental exercise, and it's interesting to discover how you feel on a subject. However, it is one thing to discuss the problem, and it is quite another to have to deal with it in real life. The question becomes more interesting because it is not simply a case of wondering what to do. I have two courses of action, laid out before me. Both of them are defined, both are things I hold scared, both are ideas that I have already had tested under fire and watched them come out sound.

The first is the very simple concept that if a friend is in danger, I'll go to their aid in the best way I can. My best is never good enough, but I try as hard as I can anyways. I just hope I am forgiven whenever I fall short.

The second is the idea that people have the right to determine what they want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else. It's called free will: God gave it to us, and several documents protect it e.g. the infamous "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", which allows a rather broad spectrum of action.

Two morals that have never been a problem till now. Then I had the smoke screen blown in my face.

I know somebody is going to flak me for this, but this is important enough to me that I'll take that chance: Guess what? Smoking KILLS. It's killing you right now. It's going to eventually destroy you.

Guess what else? I'm not going to stop you.

I can't. As much as I want to stop my friends (one in particular- and you can guess who you are) from killing themselves, I can't. It isn't hurting anyone else (as long nobody is around to breathe in the second-hand smoke), thus moral two kicks in- it's their life, their choice, their future. But then moral one kicks in saying that they're hurting themselves, I've must stop them. Then moral two kicks in saying that it's their choice, I must not stop them. Then moral one, then moral two, and on and on and on.

It's one of the worst circles I've ever talked myself into. And I can't talk myself out, because both of the morals rank near or at the top of my "moral priority" list. I've never actually ranked them, so I can't say that one is higher than the other. I can say though that I hold both of them sacred. Human life and free will. Thus I am paralyzed into inaction.

If I break moral two, and interfere, then I risk losing the person involved because "It's none of my business" and, in a way, they're right. If I break moral one, and don't interfere, then I risk losing the person involved because the stuff they're doing is going to eventually kill them.

You see this message often enough on TV: "Interfere. Get involved. It's better to lose a friend then to watch that friend die." It's a lot easier to say it then to do it. Even when human life is involved, that human life has the option to do whatever he/she/it wants to do. It is the ability of the mind to choose, to decide that helps make us human.

The argument circle again. You can see it here, on the page, as I try to sort out conflicting feelings and thoughts. Around and around and around.

I won't shout at you to stop. I WILL NOT. You are all human, you all have the ability to choose. I will not break that rule, no matter how much it hurts to watch. I can't.

Just think about what you're doing, please? Just think about it. Why are you doing this?

And, if you do want to stop after thinking about it, then ask me. Ask anybody. They will help you. If any of the love I've seen at PYPS events means anything, there will be a lot of people ready to help you the best they can. Myself included.

And, if you don't want to stop after thinking about it, then that's your choice. I won't take any action, and NOBODY should force you to make a choice against your will. If any of the love I've seen at PYPS events means anything, there'll be a lot of people crying at your funeral. Myself included.

Did I ever tell you how much I hate funerals?