Capnwack wrote:My problem stems from opiate addiction. You see, when I was serving this country to protect the freedoms you think you have but don't, and enjoy everyday regardless of whether or not you have knowledge of it, I was shot and put on opiate pain medication for years and years.
First of all, thank you for serving. And thank you for putting yourself in harm's way so that others can be free.
When I was serving this country - something which I did for years and years, where I spent an entire career, earned regular promotions, and eventually qualified for full retirement benefits - when I was serving this country what I did NOT do was give in to the temptation of habitual drug use. Furthermore, I know the military medical system all too well. If you were on opiate pain medication for "years and years" I know you weren't getting it from active duty military doctors for any longer than it took you to make your initial recovery from your injuries and return to duty or be discharged. I also know that the military is VERY concerned about substance abuse and is very proactive getting people into treatment programs so they can be rehabilitated. To suggest that it's the military's fault you are still a lifelong drug addict, and that you yourself aren't primarily at fault now, is irresponsible and disingenuous.
I can't speak for the Veteran's Administration and those doctors, nor can I pass judgment on the extent of your injuries, the ongoing pain you may be enduring, and the treatment you received after leaving active duty. But I do know from experience that the vast majority of people who suffer from chronic pain do not become lifelong potheads or worse. And those men and women who actually have real integrity, even though they may succumb to addiction temporarily, will find a way to overcome it.
Capnwack wrote:I will smoke a bowl, and enjoy it. I just have one question. What makes you so much better than myself?
What makes me better than you is that I have high moral standards, high ethical standards, and integrity. I don't treat responsibility like an intellectual game. I actually exercise personal responsibility every day, all day. I do not blame "the system" when things don't go my way or disreputable people work against me. I took advantage of the opportunities the military offered for advanced education and for personal growth. I used my time in the military to hone these traits, to learn and practice leadership skills, and to set myself and my family in a good position for continued success after retiring from active duty.
When I got off active duty and the job market was not what I hoped to find, I did not retreat into a selfish drug-abusing haze of blame. No, I went to work at the jobs which were available, took some additional college classes, then I qualified to sit for the CPA exam and passed all four parts on the first sitting. I continued my personal growth and development, adapting my skills to best use my military-hones abilities in civilian life.
But you, happily smoking your bowls, wouldn't understand anything about that.
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." - Robert Heinlein