Advice needed

[retdetsgt]

"Tolerance" is the language spoken by those with no moral compass... and why the Country is so f'd up these days.

Everything once wrong is now considered to be OK .

Wanna screw your neighbors wife? Sure, no problem. We're tolerant.

Wanna take money or property from others because they are better off and can afford more than you? Sure, we'll even call it a tax because we're tolerant.

and on and on...

I don't want a "big brother" state in any form, including inflicting moral judgements AND/OR taking my property away from me.

I want the government to stay out of my life as much as possible in every form, not just some. That includes cops telling me how I should live my life when I'm not breaking any laws as much as taxing me and giving the money to people who don't want to work.

Maybe we disagree on this, but I think families for sure and church, if possible should provide moral compass, not the government nor its representatives.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

I'm talking about antiquated laws such as those against sodomy between consenting adults. Do you think it should be illegal to have oral sex with your spouse? It used to be in most states. Fortunately, most of them have been gleaned out since they protect nothing more than someone's moral outrage. Frankly, I don't endorse living with someone else's spouse either, but the oath I took involved enforcing the U.S. Constitution and the laws of my state. Nothing about the Bible or any other religious document was in that oath.

Well, since the OP didn't list their state of residence, we all only have our own state laws to go by. In Virginia, unmarried co-habitation is still on the books as an offense, as is adultery. Going by what you said about taking an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and enforce the laws of my state, should I not take my oath as seriously because my state chooses to keep those laws in place? That those laws should be ignored because of their unpopularity, or the rarity of prosecution?

In my opinion, the 'don't impose your morality on me' argument is the road the marijuana legalization crowd is driving down right now. Seatbelts and helmet laws are a tamer example.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to get on any kind of high horse here, and discretion is alive and well, but until a law is changed or removed, I am sworn to uphold ALL of them, even the unpopular ones.

[retdetsgt]

Well, since the OP didn't list their state of residence, we all only have our own state laws to go by. In Virginia, unmarried co-habitation is still on the books as an offense, as is adultery. Going by what you said about taking an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and enforce the laws of my state, should I not take my oath as seriously because my state chooses to keep those laws in place? That those laws should be ignored because of their unpopularity, or the rarity of prosecution?

In my opinion, the 'don't impose your morality on me' argument is the road the marijuana legalization crowd is driving down right now. Seatbelts and helmet laws are a tamer example.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to get on any kind of high horse here, and discretion is alive and well, but until a law is changed or removed, I am sworn to uphold ALL of them, even the unpopular ones.

I bet if you arrest someone for unmarried cohabitation, it would hold up for about 20 seconds in federal court, if it got that far.

I don't disagree with any of what you say about morality, but I don't think it's the police's nor the government's place to do it. Especially when you look how the moral compass of each administration is different. Now Obama is telling USA's to not push medical marijuana enforcement in states where it's legal.

Having worked vice, I can tell you that enforcing morals is a losing battle. Thirty years ago, I was arresting people and putting them in jail for running the same gambling operations that most states are doing now. Do you ever buy a lottery ticket? There was a time I could have arrested you for that. Where do you draw the line? It was people on a higher moral plane that gave us prohibition. That worked well, didn't it?

I raised two daughters and I did my level best to teach them moral values and apparently did an okay job. Both are living lives I and most people would be proud of. Neither used drugs to my knowledge, neither drink much at all, but I know both slept with their future husbands before they got married. And both have been married for double digit years and doing fine. So I don't see how some cop lecturing them for that would have made them better people.

But I also believe in a democracy. If most Americans want marijuana legalized, then it probably will be in the future. I have no intention of using it, but I don't believe in the tyranny of the minority either. The people of Oregon legalized assisted suicide which drives some religious folks nuts. My feeling is that if you don't like it, then don't do it. It hurts no one else so how is it anyone else's business? Same with cohabitation.

You have no problem with the government telling you which consenting adult you can't have sex with, but have a issue with them telling you that you have to wear a seat belt? Which is the most intrusive and personal?

And I don't care about you or anyone else lecturing anyone who's willing to listen to your personal moral values, I just don't think you should be doing it as a representative of the government. Just my opinion, but as I told Creeker, I don't want the government in my life anymore than necessary.

I'm not talking about you at all, but it's always amazed me how some people who wave the flag the most and talk about freedom are the first to tell others how they should live their lives. And I DO personally know people just like that.