I like "the realization of his character and potentialities as a human being." But is that the "end"? I agree with KS, that realization is not an end, but becomes a 'way' -- the realization applied. I discover a classic melody -- then I master it through playing it. For me, the motivation is not to 'get' somewhere or something, but to play well, in tune, in harmony, for its own sake. It is an individual journey within a world of other human beings' journeys, and I don't play a song to get to the end. ;-)

Face it, the Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter movements are due to drug prohibition. Immigration issues from Mexico, also, mostly about the drug war. Giving police the right to pat you down whenever or wherever has eroded the very principle of American liberty. The premise is that these powers are 'for the common good' but as we see they are and have always been about power -- political and economical. The Police State has been fueled by the Drug War -- that has always been its purpose, to expand. But just like the Occupy Wall Street charade, the protesters miss the mark -- they have become the unwitting tools of their own oppressors.

Right on! I am SO tired of fear-mongering headlines about 'extremists' & 'radicals'. The jargon used to condition people into agreeing upon a common enemy, is constantly bombarding us. Compromise is the weapon against principle, and every trick in the book is used to get us to trade our liberty for so-called protection. How many times have we been told to 'trust us' and lower our guard, only to find ourselves even more beholden and worse off than before?

Conscience is the last line of defense against one's own slavery -- and others'.

Looking good has become more important than doing good. An honest man, who has made a few mistakes, fallen down, gotten up, and stands again doesn't get much of a shot at representing his peers. The quest for power is the game of the rich and powerful -- even the poorest member of Congress must be able to raise millions of dollars, and most are millionaires without any trade other than legislating -- how did they manage that? Imagine if the path of the honorable man could lead to the legislature -- another George Washington perhaps? The world is due!

A hundred stars! Explains the right-left paradigm perfectly, and the de facto fascism that has taken over the US political system. It also explains terrorism and the motivations of lone wolf suicide bombers. Mass delusion is a requirement of totalitarianism -- and the ruling class has been perfecting their craft for millennia. Chances are YOU have already been conditioned to accept doing wrong for the 'common good' as OK -- it isn't! Never was, never will be.

Mick, read some Buddha sutras. Your definition of 'addiction' relates to that of 'attachment.' Addictions are attachments, but not all attachments are addictions. Are you addicted to your car or house or children? Are you addicted to your job, your sexual preferences, your food choices? Are you addicted to life? Maybe.

Buddha talks about the 'path of liberation.' Liberation from what? Good question!! ;-)

Congress may repeal drug prohibition laws or various drugs can be re-classified to essentially 'legalize' them. But again, it is the premise that is to be 'repealed' -- the government does not have the authority to regulate behavior, including what powers I may posses, in whatever form -- sword, pen, gun, drug, medicine, machine, knowledge, vehicle, printer. Read the Constitution, none of those powers are given to the federal government. If the culture and consciousness of the common people support the regulation of the personal habits of the people, then the government can get away with it, even if those powers are not authorized by the Constitution. The real work is to expose the rackets to the people, until the enemy is clearly defined. Just how far off the deep end are Americans willing to go? How many will be empowered to be free and take responsibility? Will Liberty rise again?

Straight from the horse's mouth. The War on Drugs has always been war -- and like most wars, it's about power, insatiable power, as it turns out. Unlike a war with a nation, this war is never ending, the end being also the end of the state apparatus to 'enforce' the drug laws. Big government needs money, and they will get it by any means -- taxing, fining, confiscating, all "in the name of the law." The bigger government gets, the more it's going to take from the people.

The entire Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter movements would be non-existent without the War on Drugs. Strike at the root!

Classic, Mencken!

Crime and violence are the bread and butter of the State -- they are co-dependent upon each other. Declaring something a crime, means having to pay someone to "enforce the law" which means putting people on a payroll AND giving them the authority to use violence as the means of enforcement. Violence begets violence.

I believe the human race has made tremendous strides in 'civilizing' itself -- but the power seekers ever disrupt the peace in the community for their own gain, attempting to divide a house against itself.

In truth, justice is the end of government IF, and only if, justice is the end of the People. It cannot be repeated enough that the hearts and minds of the People rule -- the question is, who rules the hearts and minds of the People? Am I the master of my own destiny or am I fulfilling some role already written for me by someone else? We will be free only if we take responsibility for that freedom.

Indeed! How can a single judge, out of hundreds, simply block an act of the Executive for nothing more than political reasons? The courts are OBVIOUSLY partisan, no less than Congress. There is no real judgement of the law, it is about power. Totalitarianism once affirmed by the Courts is the end of a republican form of government.

A fact under-promoted in the private for-profit lawyers union...

Love that last line! ;-)

The Republican party "does not recognize individual sovereignty, liberty, natural law" either, Mike, as we have well seen during Republican majorities in Congress. 'Parties' are collectivist in nature -- free individuals have NO representation. Party politics is all about compromise, which is why applying the same reasoning to the sovereign individual guarantees the loss of his sovereignty, that's the compromise. And year after year, compromise after compromise, the people find themselves beholden to the dictates of Rome, for their own good.

There can be no compromise with the principles of Freedom and Responsibility. There can be no compromise between Truth and Falsehood. There can be no compromise with natural law. There is no compromise in dishonor -- the fruits are guaranteed.

Promises, promises... hope. The racket of politics, like banking, is turning promises into currency. Each party making promises of power to the electorate -- power they intend to take from the opposition. The castles are for the politicians, the promise of one is for you.

A republican form of government is the distribution of power across many hands, with checks and balances in place to keep the power-hungry from dominating. The concentration of power into a few hands creates an endless quest for those seats of power. The so-called democracy has been turned into a rigged lottery between two choices picked for us by the ruling junta. It's Hillary vs Trump rather than the principles of republican governance. We seem to have forgotten that a president is not a king -- s/he cannot do whatever they please. The Congress is responsible for most of what people expect from a president -- it is Congress that spends and declares war, the President must administer the statutes that Congress passes. With neither presidential candidate beholden to the Constitution, and a Congress that has voted itself the money of the People (that's ALL they do now) the USA has become a de facto empire with a Crown and aristocracy that rule the common people.

The job of the human being is the same as it ever was -- wake up, take the reins, and do good. INTEGRITY and HONOR are still the foundations of a free republic -- demand it from our servant government.

I speak of 'sin' not in a religious sense. From a secular perspective, a sin is a product of hate or lies, and has a price in the real world and in real hearts -- there are consequences in Nature. I know not the life to come if there is any, but I do know that my own thoughts and acts have a consequence that need no courts or gods to enforce in the real world. As an individual, I don't want secularists playing God any more than I want religionists to. Let God be God, and let the People be the People.

Forget about 'sin' -- how about:

You get out of it what you put into it.
What goes around, comes around.
You are what you eat.
Garbage in, garbage out.

'Sin' is creating garbage, eating crap, hating, lying -- why? Read the above. (The Golden Rule isn't bad either...)

Take the simplest of examples: F%CK YOU!

When is saying that a crime? It is quintessential 'hate speech' in every aspect, with an intent to do harm, yes? Isn't 'hate' itself a crime, then? Who would be safe from prosecution, and who is to be the judge?

All I can say is 'grow up!' Teacher isn't here, and school rules do not apply. Hypocrites!

A point NEVER heard from a lawyer or judge -- the last thing they want is for the jury to make up their own minds. Nullification of law by jury is the People's check against bad laws. Prohibition was unsuccessful for the reason that juries would not convict -- that's why the Feds switched to income tax evasion to go after mob bosses. Jury nullification could be used to end the drug war -- but juries do not know they may judge the law as well and acquit the non-violent defendant who has done nothing to anyone else. Few ever go to trial knowing that if the jury does not come up with a unanimous verdict, it's called a mistrial and do it again until they get a guilty verdict -- this is a travesty of justice!!! It requires unanimity to convict not to acquit!

Rings true for me. Patrick Henry, I do believe you are describing the nature of this world -- not sure that much has ever been different. We are born into this world and take our places in it -- there is nothing but a never-ending stream of 'problems' to resolve, choices to make, directions to go -- that's how the world got to where it is now. Some people's worlds are living hells, others in the lap of luxury, and others are full of mystery and adventure with nothing but a wing and a prayer.

We live in a world of words -- what we say about it forms the boundaries. Every now and again we have a 'breakthrough' and the walls come tumbling down. I do not expect the world to change in this regard -- this is the work, is it not?

A return to fundamentals in law solves the issue. What is a crime? An intentional act to do harm -- mens rea -- is considered in relation to the harm actually caused by the act. An accident is not a crime because there was no intent to do harm, even though there might have been harm -- however, I am still responsible for my actions, accidental or otherwise, BUT the accidental act is NOT a crime.

As well, to hate someone is not a crime in and of itself -- it's a sin, but not a crime -- there must be a violation of another's rights with an ill intent. Free speech absolutely includes hateful speech -- how else to call our criminal misleaders to account? When telling the truth becomes a crime because it hurts someone's feelings, you know you are being sold a bill of goods. It's a slippery slope to totalitarianism.

To do ANYTHING with an intention to harm is essentially a 'sin', whether codified into statutes or not. Liberals should remember that the law is not in the business of punishing sins -- playing God seems to be popular with secularists.

Furthermore, a UNANIMOUS verdict from a jury is required to convict someone of a crime. A 3 judge panel of hate crimes is NOT justice nor lawful in the USA.

There are no criminal thoughts, Mick.

"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more!" ;-)

I find it more painful to accept the conventional view ...