Being a former mj user, I can opine on this subject from experience, yet disgust in MY country today. In the 1960's, the hippies smoked pot, didn't trust the government, pushed for states rights, and begged for freedom. These hippies used to sit around, smoke pot, and talk about just how much they hated big government. These people called themselves liberals. Fast forward to today, and I watch the news show a ton of stoned people in Colorado celebrating 4/20 on Easter, and holding up signs showing Jesus stoned, and eating burgers. These are the same people who call themselves liberals. The stark contrast is they love big government, they trust big government, they vote for it, they're against states rights, and are absolutely against freedom. Minus the freedoms of being able to smoke legal pot, sit home with no job as that's "cool," accept "free" government money as that's also cool, buy their legal pot with the money they're receiving, so yes, I'm buying their pot, and condemn people called conservatives for rallying against tyranny. I find it damned shocking to the conscious, and a slam against the liberals of the 1960's for these government loving, lazy, dumbed down parasites to dare call themselves liberals. The liberals of yesterday actually stood for something, vs today's "liberal" legal pot-smoking government lover. Next time I'm visiting family in Colorado, count me out on buying some legal weed, even though I kinda like the stuff. I won't be aligned with government loving nazis. Sorry, won't happen!
Welcome to the Middle Age club. Prerequisites for joining: 1. Are 40+ years of age 2. Think the younger generation is a bunch of good for nothing slackers 3. You hate everything about the younger generation - their attitudes, fads, fashions, taste in music, etc. 4. Realize that you know exactly what's wrong with the world, and know the solution(s) if you're ever given the power to fix things 5. You think everybody else around you is an idiot. And you have no problem informing them of their shortcomings. 6. Everyone says you're becoming a cranky old man, but deep down, you still feel like a strapping young 25 yo buck. 7. None of the above apply if a young, hot chick strolls by. You're still man enough in that department. If not, pop a few Viagra, and try again. Bonus points: 1. You sit on your porch with your shotgun, waiting to shoot the neighborhood punks, who are just 30 year younger versions of yourself. 2. Early onset Alzheimer's (or too much drugs) erases the memories of your youth before age 20. Appropriate response - smile and laugh Inappropriate response - ranting and raging
What I'm pointing out is yesterday's stoner hated big government, and dreamed of true freedom. Today's stoner loves big government, and hates everyone else's freedom, dreaming of it taken away.
yesterday's stoners hated big government with regard to wars. They wanted to spend the money on welfare for themselves.
Now many of the 70s stoners in coca cola pants are either give me free prozac cause I spent everything and need big govt handout lefties or they got jobs and careers when they were younger and are now members of the tea party.
Remember that song about flowers in their hair ? Those were the days. Not the sad looking today's lot with no energy.
They were rebels that flouted societal norms, hated war and the war on drugs and the "man" because of it. They favored love and communal thinking and peace and essentially Christian ideals. Today's progressives still retain these ideals and now they realize that the govt is just a tool to effect those ends. The difference is that today, everyone smokes pot, not just the cool people. Leapdown is a prime example of how even very uncool people are now also smoking pot. One does not have to be a rebel/liberal/progressive ie cool person, to be a pot smoker now. It's like the new martini. And the statement that today's liberal want to take away freedom is absurd and the rantings of a right wing wacko.