DARE you to shut up!

Today we had an assembly about .. yup, you guessed it: drugs!

It wasn't from DARE, but it made me think about the absurdity of preaching against drugs, alcohol and peer pressure. For those that don't know what DARE is, let me introduce you to them:

Drug
Abuse
Resistance
Education

An organisation made of police officers that speak to young children. They even have faithful, brainwashed disciples; seniors in highschool called "DARE role models". They use methods such as spreading propaganda, false statistics, peer pressure against peer pressure and scare tactics to stop kids from doing drugs.

They even forced us to hold a DARE concert at our school where we sung ridiculous songs in which druggies were protrayed as people whose life goals were to "convert" people to their lifestyles.

In 5th grade (yes, this was pretty long ago), it was required that every Monday we had "DARE day" where police officers would come into our classrooms to systematically brainwash, I mean educate us about the matter.

One day, they even gave us a certificate that said "I pledge to be drug free" and told us to sign on the line. The teachers were staring us down and even though it wasn't mandatory for us to sign, it sure felt like it.

Do you not see the hypocrisy of DARE? It is them using the same peer pressure they preach against, but they justify it because they just know what they believe is right, so it's okay to shove their beliefs down our throats.

You're probably thinking; why the hard feelings? They're keeping kids from making "bad decisions"!

No, they really aren't. As I'm sure you've noticed, kids enjoy being rebels. I know countless people who break the law solely for that reason. Because DARE told them to do one thing and they were being "unique" by doing just the opposite.

They tell us that people who do this and that will negatively influence you, so under any circumstance, you must avoid them because they're all out to get you.

When do they ever say that people who don't do it will positively influence someone who does?

I've been told by countless people to stop hanging out with the people I do because they're a "bad influence". DARE tells me they're going to pressure me. They are human beings, not a virus. Not once have they tried to pressure me. Not once have any of them said "everyone's doing it". Not once have any of them said "I won't be your friend if you don't do it". Not once have I preached to them about it. Not once have I said "I won't be friends with you if you keep making these decisions".

Because they know where I stand and I know where they stand and I love them for who they are. Their decisions are their business and theirs only and they will only change if they want to.

Only when their decisions begin affecting your life can you speak up and make a fuss about it (like when my ex-friends ditched and condemned me for not being like the "cool kids"; I experienced those DARE horror stories first hand and didn't need to hear it from them).

If the stigma against drugs, smoking and alcohol doesn't exist and we get to use our brains to decide, I can assure you that less people will do them and more people will realise on their own that it is not the lifestyle they wish to pursue. And upon this realisation, they will be more committed because they do not feel obligated by a bunch of outwardly assigned "role models". And we won't have a bunch of rebels seeking not only the temporary highness but also for the thrill and adrenaline rush for doing something illegal! This is my firm belief.

I'm going to wrap this up by saying I used my brain to make the decision for my lifestyle and I didn't need DARE to force their beliefs down my throat to make these decisions. Neither do you. Neither does anybody.

Use common sense to answer this question. Do you think that you would stay committed to something better because you felt obligated to or because you actually wanted to?

So... Does preaching against drugs, smoking and alcohol really help or does it create more hype and force people to make rash decisions they can not commit to?

I DARE you to think about it.

**Note: I'm not encouraging you to do drugs. Please don't misinterpret this rant!**

Edit//

BBCode didn't show up, removed some drug-related content @__@

[edit on 30-10-2007 by Paresthesia]

Be careful. I'm sure this violates the T&C in regards to illegal substance talk.


Just a warning.

Jasn

For real? Well this is more about the organisation, not the drugs themselves. Hmm... I think I'll edit it to remove the stuff about the drugs themselves. Thanks for the heads up.

reply to post by Paresthesia


No problem. If I understand the rule correctly, it's mostly in place because of public access computer filters blocking the site because it picks up the names of the illegal substances and any talk about drug use, whether for OR against.


Jasn

Thats a great post. I remember, when I was a kid, and we had DARE officers in class all the damn time.

This is basically what they said: No and we were like No:w: or they will us. And we were like :shk:. Lol but seriously, it's like they were trying to program us at an early age, but it didn't work for me.

I do not drink, nor have I ever taken any drugs, but I have been around people who have, and my uncle used to do it in front of me especially when I was a little kid, but I never once then or now, had the idea, oh yea I want to do it! Looks cool! And I will not ever have that idea. Thanks for the great post. Glad I could share.

[edit on 31-10-2007 by jca2005]

DARE has been found to be an utter failure.

Family Council on Drug Awareness

big surprise. Prohibition didn't work with alcohol, it just made previously law-abiding normal members of society into criminals, and corrupted the court system.

Deja vu. Too bad America's government is incapable of learning from its mistakes.

They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This lends credence to the idea that our government is just plain nuts.

reply to post by jca2005


When I was in sixth grade, we had the DARE program. However, I'm only against the PROGRAM, as the police officer who was there was, in fact, the nicest cop in the city. If you ask me, they should drop the DARE and just tell kids to "just say no." It's a lot nicer than "Don't hang out with these people; if you do, your life will spiral downwards into a pit that you can't get out of!" (this isn't a direct quote, but it's pretty close).

My point: don't blame the officers on this. They simply go by the rules to teach the kids about this "educational" stuffs.

-oppdis

I see DARE as something more sinister. Maybe it's just my cynical nature and seeing conspiracies everywhere I look; but what a great way to find out who the followers of authority and the individualist are. And use this information when the kids are older. Like amassing lists for potential military people, cops, etc.

Almost nothing in the modern world is exactly what it is portrayed to be.

[edit on 31-10-2007 by whaaa]

There has been many studies proving that DARE program is useless, and a waste of tax payers money. I have a friend who has a local access tv show that deals with politics. Every year he asks for a DARE reprensentitive to come on the show and debate DARE's effectiveness. Each year they refuse.

Where I grew up, the DARE officer got caught stealing $20,000 from the DARE program. I knew the guy, he was into drugs. Go figure.

[edit on 31-10-2007 by testrat]

I remember DARE in 5th grade. I didn't really find it to be brainwashing. They maybe exagerated a few things sure, but I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was brainwashing.

But this is another situation where parents are effectivly talking to their kids about the subject either so the government feels like they have the right to step in. Maybe if we as parents talked to our kids openly and honestly about the subject instead of just saying "Don't do it or your grounded" without telling them why they shouldn't do it, then maybe schools wouldn't feel the need to have the DARE program.

I guess DARE didn't work for me. =/

I smoke the green herb more often then I sleep.

I do remember it 5 years ago though. I have never payed attention in school so when I saw those black DARE shirts that everyone was wearing, I felt the need to be kickass and get one too.

Doesn't DARE also tell you not to smoke cigarettes?

If thats true then I was a 13 year old hypocrite addicted to cigarettes, sporting something I was completely against.

I think that DARE is something that should be advertised on TV only. Bringing all that nonsense into schools is completely futile.

I'm drug free.




They said it and I'll say it.

"Drugs are for losers."





Although, I do think the drug laws in this country are worthless and set up with ulterior motives other than "stopping drugs use in America."

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


"Drugs are for losers"

Care to elaborate?
I'd like to know why you think only losers do drugs.

reply to post by 1Crisis








Pretty straight forward.

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


LOL.

Okay I guess you meant tweakers.

And yeah those kinds of drugs are no good.

reply to post by 1Crisis


I don't see much harm in weed or shrooms. I would never do them, regardless, the # stinks and the majority of people who smoke are burnouts. I have to drive the very same burnouts home at 3 or 4 am almost every weekend because I love them.

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


And if you think people just JUMP into heavy drug use, you're kidding yourself.

You know some of those burnouts are professional athletes or popular musicians. And I am only talking about THC when I say that.

Mushrooms are a different story. The reason shroom users hallucinate is because it makes your brain bleed.

reply to post by 1Crisis


Yeah, that's an irrelevant point.

Strong people don't need or see the need of those substances. Weed isn't exactly good for you.

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


It's not exactly bad for you either. Medical cannabis is prescribed in my state -- it's kept me alive for years.