Healthy discourse or a mistake?

Those who know me or keep up with my posts know that i am outspoken with my opinion on many matters and hide nothing.  Unfortunately, that outspokenness has caused some uproar.

I recently posted as a 'public' status my answer to a question posed.  The question was simply asking when was the first time trying any drug.  My post was such:

"alcohol i started when i was probly 11 or 12. cigs when i was 26. cannabis @ 27. AMT @ 29. Ecs (and various designer), LSD and psilocybin @ 30/31.

Of it all, wish i NEVER would have started cigarettes, i'm not much of a drinker anymore, would love a mushroom weekend, some acid for xmas ...and love the ganja. End the insanity. End the war on drugs. End prohibition. End the lies."

The grand discussion thence proceeded with family members, friends and acquaintances chiming in.  Of the over 50 comments left on the thread, there were two contributors that i didn't see coming -- my ex-wife and 14 year old daughter.  Why i didn't see them coming is a discussion for another time, but where the discussion went definitely gave me pause, and another status update, "going through evaluation."

Thus, my evaluation:
I definitely could have (and some would say should have) not posted the status publicly and avoided the issue all-together, but that definitely would have been against my personal agendas of transparency and activism.  i am not afraid nor ashamed of my stance on the subject and welcome discussions of such.  No change is ever brought about by inactivity.  With that said, do i regret that my ex-wife and daughter got involved, or felt the need to get involved?  Well, honestly i couldn't care less what my ex thinks, but what hurts is the discourse between my daughter and i.  It was never my intent to approach the discussion of drugs with my daughter in this way, but now the box is open and i am sure my next visit will be an adventure.  What it does tell me, though, is what she is being fed.  She had made the comment, "I DON'T want to be taught about drugs, I want to be warned!"  An issue of semantics; warn about drugs or teach about drugs.  Although i most definitely see the place for warning someone of the possible dangers surrounding drug use/abuse, on its own it does not do the subject justice and is left wide open for bias abuse (by bias abuse i would refer to the example of religious fundamentalism involvement in politics/government).  An honest impartation of knowledge or instruction is far more useful and enforces the exercise of wisdom based on facts.  i would most definitely warn my daughter of the negative effects of drug use (to include tobacco, alcohol and various prescriptions), but not without giving her the facts.  Besides the legality of such, the physical and mental development is hindered/altered when at the yet developing stages of life.  Having correct knowledge vs. a biased warning better prepares them for possible confrontations and pressures in the future by peers and outsiders AND still leaves them with their own free-will decisions in maturity.  Would i condone my daughter partaking in drugs of any recreational sort at age 14, or 12, or 16?  Emphatically NO!  Do i want her to be properly equipped/guarded if-and-when she is approached with the opportunity under peer-pressure to partake?  Emphatically YES!

Just saying "no" is weak (IMHO), but there is a great deal of strength in understanding why "no."  Just reiterating a societal dogmatic agenda proposed by 'authorities' (and i use that loosely) flaunts a weak mind that has jumped on a bandwagon.  Knowing the unbiased facts of a matter and then saying 'yea' or 'nay' exhibits an exercised mind and purposeful free-will.  We have created an environment where personal responsibility and accountability are null-and-void and the exercise of "free-will" is delegated by the 'authorities.'  That is not the country our ancestors and forefathers fought and died for.  The illegitimate use of greedy power has derided the personal liberties/freedoms this nation was founded on.  It is time truth and facts are forefront in every societal debate or discussion of pertinence to the "greater good" of the whole.  Prohibition (in the arena of alcohol/drugs) has caused more harm than good, fed the appetite of criminality, grossly misdiagnosed the ills of justice, imprisoned the impoverished, fattened the greedy -- all on the taxpayer dollar with nothing to show for it but MORE of the same.

Am i worried where my public stance on this issue will take my relationship with my daughter?  A little.  I sure as hell don't want this chasm to be between us (this isn't the only thing dividing us), nor do i want it between me and any other family member or loved one, but a few years ago i saw something in the world.  Deception, greed and dogma have muddied the once crystal-clear-down-to-the-bottom pool of life.  It's going to take a lot of work, but i would love to see that pool cleaned up.  It can be pristine again.  i want my daughter to experience life the way it should be experienced.  i'm sure you want the same for yours.

With all this said, i haven't deleted the aforementioned post from my wall ...but i have changed its visibility to 'friends.'

But, this post will remain 'public.'

Enjoy life
          Truth, Knowledge and Humanity