Weerd notes the addition of Amy Winehouse to the 27 Club.
Now, I'll readily admit to not really being all that up on the popular music scene these days, being an admitted old fart and curmudgeon who feels that good music died when grunge took over (right before Kurt Cobain joined the 27 Club, AAMOF...) Allegedly Ms. Winehouse had considerable talent - when sober - that leads to a lot of lamenting and "what if" ing. It's her life, her body, her choice.
What I take issue with, though, is those that would place the blame for her death on the war on drugs/legalization/etc. I'm about as big a proponent of "legalize" as you're gonna find - it's your body, do whatever you'd like to it as long as you don't want my money to fix your ills and you stay away from me and mine while under the influence. Claiming that Amy Winehouse would still be alive if heroin were legal is BS, though.
Folks die of alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related illnesses every day, and that's as legal as the day is long. Legal stuff killing people? Hell, cigarettes are still legal, and will remain so as long as the .gov makes their $3 a pack in taxes... Heck, heart disease is still the number one killer, and they haven't outlawed Big Macs or prime rib yet...
There are a lot of deaths that can be laid at the feet of the drug war, from the cartels in Mexico and Colombia to the street gangs in every big city here in the US. Whenever the government decides to save us from ourselves someone will step in to fill the void, and they're usually pretty vociferous about keeping others from doing the same. Make the drugs legal, and the incentive - read: giant piles of tax-free cash - goes away. What does not go away is the need - for some - to cram their bodies full of poisons, in some cases more than their bodies can handle.
The drug war didn't kill Amy Winehouse; Amy Winehouse killed Amy Winehouse.
That is all.
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7 comments:
Well put, in the end we all have to take responsibility for our own lives, and deaths.
If heroin were legal she may have joined the 19 club. Legal smack might have been cheap enough for her to check out on it before she got all that money.
Heck, while we're speculating on what would have saved her life...
Perhaps without the pressures of fame and popularity she would never have sought the solace of drugs. One could just as easily say that if we'd made music illegal she'd be alive today.
Seems more specious that way, doesn't it?
"Heck, while we're speculating on what would have saved her life..."
I'm guessing nothing. There are some people who will not do right no matter what. There are lots of nobody Junkies that OD every day.
As are there creeps who rape rob and murder.
Can't save them all, and I think Ms. Winehouse was just another one that was destined for the "Loss" list.
Hank Williams Sr. at least made it to 29, but he still died from the same sort of dynamic.
It's not a new problem, nor is it one we are likely to find a solution for. Creative people (I'll include her, even though I've never heard her sing) are different and part of that difference is sometimes self destructive behavior.
"Heck, heart disease is still the number one killer, and they haven't outlawed Big Macs or prime rib yet..."
When prime rib is outlawed, only outlaws will be eating prime rib... and I'll be one of them. You mess with my prime rib, you going down, boy.
Amy was a gifted singer but also an addict that wasn’t motivated enough to quit. If drugs were legal (and cheaper) she would have only died sooner.
Play stupid games...win stupid prizes.
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