What Does Independence Mean To You?

Several years ago, I saw a Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring Michael J. Fox. Not sure if he filmed it while he was a star of Family Ties, or of his second big series, Spin Series.

In any event, the PSA featured him walking through a long corridor. Doors on either side of him would slam shut as he passed.

His speech, and I paraphrase, was "We all go through life having to make a series of choices. What we wear, what we eat, whether we do drugs or not. We can all make our own decisions, but if you do drugs, all those other decisions are made for you."

I don't know how effective that spot was - since drug use has been increasing rather than decreasing, I'd say not a lot, but I always thought it was a powerful message that I would have thought people would listen to.

What do we do as kids? Rebel against our parents. "You can't tell me what to do!" Then the kid does drugs, or some other stupid activity against the law, gets thrown in jail, and all of a sudden you can bet he, or she, is doing what she's told to do, in a much more harsh environment than the family home.

And why? To do drugs? To steal a candy bar or a case of beer. To destroy a car just because you can? And then all your independence gets thrown out of the window and you are in the power of other people forever.

I think of that, occasionally, when I read about people - particularly celebrities - who go to jail (or don't) for drug possession. I think to myself... the world is their oyster. They've got all the money in the world, they can do whatever they want, and all they can think of to do is get lost in some drug or alcoholic haze, and worse, not do it in the privacy of their own homes, but have to do it in cars, where they then become a danger to themselves and the public at large?

Talk about stupid.

So, latest in the news, Lindsay Lohan:

No more excuses. Lindsay Lohan admitted Friday night that she failed a random drug test - an offense that could send her back to jail for 30 days. "This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences," the actress writes on her Twitter page. Lohan, 24, who was released from rehab Aug. 24 after serving nearly two weeks in jail in a DUI case, thanks her fans and family for their support. She says she's "keeping my faith" and remains "hopeful." "Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn’t go away over night,"

Substance abuse is not a disease. Or if it's a disease, it's a self-caused one, and deserves little sympathy. But calling these things a disease of course absolves the "victim." It's not her fault she can't control herself, she's got a disease."

Well, perhaps she had. Until you've had millions of dollars in the bank, you don't know what pressures these people are under. But I sure would like to walk in their shoes for a mile or two. I believe I can guar-an-tee that no drugs or alcohol would pass my lips. If I was too shy to know what to say to people without my inhibitions being loosened by alcohol, I'd pay them to talk to me! Easily done.