Heath Ledger Died!

Oh my god. Yes, I am one of those crazy people who cares about celebrities. And I just heard (from multiple sources) that Heath Ledger, one of my favorite actors of all time, is dead. They believe (although are not sure) that it was from a drug overdose.

See, it's moments like this that make me realize just how much I despise drugs and their prevalence in society. Sometimes the liberal in me agrees that we need to legalize drugs, under the guise of, "we're wasting millions of dollars policing people for doing something that only affects themselves." But stories like this demonstrate that they're not just hurting themselves; they leave family and friends devastated in the aftermath, with scars that will never be fully healed.

Heath Ledger has a two-year-old daughter; she's two. Can you imagine what losing your father at such a young age could do to a child? I'm a huge proponent of children having strong, positive male role models in their lives, and Ledger seemed as though he fit the bill perfectly (although of course you can never tell what goes on behind closed doors, and obviously if he was involved with drugs, that is not a behavior you would want your child to emulate). And now his daughter was cruelly robbed of one of her parents at an age where she probably does not possess any long-term memories of him. And why? Because (allegedly) of drugs.

So why on earth would we want to legalize it, make it easier to get these lethal substances into people's hands? I don't understand it.

Now, I realize that some drugs (such as prescription drugs) are legal and can do irreparable harm anyway; those are not the drugs I am speaking of. I also firmly believe that marijuana (which I consider to be less lethal than its legal counterpart, alcohol) should be legal; the millions of dollars we spend to throw marijuana users in jail is ridiculous; they are of no harm to themselves or to society. That money could be better spent. But it's the deadly ones, like cocaine and heroin (and remember, I don't know what drug Ledger overdosed on; I'm just speculating) that are a detriment to our society.

Finally, I'm not blaming him; there is no point in that. My tirade is not directed at him, but rather the drugs themselves. I fondly remember a talented actor, a loving father, and a worthwhile human being who was taken from this earth far too soon. Rest in peace, Heath.