WHY SHOULD I LIE
I made my debut on News 24 during 2009. At the time I noticed the almost frenetic way persons were reacting to comments as to why I am lying in connection with the free usage of dagga. I had the opportunity to live through an age where dagga use and abuse was practically uncontrollable and rampant. I had first hand observation of these users and the gradual change in their personalities as they aged and used dagga limitless.
I mentioned a case where 3 workers were installing roof trusses in a building while they were under the influence of dagga, I saw them smoke the stuff first hand knew they were not capable of doing their job safely. I was the electrician on that job and was aware of what was happening around me.
Later I heard a scream and was in time to see a worker fall head down with a piece of rope twisted around his ankle. Fortunately he was saved by a rope too short. This guy was so zonked out he could hardly speak rationally but I also noticed his mates were in the same state. The gang of about 4 were sent home surreptitiously in order that the site manager did not find out what happened. Now why would I lie about that incident. That was 42 years ago.
I and a school buddy board the train to Pretoria and the army. This guy and his tjommies are having a hoer of a time smoking pot and not even the conductor can do much about it. An argument arose and in a “gerookte” state my buddy grabbed a bottle, broke it on the washbasin and inflicted a severe cut over the length of his hand. The compartment looked like a blood bath. My buddy claimed he felt no pain whatsoever. Eventually we reached Pretoria and after clearances we were left to ourselves. |Some of the guys were smoking boom in the dug out foundations of a future bungalow. I was asked if I wanted a pull but I turned the offer down. Just the smell of it was enough to put me off. Again: why would I lie about the incident 42years later? My brother-in -law’s brother asked me to take him to a high dune outside Walvis Bay which I did being naïve enough to believe he was out for a visit to the wilderness. On arrival he started smoking pot and after about 2 hours he was almost comatose. Again, that occurred about 40 years ago and why would I want to lie about it. What have I to gain anyway.
Some months ago the French claim that drivers are less competent when they are driving under the influence of dagga. News 24 commenter’s, especially the dagga brigade went ballistic and claimed it was a lie or a misrepresentation etc, etc, etc, curiously a similar test was done elsewhere and the outcome was the same: Dagga affects driving. But: to admit dagga affect driving would mean that the entire philosophy which has been built up will crash about their own heads so it is convenient to call it a lie. I worked on a coal mine for 5 years. It is illegal to to smoke underground due to the possible ignition of methane which will cause deaths. I was aware of two members of the mining personnel smoking pot underground. When It was time to tjaila they were unable to even walk properly and it was obvious they were under the influence of something or other. That was in 1998 and would I lie about it 14 years later. Management discovered this breach of the law and sent one of the rookers to a rehab centre but was returned some months later because he did not react positively to the rehab process. He was retrenched.
A troepie in the army was admitted to rehab and due to the extent of his abuse of pot, was found incapable of being a soldier and was discharged. Again I have to ask why would I lie about something like this. The answers are obvious: the more I lie the more esteem the boom brigade enjoys. (Smoking underground carries a 2 year jail sentence.)
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