Critiquing Stupid Facebook Fan Pages
I’ve now had two Facebook friends (both from high school) become fans of a ridiculously stupid Facebook page – “Making Drug Tests required to Get Welfare.” It is, of course, quite possible that a very intelligent person created this page. But judging by his or her random capitalization (why is “required” not capitalized?), the person isn’t the brightest. This is further evidenced by the fact that the proposal is completely and utterly absurd. So, for anyone looking to criticize someone else for “fanning” this page, or for anyone who doesn’t get why it’s stupid, here are some reasons.
1. Innocent until proven guilty and the right against unlawful search and seizure. These concepts are basic to our legal system. In other words, the police can’t just search your house or your person without justified cause. Justified cause requires a reasonable suspicion that you have done something illegal (or in other cases, to protect the welfare of the officers stopping you). This basic right would be violated if we required drug testing to receive welfare benefits.
2. Equal protection under the law. If people who deserve welfare benefits have to undergo drug testing, then why not people receiving other benefits from the government? The government grants you the right to drive. Why not require drug testing before renewing your license? Driving and drug use don’t mix, so this seems very reasonable. The government grants you the right to private ownership and protection of ownership. Why not require drug testing before you can buy a house? We don’t want people turning their houses into meth labs, so this too seems perfectly reasonable. If you are an idiot.
3. This does nothing to help protect the innocent. One idea behind drug testing as a precondition to welfare receipt seems to have to do with protecting people. First and foremost should be protection of any children in the recipient’s care. If the person is using drugs, then he or she is probably not fit to care for children. But we already have laws on the books for the protection of children. This burden of drug testing may actually hurt children, as it could cause some deserving recipients to forego application due to fear of arrest, as well as add in a large burden for anyone who does go through the process.
4. This doesn’t help the taxpayer either. Take a look at the economy; it’s not doing so hot right now. That means there are a lot of very qualified people who can’t find work. Should they need help once their savings run out and they exhaust all other options, we have a social safety net. The same goes for people who aren’t well educated, don’t have savings, and can’t find a job. As taxpayers, how do we want these people living? On the street, begging on every corner? Breaking into our houses just to get something to eat and a blanket so they don’t freeze to death? Stressing public services like libraries? Filling emergency rooms when they get hypothermia? Of course not! That’s a big part of the reason we have welfare in the first place. If you need help, then there is some assistance available to you. Discouraging application for welfare means more of the problems we want to avoid.
5. Where’s the line drawn on welfare recipient behavior? At its core, the proposal favors a control on the behavior of welfare recipients. If you do drugs, then you can’t get welfare. But aren’t there many other, more common behaviors that would also be good to control? If you are on welfare, then you can’t have another child. If you are on welfare, then you can’t buy alcohol, or candy, or comic books, or clothes (unless they help you get a job). If you are on welfare, then you can’t hang out with your friends, or make long distance phone calls (unless they help you get a job), or read a book (unless it’s about getting a job). Slippery slope arguments are inherently weak, but in this case, if you really think drug testing should be required, then don’t these other things seem just as, if not MORE, reasonable? Maybe recipients should have to keep receipts for everything they spend the money on and then turn it in at the end of the month for strict accounting. Everything unaccounted for comes out of next month’s check. Maybe it could also be payable as a pound of flesh.
In the end, if you are my Facebook friend and you “fan” this page, I will remove you as a friend after critiquing your logic. If you too have Facebook friends “fanning” this page, then I encourage you to stand up to them. Don’t let people keep these ridiculous beliefs! (Further, take a look at the comments posted on the fan page; see how many seem racially-tinged. A lot did for me.) If we don’t confront this ignorance now, then who knows where it will lead.
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