There's a New Drug in Town

There's a new drug of choice making big inroads in the world - and not only where you expect drugs to be, but smack dab in Real America. It's dangerous and addictive - but no drug czar can or will ever be able to touch it. The Taliban and other groups will be able to use it to support their causes - it will make some people very rich and undermine governments - wreak death and havoc en masse, and destroy families and friendships and communities at the local level. It's dangerous indeed - but if I got caught with it right now, I could not be arrested. I might actually be raised up, quoted, get a TV or radio show - because using this drug is encouraged through American media and other outlets around the world.

What is it?

Righteous Indignation.

"But righteous indignation is not a drug" some say. I disagree.

Righteous Indignation (or RI) alters the chemistry of the brain - like drugs do. Try talking sense to someone who has just taken a big hit of RI. They can go on some badass trips. One person may decide to blow himself and any number of innocents up. Another might kill a doctor in church - totally confident that he is doing the 'right thing.'

Someone high on RI can go for hours and hours - like on a crack binge. Excited talking, arms gesturing, oblivious to the signs of others around them who are slowly backing up toward the doorway to make their escape, focusing only on those real or imaged persons who are sharing the same trip.

The other reason RI qualifies as a drug is that - like alcohol, narcotics, etc. - it affects families. I've lost a few family members to RI. Interacting with them, when necessary, I can see them reaching for the next hit – sidling up to me to see if I'm holding, if I want to share. They posit a topic close to their hearts - "I heard Obama is a communist" - and wait for me to respond. If I'm on board, our shared indignation feeds the other - and we both get a hit of RI. Up on our high horses, we pass it around and get revved up, maybe go listen to Rush to add to our rush.

It's a strong and powerful high that gives a person a lot of energy - and I admit I have partaken from time to time. I mean, I get juiced on RI whenever I hear someone speak against gay rights. I go nuts on my high-horseyness. So I know that it's hard to get off that RI once you're on it.

The sad fact is – there is more than enough heartache in the world, more than enough relationships and positive progress lost because so many are partaking of one drug or another and spending their energy either getting high or looking for the next hit. And unfortunately, this ‘new’ drug - this RI - is going to be tough to deal with because we all partake and sometimes we self-medicate with it. We might, however, learn more about overcoming the usual addictions by addressing the damage of RI addiction. After all, addictions are but a symptom of a deeper disease of the spirit. Maybe by working to move away from the anger and bitterness of RI, we can find a model to better combat addictions to other mind-altering substances.

It could happen.

In the meantime, "Hey, Mom, I'm not holding... okay?"