HBO Documentary: "Small Town Ecstasy"

[goofyfish]

Did anyone else catch this last night (Sunday 4/28) on HBO?
In a nutshell, the filmmakers (who were completing a project on ecstasy use in America) decided to follow the family drama of a divorced father named Scott whose ecstasy use/abuse is, not to sound like a daytime talk show, tearing the family apart.

I found the whole thing sad and disturbing. The one question I kept asking last night was, why on earth did Scott (the dad) allow a camera crew to tape him as he committed felonies? What affected me the most was the influence he kind of unknowingly had over his children, who seemed (with the exception of the eldest, who was in the Army at the time of filming) scarily enthusiastic and eager to experiment with ecstasy; with, for the most part, their father's consent and blessing.

It's one thing to snap, have a mid-life crisis at the age of 40 and begin a second childhood. Happens all the time. Makes the subject look like a pathetic ass but, generally, it's no big deal. It's quite another to allow and encourage your 13 & 15 year old children to take illegal, potentially harmful substances and circumvent your parenting responsibilities in order to socialize with them and gain their support as a peer.

Peace.

 

[*stRgrL*]

I didnt catch that one. Sounded very interesting though. I think that is very sad that a father would do that. I knew a girl who let her 3 year old take a hit from a joint. I remember my mom offering to taste coke when I was 10 or so. I dont know what would posesss a person to do those things.
Very sad indeed


Take care

 

[Tyler]

A friend and I once found a box containing 4 plastic bags (big bags) half full of marijuana and a large pipe in his garage.

 

[Magic~Carpet~Ride]

Waiting expectantly.... :bugeye:

 

[themapplz]

message to love

Hey from Copenhagen!

jim lehrer or something did that documentary on a concert on the isle of wight in the southern UK. This dude babbles on about how he just gave his 5 yo a hit of acid.

ignorance is bliss lol

 

[Asguard]

can i ask a question?

what if it had been a parent alowing his kid a drink under there supervision so that when they hit 18 they dont go out and go "oh i can drink now" and drink till they drop or something somewhere unpleasent???

most of you have been pro legalisation and i find it rather surprising to find you are dumping on this guy for this one thing with no more than goofys emotive speach

sorry goofy but i had to play the devils advocate here

 

[NeoBeetnik38]

Alchohal is generally safer then extacy.

 

[Asguard]

even MORE reason that if they are going to do it they do it somewhere SAFE

at least that would be MY thought

apart from goofy has ANYONE watched it?

does ANYONE know this guys reasoning?

 

[themapplz]

this guy

is absolutely out of his mind.
My experiences with ecstacy have no doubt been out of this world in the best possible way and I would not trade the benefits that I have reaped of this synthetic chemical for anything.
His quest and justification, however, is a disgrace and disrespectful for his loved ones and the drug itself.

For all i know lawyers in California are suggesting divorcing couples in therapy to seek love and appreciation for one another anew through MDMA. And it's working. The (his) kids in the movie are adorable and they don't need to be saved; their parents' relationship does though. And that might save his day.
And his ass.

 

[yumyum]

I seen It and I really dont think hes wrong in leting his kids do it. I mean there going to try it so why not do it when his around so they will be safe. I think maybe the guy just wanted to show his kids something he enjoys so he could be closer to his kids. After all the parents are divorced. As for letting the camers tape that was stupid because the guy ended up haveing to go to court. :m:

 

[Thaug]

Can't kids wait atleast untill their brains are fully developed before they destroy them?

 

[Asguard]

Can't kids wait atleast untill their brains are fully developed before they destroy them?

what age did people start drinking?

i had my first sip in grade 3 i think

 

[twobob]

Get a grip you drunks ... Booze IS Violence.
Whatever the result of xtc, its not a scratch on alchohol.

 

[Bells]

Parents giving their kids ecstasy? How can this be alright? It would be the same as a parent hiring prostitutes for their 13 and 15 year olds and then adopting the attitude of it's ok as I know where they are and it is happening in front of me... blah.. blah.. blah..

What kind of parent gives their child any substance which they know would cause harm to that child? I still remember my parents not allowing me to drink cola when I was a small child because it would be bad for me. And to say that it's best that a child experiment with their parent because they're going to try the drug anyway? How can anyone know that this child would try it? No one could say for sure that any child will do any form of drugs. I didn't. Not because I led a sheltered life but because I saw for myself what the stuff did to people and made the choice not to take it. This supposed parent has taken that right of not doing the drug from their children and instead of attempting to tell them of how bad such drugs are and how detrimental they are to one's health, he has sat down and treated it something that is fun to do with dad.

I think maybe the guy just wanted to show his kids something he enjoys so he could be closer to his kids.

So if this guy enjoyed playing Russian Roulette with a gun to his head, it'd be ok to show his kids this to bring them closer? So if the kids then become addicted to esctasy, would dad be proud as it is something they can always do together? Silly me, I'd always thought it was a parent's role to care for and guide their child in the right direction and to protect them from things such as violence and drugs.

 

[wesmorris]

Originally posted by Asguard
most of you have been pro legalisation and i find it rather surprising to find you are dumping on this guy for this one thing with no more than goofys emotive speach

Pro-legalization doesn't mean Pro-irresponsibility. A person should be free to choose what they wish and held accountable for that which they choose.

 

[Vortexx]

What kids need is love and honest education, not pot causes teenage pregnancy ads, or parents feeding them drugs!

Hopefully this will give them enough brains and backbone to make concious decisions once they feel ready to explore the world and experiment....

Me, I am a bit of a GHB whore, but NO WAY I am planning to feed that to my kids once i become a father....

 

[plasticwingsmelting]

xtc is so fake.


i regret every minute i spent on that bullshit and every penny wasted. brain cells included. its so fake.

fuck xtc.

 

[Dai]

Originally posted by yumyum
I seen It and I really dont think hes wrong in leting his kids do it. I mean there going to try it so why not do it when his around so they will be safe. I think maybe the guy just wanted to show his kids something he enjoys so he could be closer to his kids. After all the parents are divorced. As for letting the camers tape that was stupid because the guy ended up haveing to go to court. :m:

that's the dumbest thing i've heard all day. that's like saying to your kids, here have some ecstasy...its ok if you do it, only once with dad though! if you've ever done ecstasy, you should know that its not something you can just do once. that's like saying instead of keeping your kids away from guns, just give em one and let them get it out of there system...no. i can understand the father's drug habit, but its totally intolerable that he involves his children...his own flesh and blood with a drug that could be harmful on there emotional and physical development (to an extent). the dad needs to spend some time in some sort of correction/rehabilitation center until he realizes that there's better things in life than rollin face on x...better things like a family, things like a life, that thing we call growing up.