Re: About current show "Reefer Madness"

Laughing at people in a disease is thoughtless and unfeeling. I do not think this show is appropriate for a community theater. The show depicted sick people needing help and should not to be seen as entertainment. Would you laugh at people with cancer, other illnesses, or in depression?

First, the play ranges in the same venue psychologically as violence, lower energy used as entertainment.

Our society has enough messages to keep people from raising their essence into higher forms of loving messages that are truth. Anything not positive is not truth. If you want to improve society, raise the quality of the stories selected.

In addition, there were some myths perpetuated in this show that are not true. It sends a false message to those thinking they can stop the problem of a medical disease with humor or lack of facts. Addiction was declared a disease by the American Medical Association in 1956. A chronic, progressive disease leads to insanity or death without intervention. Alcoholics Anonymous is the only real reprieve for the disease of addiction.

I attend many shows of The Burien Little Theater, but will not attend the next one even though it is Halloween for the same reason. Scaring people with fear prohibits their growth and potential. It adds to the ever-present fear perpetuated in our society for keeping people from being their best.

As a recovering alcoholic/addicted to prescriptions from doctors, I found the show too graphic. It took several days to restore my sanity and peace of mind. The scenes were very vivid as to how addiction works to reduce people's values, mind set, and encourage self-destructive ways.

At the end, when the wife kills her abusive husband, it was too real for me, as I am also healing from domestic violence. Seeing many parts of my story on the stage as addiction plays out this way, no matter what the drug of choice is, does not bring a high quality of life to those watching it.

The only people that cheer this kind of amusement are those that are still in addiction, sick minded or uncaring. People in this disease are not bad people, but sick people needing to recover. We need lighter not dark stories to bring light to everyone. Then society can shine.

Rev. Marilyn Redmond, BA, CHT, IBRT
Counselor, International Award Winning Writer, Speaker and Consultant