I agree that DRUGS are evil and they make people do bad/evil things. But that doesn't make the person evil. Ironically, a drug addict explained it to me this way when I was trying to find my AH this last week - he helped me to find him. He explained that he started using when he was 14 and he is now 45. He lives on the streets in 'drug central'. The primary focus of his day is to "make rent" (pay for a motel room) and get drugs. He said he chose that life - although what he'd love to have is a home, a family, a job. But he doesn't see that as a possibility because he has 'chosen' a life of drugs. He doesn't seem like an evil person, but I have no doubt in those 30+ years he has likely done unspeakable things.
Anyway, he warned me that when I saw my AH that I needed to realize that I wouldn't be talking to him - I would be talking to the drugs. He said through all of his years on the street you learn the difference between the two - the people and the drugs. He said it only takes him a minute to see the difference when you live so close to it.
I have to agree with that - it's no real epiphany, but to hear it from someone on the other side kind of validated my own thoughts on it. I have seen the drugs and the 'evil' in my AH. But I know that isn't him. I, too, see the light in his eyes - tormented light at this point because when he is clean he is in a constant struggle to keep the 'evil' at bay. Isn't that why we all stay connected to these addicts? Because we love them so deeply and can still see that light?