Nice Word...Don't Bite

I've been trying to write a short story that's really giving me a hard time. The problem stems from controversial subject matter. If a person writes a story that portrays (what society thinks is) criminal behavior in a favorable light, and a reader emulates that behavior with dire consequences, is the author liable for the outcome?

Since the dawn of time, the oral, and later, written word has been positively rife with tales of deceit and murder, yet we do not hold the authors responsible for the deceit and murder that continues to this day. Mafia stories glorify the "made" man. Tarzan killed black men for sport, and don't even get me started on the Bible. But, if I write a story about a truly good, moral thing that happened to occur while under the influence of certain illegal substances, will I be accused of promoting irresponsible behavior?

It's easy to say that writers should take a "critics be damned" attitude, and write what they feel is important. Last time I checked, though, the only writers who said that had already established themselves or died, only receiving recognition for their genius post mortem.

If I were to write a story about how cool it is to sniff spray paint fumes from a paper bag and hang around a day care center leering and barking at children, I'd be vilified. If I wrote that contracting AIDS through unprotected sex was a remote and unlikely possibility, any number of groups would accuse me of, at best, ignorance, and at worst, promoting genocide.

The human condition needs to be told, because we all learn from and inspire each other, whether we relate good deeds or bad. With that in mind, I think I'll finish the story I'm working on and hope for the best. I'm sure I flatter myself by worrying about it. What Jim Fixx did for jogging, I intend to do for reckless behavior.

Oh...wait.