Drug War Casualties

The Agitator ^ | 6/8/2002 | Radley Balko

[fporretto]

This is a frightening story in more than one way.

As one who shares the general, and justified, horror of drug abuse, I've often felt an immense frustration at the difficulty of getting Drug War boosters to address the question, "How high a price is too much to pay for whatever benefit you think we get from the Drug War"? The story of the Semblers and their "rehabilitation" center strikes me as the sort that, were it adequately publicized, might get the country thinking.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[Fish out of Water]

*Index Bump

[TheDon]

If true, sounds like some way out of touch parents.

[bloggerjohn]

The "drug war" is a rotten flop whose only effect seems to be to destroy our civil liberties and cost us hundreds of billions of dollars to house and feed nonviolent offenders.

[arthurus]

billions of dollars to house and feed nonviolent offenders

and to house and feed their keepers and the whole bureaucratic edifice.

[sweet_diane]

A BUMP for later reading.

[sawsalimb]

and to reward them for really spectacular performances. Like kicking in the doors of the wrong house at 3:00AM. When they're really on a roll,they don't manage to shoot anyone.

[Reagan Man]

America's national drug control policy, has been a success and has led to an overall decrease, in illicit drug use in the last 20 years, by some 40%. Society has every right to determine what regulations and restrictions are required to reduce the sale and ingestion of harmful substances like cocaine, marijuana and heroin. The American people overwhelming support interdiction and incarceration as the main efforts, in fighting the spread of drug use/abuse.

[Djarum]

Your statement can be applied to violence involving firearms during the same period. A reduction is not necessarily indicative of a causal relationship to increased enforcement.

[Reagan Man]

In this case, the decrease in overall drug use, occured in direct relationship with the increase in anti-drug funding, for law enforcement activities and adherence to strict sentencing guidelines, by the criminal justice system. In other words, the correlation exists and is obvious.

[Reagan Man]

I never said I wasn't outraged. My comments were in response, to a specific post. Look back and you'll see.

[Senator Pardek]

Society has every right to determine what regulations and restrictions are required to reduce the sale and ingestion of harmful substances like cocaine, marijuana and heroin.

If society = the states, and said regulations and restrictions do not violate the Constitution, we are in concert.

[Drew68]

bttt

[Bob Mc]

"Society has every right ..."

Society has no rights, only individuals do. But don't feel alone, many Americans are confused with such thinking, thinking government has rights, or society has rights, or animals have rights.

[Texasforever]

Society has no rights, only individuals do. But don't feel alone, many Americans are confused with such thinking, thinking government has rights, or society has rights, or animals have rights.

Nonsense there is an absolute Societal right which is made up of the idividuals to shape that society as they see fit. That is why we have the vote.

[Reagan Man]

Society has no rights, only individuals do.

Society certainly has rights. Society is made up by individuals, by the people. And the will of the people shall always prevail.

[Bob Mc]

Nope.

Name one right listed in the BOR that applies to "society". Rights belong to individuals, not groups.

[Bob Mc]

God didn't give us the right to "shape society", God didn't give us the right "to vote". These are man made contrivings. God gave us the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, God given things are rights, not man made things.

[Texasforever]

Name one right listed in the BOR that applies to "society". Rights belong to individuals, not groups.

Really then why in opening of court sessions the phrase "the State of (pick one) vs, John Smith" is used? Look this "society has no rights" nonsense is just a throw away phrase intended to mask the lack of any other rational argument.