Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

FRNCC - "Diversity, Drugs, and a Racist Bake Sale..." By Jonathan David Morris
Free Republic Network ^ | 10-6-03 | Jonathan David Morris

Posted on 10/06/2003 12:05:21 PM PDT by Bob J

FRN Columnists' Corner

"Diversity, Drugs, and a Racist Bake Sale: Misadventures in Modern Capitalism "

By Jonathan David Morris

Last week, the Thought Police thought to send a couple of rent-a-cops over to Southern Methodist University to shut down a -- get this -- bake sale. That's right, a bake sale. Not just any bake sale, of course, but a bake sale hosted by the Young Conservatives of Texas. Here's why: They were selling cookies at race-based prices.

"A sign said white males had to pay $1," according to the Associated Press, while other rates included "75 cents for white women, 50 cents for Hispanics, and 25 cents for blacks."

The event was meant to make a statement on affirmative action, which, as you may know, was deemed Constitutional -- somehow -- by the Supreme Court this summer.

Now, the bake sale's untimely end is troubling for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that no cookie I know of ever used a racial slur (for what it's worth, black-and-white cookies have been living in perfect harmony for years). But more important here is the curious line of thinking -- the obvious double standard -- behind the shut down.

For example, the AP quotes SMU sophomore Matt Houston saying the Young Conservatives "were arguing that affirmative action was solely based on race. It's not based on race. It's based on bringing a diverse community to a certain organization."

Well, that's an interesting theory and all, but what exactly is "diversity" if it's not based on race, class, or gender? I can tell you one thing: It's certainly not based on a diversity of opinions. If that were the case, the bake sale would've continued uninterrupted.

Yet student center director Tim Moore insisted it "was not an issue about free speech." As Mr. Moore would have it, "It was really an issue where we had a hostile environment being created."

Hostile, you say? Hostile how? The fact is, this was a free speech issue. It's become not only unpopular but also "hostile," apparently, to so much as suggest there might be alternatives to affirmative action. If you dare believe there's a better way to equality, you're instantly branded a hatemonger. Hell, I'm almost tempted to erase this entire paragraph and start fresh, for fear that what I'm saying will net me a bunch of nasty "JDM is a racist jerk" emails -- but this urge to self-censor just shows how bad it's gotten.

I know I'm not alone in thinking there's a better way to equality than institutional discrimination. If we're really so interested in advancing the cause of African-Americans (amongst others), we should stop pushing people forward "because they're black" and instead start removing their roadblocks to freedom and personal achievement.

One way to do this is to end the War on Drugs.

If you're surprised to hear me say that, you're not alone -- I was surprised when I came to that conclusion recently, too. For the longest time, I'd always thought, "Well, doing drugs is wrong, and dealing drugs is wrong," and I'm still not keen on either of them, but then I realized the same things can be said about eating or selling a Big Mac. That doesn't mean we should cheer the people who've taken McDonald's to court, does it? I would certainly hope not.

Now, think about this for a second here: What's the knock on inner city neighborhoods? That they're filthy and crime-infested, right? We've all heard the stories. Impoverished black kids can't even go out to play because they'll get caught in the line of fire in a war they've got nothing to do with. Worst of all, their fathers aren't around to protect them half the time because they're either missing in action, dead, or serving jail time -- all because there's millions of dollars to be made off illegal substances that people are going to use regardless of whether or not they're allowed to.

This doesn't need to continue. If America's got any interest in upholding the traditional family -- and if we believe it's the answer to the question of poverty -- we'll remove the market restrictions that make drug dealing attractive to the most aspiring amongst the poor. The risks of getting caught are obviously worth it to them; that's basic economics, and we ought not look surprised.

I pity the man who turns to cocaine, heroin, or some other such substance to get him through. It's not the sort of decision I'd make, personally, but there's an obvious market of people who would. So it only stands to reason that many poor folks -- who, due to past injustices, quite often are black -- see this market and decide to capitalize on it. That's why it's called capitalism. With no CVS on the corner to compete with them, these people stand to make a fortune selling drugs -- and making a fortune, after all, is what Americans like to do.

Drug abuse can adversely affect a family, don't get me wrong, but it's going to affect a family regardless of whether drugs are illegal. Same goes for fast food and alcohol, and gambling, and all-around bad attitudes. People who make poor decisions aren't criminals. They're people. In a free society, people ought to be free to screw things up and live with the consequences. It's the only way they're ever going to learn. But when we try to solve addictions by eliminating narcotics, we only create a new set of problems that affect a larger number of people on the whole.

Or look at it this way: Used car salesmen don't go around shooting each other. Drug dealers do.

Prohibition created organized crime nearly a century ago, and it continues to do so today. Between drive-by shootings and putting people in prison for the crime of irresponsibility, we're depriving impoverished children of the one thing they need more than anything else: A stable home.

This, above all else, is the key to getting more minorities into college classrooms. Not affirmative action. Not quotas or goals. Just a strong and supportive environment in which to grow and learn.

Ending the drug war will save countless billions in taxpayer money -- money that could just as easily go to rehabilitation clinics or preventative drug abuse education (though that's another issue for another time). Oh, and you know all those commercials the government ran last year linking drugs to terrorism? Yeah, well, ending the drug war will put those middlemen out of business, too.

Those Young Conservatives down in Texas weren't radical rightwing peddlers of hate, you know. They were entrepreneurs. They sold a whopping three cookies and brought in all of a buck fifty, but they made the best of the First Amendment by making a statement true to their hearts -- or at least that's what they would've done if only they weren't shut down. On various levels -- from free speech to free trade -- we're slouching away from the individualistic spirit that made our country strong.

Things won't get better till our actions, and transactions, speak louder than our words.

© 2003 Jonathan David Morris. All rights reserved. www.readjdm.com.


TOPICS: Free Republic
KEYWORDS: bakesale; frncc; jdm; wodlist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

1 posted on 10/06/2003 12:05:21 PM PDT by Bob J
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Bob J
Bttt...
2 posted on 10/06/2003 12:19:24 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks (My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
Strong Conservative Forums Help Prevent Candidates Like This From Winning Elections

Finish Strong. Donate Here By Secure Server

Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794

or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com

STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD-
It is in the breaking news sidebar!

3 posted on 10/06/2003 12:20:57 PM PDT by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: *Wod_list
bong...
4 posted on 10/06/2003 12:27:17 PM PDT by cryptical
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bob J; jmc813
Drug abuse can adversely affect a family, don't get me wrong, but it's going to affect a family regardless of whether drugs are illegal. Same goes for fast food and alcohol, and gambling, and all-around bad attitudes. People who make poor decisions aren't criminals. They're people. In a free society, people ought to be free to screw things up and live with the consequences. It's the only way they're ever going to learn. But when we try to solve addictions by eliminating narcotics, we only create a new set of problems that affect a larger number of people on the whole.

Or look at it this way: Used car salesmen don't go around shooting each other. Drug dealers do.

This guy makes a dangerous amount of sense.

5 posted on 10/06/2003 12:29:48 PM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bob J
If the drug warriors get ahold of this, you'd better be wearing your Nomex coveralls.
6 posted on 10/06/2003 12:32:57 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (In for the monthly deal since 3 quarterlies ago - support Free Republic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Wolfie; vin-one; WindMinstrel; philman_36; Beach_Babe; jenny65; AUgrad; Xenalyte; Bill D. Berger; ..
WOD Ping
7 posted on 10/06/2003 12:42:47 PM PDT by jmc813 (Arnold needs to drop out now for the good of the party.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bob J
What is this author's FReeper name?
8 posted on 10/06/2003 12:43:52 PM PDT by jmc813 (Arnold needs to drop out now for the good of the party.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bob J
Diversity - the Universal Racism
9 posted on 10/06/2003 12:44:27 PM PDT by BSunday
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Bump for later.
10 posted on 10/06/2003 12:47:41 PM PDT by StriperSniper (The socialist revolution is almost complete.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: BSunday
BUMP
11 posted on 10/06/2003 12:49:35 PM PDT by dcwusmc ("The most dangerous man, to any government, is the man who is able to think things out for himself.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: MrLeRoy
"This guy makes a dangerous amount of sense."

Well, when you make baseless, theoretical statements like, "In a free society, people ought to be free to screw things up and live with the consequences", of course.

Can you point to where this happens today in our society?

12 posted on 10/06/2003 12:53:35 PM PDT by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen
Not offhand. Does that somehow invalidate his statement?
13 posted on 10/06/2003 1:01:45 PM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen
It happens anyway. How many people do you think have used illegal drugs? 1%? 5%? 10%? It's a damn lot I tell you, and the VAST majority are never caught. Why do you think that when the LA police made 20 TON cocaine bust a few years ago, the street price of coke didn't drop a penny?! The demand is too great and the supply is too large. People already do screw up their lives with drugs, and then "recover." Seems to be far to damn popular now days to be "in recovery".
14 posted on 10/06/2003 1:40:40 PM PDT by Clock King
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Clock King
"How many people do you think have used illegal drugs?"

The largest is marijuana. Here's the chart:

The only users I'm concerned about are the habitual users (past 30 days), and that's been flat for 15 years at 5%, and down significantly since 1979.

One more for comparison, cocaine, the #2 illegal drug:

Habitual users (past 30 days) is 0.7%, down from 3.0% in 1985. Hallucinogens at #3 add another 0.6%. These are not big numbers.

But that's not my point. My point is that drug users do not "suffer the consequences" today, nor will they if drugs are legalized. Drug users cost me money for everything from their hospitalization costs to court-appointed rehab. From stealing to feed a habit, to lost productivity and accidents on the job.

We live in a cradle-to-grave nanny state. Legalization would just add to the existing burden.

Now, if we first get rid of the nanny state today, then the author might have a point when saying that drug users would "suffer the consequences". But we haven't and he can't.

15 posted on 10/06/2003 3:03:33 PM PDT by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Bob J
Still missing the absolutely necessary parallel wherein the exact same bake sale for the exact same reasons with very similar prices was allowed in a protest against "The Man".

It was a California someone have the link?
16 posted on 10/06/2003 3:04:41 PM PDT by Maelstrom (To prevent misinterpretation or abuse of the Constitution:The Bill of Rights limits government power)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jmc813
"Read JDM". He has a website at www.readjdm.com.
17 posted on 10/06/2003 7:11:55 PM PDT by Bob J
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: FreedomPoster
I'm just the editor! Personally, I swing both ways on the WOD, I'm not advocating a position here. JDM wrote a good article so we posted it the Free Republic Network website! If someone submits a good counter argument, I'll post that also.
18 posted on 10/06/2003 7:13:52 PM PDT by Bob J
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen
Drug users cost me money for everything from their hospitalization

So do overeaters---going after them next?

19 posted on 10/07/2003 6:13:09 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen
Drug users cost me money for everything

I would argue that drug users SAVE you money since they tend to die sooner and don't burden the country with medicare, social security, etc. in their old age.

20 posted on 10/07/2003 6:18:11 AM PDT by twittle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson