2001: A Year In The Life of Marijuana Prohibition

AlterNet ^ | Jan. 07, 2002 | Kevin Nelson

[NC_Libertarian]

So many pro-drug war people are proud to dehumanize drug users and can't wish death upon them fast enough. I'm glad to see you are not like that.

[MadameAxe]

Well, let's see. My post was about your comment, and your post was about my intellectual capacity. No, I don't think they were "in kind". I hereby rename you, 4Slavery.

[wasp69]

We had an article in the local paper crying about a local "kid" who....

Reminds me of an article that ran in the local bird cage liner where I am. There was this huge article about this 17 year old boy that was killed by police back in the summer and it was all about how this was "such a good boy", "so quiet", "so well liked", "the police got off scott free with murder", "his teen-aged friends don't know who to trust", etc ad nauseum. Well, come to find out this kid had been at a party with his friends about two weeks before school started. He was driving home when the police tried to pull him over and he took off. When they finally got to him he refused to get out of the car, revved the engine, and tried to run one of the officers over. Guess what? This teen pillar of the community was high and had been drinking at the time. I would think that the weed this boy had been smoking would have something to do with his actions (as well as the alcohol). How bout you?

[NC_Libertarian]

This is true CJ. The drug warriors try to perpetrate that it's a myth that people are charged with simple possession. Totally untrue. The majority of the 750K+ people arrested annually on marijuana charges are simple possession.

Big time dealers have connections and money (Vignali) and other people to turn in. So the lowest people on the chain are sacrificed so the DEA can add numbers to it's body count. The whole business is corrupt, through and through.

[Dakmar]

(as well as the alcohol)

Oh, no, alcohol is legal and that means its use can't cause any problems. < /sarcasm >

[wasp69]

Oh, no, alcohol is legal and that means its use can't cause any problems. < /sarcasm >

That's why I put it in. Had he been just drunk you would have really had something to crow about, wouldn't you?

[Dane]

Don't let them bother you. They will call you every name in the book. I've tried many time to reason, but when you bring up facts that drugs are bad and that following the socialist European way is not the way to go, they get 'snippy".

Just like this kid who blew his brains out, they will have all have the sympathy in the world, but then they will tell you that druggies should die out on the street. They have very selective symapthy. While I feel symapthy for the family, I can't have sympathy for the action, where someone can't handle getting arrested. It wasn't the end of the world and the kid probably had more problems than is being reported.

Rudy Guiliani proved in NYC when you get tough on minor crimes you stop the perpetuation of bigger crimes. The 8 last years show his success.

[Benson_Carter]

"No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another, and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him."
--Thomas Jefferson to Francis Gilmer, 1816.

"Laws provide against injury from others, but not from ourselves."
--Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Religion

"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others."
--Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia

"Now what I contend is that my body is my own, at least I have always so regarded it. If I do harm through my experimenting with it, it is I who suffers, not the state."
-Mark Twain

"The care of every man's soul belongs to himself. But what if he neglect the care of it? Well what if he neglect the care of his health or his estate, which would more nearly relate to the state. Will the magistrate make a law that he not be poor or sick? Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves. God himself will not save men against their wills."
--Thomas Jefferson

"Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their consciences."
-- C.S. Lewis

"The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire"
- R. A. Heinlein

I won't even get into the long forgotten 9th and 10th Amendments

[freefly]

"...unveiled a package of bills to combat drug abuse and vowed to make America virtually drug-free by 2002..."

Maybe they intend to start with prisons.
Once they get THOSE drug-free, then they can implement the same techniques throughout the rest of the country.
They are off to a good start....

[Nate505]

This teen pillar of the community was high and had been drinking at the time. I would think that the weed this boy had been smoking would have something to do with his actions (as well as the alcohol). How bout you?

Maybe. However, since the percentage of people who smoke weed and drink and try to kill people with their car is extremely small, I'd say they have little to do with it at all....

[CubicleGuy]

We're at war with the smugglers and our military should be authorized to win this war at our borders.

But what fun is that, when it's much more necessary for local police departments to confiscate drug money for their own budgetary requirements?

Small matter that the possibility exists that occasionally they accidentally stage no-knock raids on the wrong house, and occasionally kill the wrong people.

And if you tick off somebody who'd like to get even by passing false information to your local police department, you might even be next on their list.

Nahhh, that could never happen, could it...?

[Eddeche]

I've tried many time to reason, but when you bring up facts that drugs are bad and that following the socialist European way is not the way to go, they get 'snippy".

I thought you were off boiling a rooster in Thunderbird ?

[Dane]

I thought you were off boiling a rooster in Thunderbird ?

Sorry, but I won't follow your lead.

[Eddeche]

But the world NEEDS coq a vin right ?

At least enough to keep the legal booze a flowin.

Btw, what percentage of the yearly output of Thunderbird wine would you guess is used for cooking ?

(Cooking ones own liver doesn't count)

[Dakmar]

I've tried many time to reason

Keep trying, maybe you'll get the hang of it someday.

[snakebitevoter]

Can we just stay off dope long enough to win this year's elections?

[corkoman]

In fact, I would much prefer to vote for a proud liberal who at least believes in something than a moderate Republican. The middle of the road is for dead skunks.

Those are your words snake. So what you are saying in your last post is that we should suspend discussions about the WOD and drug laws so that we can lull the sheeple until we get voted in? Hmmm...so much for principles.

[snakebitevoter]

You got me, corko! Maybe it's just been too long since I inhaled.

But try to show up to vote, OK?