Posted on 05/15/2003 10:07:28 PM PDT by Havoc
The sound of a grenade is not something one is exposed to on a daily basis. I heard my first one earlier this evening as I browsed the web. I opened my front door to investigate and found my block covered in red and blue lights and well armed policemen.
Mostly hovering a few doors down, a major drug bust was happening. I put on a pot of coffee and went outside to peruse the goings on. Swat had been called in and enough squad cars to effectively shut down the entire block. The words "Search warrant for 1010" rang out over the police P.A. for about 5 minutes while the home was surrounded and subsequently invaded.
I stood on my lawn for a while just watching. In the night air, I found it necessary to go after my jacket, smokes and some of the fresh brewed coffee that I was sure was ready by this time. Neighbors gathered in my yard and we chatted with the officer standing perimeter nearby. You've never seen people so happy to see police doing their job, nor officers happy enough to be doing it.
This neighborhood and my street in particular has had a great deal of traffic for a 'quiet' part of town. It appears quiet to the unknowing. But when the traffic begins, people stay inside. A neighbor's boy had been shot in his own yard then dragged in his house and robbed some time ago. "They come to your door, knock, put a gun in your face and rob you" one neighbor stated. "Everyone's afraid. It's good they're doing this.."
The effects were immediately noteable. Others on the block stood complaining and perhaps wondering when the explosion at their door would come - followed by the serving of a warrant. One can hope it will be sooner than they can prepare for. The police were professional and handled the situation well. A force to be proud of.
It was a drug bust. I was a spectator rather than a journalist; so, I didn't get the numbers, merely the reaction and the general view. And I made a friend. I talked for a while with an officer on the street and found we knew some of the same people. We graduated two years apart and from the same school. This is a guy not even working narcotics - just there to lend a hand. And did a good job IMO.
As swat prepared to leave, vehicles that regularly visited our street only for a few minutes at a time rolled up on the scene, did abrupt u-turns and sped off. Time to go finish dinner.
As I sat at my computer once again trying to enjoy my steak, "Booom". Another concussion grenaide. Hooaah. I put my contacts back in, got my gear back on and found my new friend standing perimeter again. A few more houses down, the floor was littered with bodies in cuffs face down on the floor while swat secured the location and detectives moved in. Nice time to chat and get to know the officer better. Great guy - hope I see him again when I can buy him a cup of joe. He turned down fresh brewed at about 10:30 - "I gotta sleep sometime tonight," he grinned. understandable.
The scene has cleared now and no shots fired - no injuries other than prides of those who have dealt drugs and terror to the neighborhood seemingly without challenge up to now. They aren't the only ones and I doubt they'll be the last. I know little of the goings on other than instincts and what I've heard from the neighbors. Tonight I learned more about my surroundings than I thought I could in 4 hours. And I reinforced my understanding of just how screwed in the head libertarians are on this subject. They see a "harmless drug" and discount the damage done by those who push them. But then, one defends what one generally likes despite the protestations that they don't use.
Because of the actions of a lot of cops just doing their duty, a lot of good people are breathing and sleeping easier tonight. Hats off to KPD! The war on drugs came to my street tonight. And I'm glad it was here - though I'm sure some will attempt to disposess me of the notion that these druggies are bad. The real bad guys are the boys in blue, they'd proffer. Patent nonsense, the real bad guys are the druggies and those who enable them and rally to their cause. I wonder how many libertarians and democrats went to jail tonight.. I too will rest easy.
Relegalized drugs would be let loose only on those who chose to use them---everyone else would remain free to not use them.
to knock down a less significant evil that threatens part of our society.
The following effects of the War On Some Drugs threaten ALL of our society: deaths of innocents in drug-turf wars; enrichment of criminals; and corruption of the justice system by enriched criminals.
No, they won't stop buying and selling and using but the crime- the murders, will go way down. The robbery and mugging will decrease dramatically. Violence among the druggies and violence against citizens will drop.
Exactly right. If they couldn't get rich off drugs then it would be something else to satisfy their greed. Maybe child porn, or contract killing or anything else that can make them big bucks.
That works both ways. Racheting up society's response to the dirtbags can do as much damage as the dirtbags themselves. Some aspects of the WOD, i.e. civil forfieture, have given police department a powerful incentive to keep the drug trade in business. In some cases, a significant portion of the law enforcement agency's budget is derived from drug seizures. Cops getting to ambitious going after druggies are canceling their own meal ticket.
The cops kicking in doors is a stopgap measure that tells you something else has gone seriously wrong. The most compelling argument I have seen is that these things go on because the communities where they go on tolerate the scofflaws. It is not be you personally, but it is the unwed mother of the gangbanger living next door to you.
It is a result of cultural decay, and many times no matter what the police and authorities do, the only option is for decent people to evacuate and let the miscreants reap the whirlwind. Witness most inner city slums.
So, I guess the drug problems in the USSR must have been mythical because they were not a free and capitalistic society. Bang! Zoom! Outta here. Supply and demand is universal. Has nothing to do with the society in which it exists. It is true everywhere. If the price were such a big issue, then crime wouldn't be so rampant with regards to the ehem non-addictive marijuana (yeah right). A habit is an addiction. And cheap dime bags still prompt people to steal. Cigarettes are far cheeper on the whole and people steal to get them. IE - pull the other one!
I keep wondering why it is so difficult for people to obey the law.
The mere desire to make big bucks does not create the means or opportunity to make big bucks.
Most of this criminal activity is traceable directly to the prohibition of these substances. Illegality makes for the tremendous opportunities for profit which causes the gang wars and the home invasions and the random shootings(which are due to no gun control-the shooters can't control their iron).
What does (non)addictiveness have to do with price?
And cheap dime bags still prompt people to steal.
The issue is not unit price but profit margin.
Government is not God.
Because rules and laws, whether we like all of them or not, are there to protect us all as a whole and individually.
The War On Some Drugs makes me less safe, not more.
Can I rape your wife? (thank you for playing our example scenario round). Rather close minded of you not to let me sleep with your wife. How about if I murder her? Can I do that - rather closed minded of you not letting me do so. Catching on yet? "open mindedness" is a catchphrase used by those wanting to do whatever it is they will- right or wrong.
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