The Drug War’s Collateral Damage

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• Reader Comments (11)

  Page 1 of 1 pages

  One does have to wonder: whose idea is it to lock up all of these non-violent drug users and why? One might have hoped we would have learned our lesson during prohibition. Whatever the reason(s), i would prefer not to have to pay the bills for this insane policy. . .

  On the other hand, by having this (foolish) war, we are are now tops in locking up our own citizens, even beating out China in this nasty statistic.

  Posted by wolf on Jul 30, 2007 at 6:45 PM

  Here’s where an amnesty could do some real good — for everyone. Let them out and wipe the slate.

  Legalize drugs and classify the same as alcohol adiction. Offer treatment for anyone who wants to kick the habit. 

  Without the artificially high price (which banning adds to anything) people from Afghanistan to Columbia would go to raising healthful crops, the gang wars would need to find some other commodity to push and many of the “children” would stop shooting each other.

  Posted by whattheheck on Jul 30, 2007 at 7:52 PM

  Yup, a criminal waste of police time, taxpayers’ money, prison space (put the violent ones in, let the stoners out!). And it’s based on a foolish premise, that I have the right to command what shall go on within the privacy of your own skull.

  Plus, it makes bad guys filthy stinkin’ rich, and more dangerous than they already are. Black market profits, the sky’s the limit. You know who doesn’t want decrim? The contraband cartels!

  “Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man’s appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded.”
  Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), U.S. President.
  Speech, 18 Dec. 1840, to Illinois House of Representatives

  (and ya know, if some dumbass devotes his whole attention to grass, such that he loses his job and lives like a lowlife, he probably would have messed himself up on something else, even if he never got near the herb!)

  Posted by Kuya on Aug 2, 2007 at 8:53 AM

  Has the decriminalization movement made any headway in forty years?  Sometimes I think that I would rather see the neo-fascists succeed in destroying this country because there is nothing worth preserving.  The “me” generation is giving way to the “I” generation and all Americans care about is their own wants.

  Crumbling infrastructure, insane criminal laws, regressive taxation, religious control of government, we might as well be a third world country.

  Posted by wickeddog on Aug 7, 2007 at 10:54 PM

  Nothing worth preserving? Man, you gotta get out more. This is arguably the greatest nation ever! But by composed of imperfect humans, it is of course flawed in many ways. . .

  
  Just be glad you were born here. In most of the world attitudes like yours would make you end up dead. (Gotta love freedom of expression!)

  Posted by wolf on Aug 9, 2007 at 2:06 PM

  Wolf, I have gotten out, I have been to other countries, and attitudes never make anyone dead.

  I will give you a chance to explain.  What makes this nation great?

  Posted by wickeddog on Aug 22, 2007 at 11:07 PM

  I actually thought it was a violation of one’s civil rights to punish more than once for a crime—DOUBLE JEOPARDY????  so why on earth are we not fighting the Feds and the States right to enact their own food stamp legislations? Why did we give in so easilly to such a ridiculous sentence against those we love that ONCE wERE CHARGED AND ONCE PAID THE PENALTY FOR THEIR WRONG for using or selling dugs?  How does this help our society? Why can a rapist, a child molester or a murderer apply and actually receive FOOD STAMPS???, WHY is their lawlessness any different than one that steals a car, or molests a child or kills a young mother or drives drunk and sits in jail time and time again for DUI’s—why are they NOT eligible as well?  Are they not former criminals too?  Why are ONLY those that used sold or held drugs in their possession the only ones sanctioned ???  What a ridicuous penalty that has been allowed to be imposed against our citiziens….they have paid the price for their lawlessness just as any other criminal has, yet they are the ONLY ones that can not qualify for Food Stamp assistance?????  How many of these former criminals have become model citizens that continue to have their civil rights violated?  how should they eat?  Do they shoplift JUST TO FILL THE EMPTY STOMACH?. what will a hungry man do to feed himself?  how many of them are mentally ill and qualify for SSI or SSDI YET cannot qualify for the ONE THING THAT WOULD KEEP THEM ALIVE—FOOD stamps?  Why are we so silent about this horrible thing we have allowed to happen?  Are we so passive that we can watch and do nothing?  Are we NOT the people and the people ARE the voice of the government?  These states that continue to punish a FORMER criminal should be be held accountable for every one they discriminate against. Maybe each state should be held accountable for every hungry former drug criminal that dies from hunger on the streets of our cities?  Why are there laws against Double Jeopardy YET we keep so silent as we watch so many go hungry? FAR TOO MANY ... and we say and do nothing.

  Posted by mommasons on Sep 9, 2007 at 6:35 PM

  Well mom, the easy answer to your question is that there is no “we”.  In America each individual is only cared about themself.  “We” do not care about us.  The “me” generation has given way to the “I” generation.  We will never again worked towards a common goal or try to help each other because “we” work for ourselves and by ourselves.  There is no “people” in America there are only individuals and each one of them could not give a damn about any of the others.

  Posted by wickeddog on Oct 1, 2007 at 5:35 PM

  ‘Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do ” is one of the best books books I’ve read in a long time. you might wnat to check it out.

  Posted by mommasons on Oct 26, 2007 at 6:25 AM

  QUOTES FROM “AIN’T NOBODY’S BUSINESS IF YOU DO” is one of the BEST books I’ve read in a long rtime.  Here are some public comments about this book…
  .———————————&# #8212;——————————R 212;——————————— 2;——————
  Everything used in this book is from public sources. The stuff that’s available publicly is far more frightening than a lot of people realize.
  TOM CLANCY

  McWilliams marshals a vast army of anecdotes, quotes, statistics and assertions to argue that America would be a lot better off if we stopped using the force of law to save each other from drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, suicide and sex in its more exotic flavors.
  - New York Times
   
  Peter McWilliams has come up with a “reinvention” of government that would bring us closer to the ideals of the Founding Fathers, increase our personal liberties and save an impressive amount of money in the process.
  —USA TODAY
   
  There’s a huge difference between crime and sin - and the government has no business making the former out of the latter. At least, not in America.
  —New York Newsday
   
  It might inspire a song if I can match your mix of humor and seriousness. Brilliant!
  —Sting
   
  The forces arrayed against McWilliams are many and powerful, from the legions of the religious right to the political establishment. McWilliams’ book brims with facts delivered with a gentle sense of humor and spiced with pithy quotations from sources as diverse as Thomas Jefferson and Joni Mitchell.
  —Cleveland Plain Dealer
   
  Here is a controversial book that contains so much logical thought, it is destined to be roundly ignored by policy makers.
  —Gannett News Service
   
  Just as bootleggers were forced out of business in 1933 when Prohibition was repealed, making the sale of liquor legal (thus eliminating racketeering), the legalization of drugs would put drug dealers out of business. It would also guarantee government-approved quality, and the tax on drugs would provide an ongoing source of revenue for drug-education programs. An added plus: there would be far less crowding in our prisons due to drug-related crimes. It’s something to consider.
  —Abigail Van Buren

  Recently there crossed my desk (delicate way of saying “free”) a book sufficiently intriguing that, breaking the habits of a lifetime, I bought another copy. The book is Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do by Peter McWilliams.
  —Newhouse News Service

  Don’t miss the point: In our “free country” over 750,000 people are now in jail for consensual crimes. You should also know that another 2 million are now on parole or probation; over 4 million more will be arrested this year; we will spend $50 billion this year punishing people who have been convicted of consensual crimes; and we will lose $150 billion this year in tax revenue. It’s your money. You’re paying for it.
  —Phil Donahue

  
  If you want to stop this madness, you may want to begin by reading Peter McWilliams’ book. A highly readable and entertaining work, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do.”
  —Hugh Downs

  
  TAH DAH!!!!!!

  Posted by mommasons on Oct 26, 2007 at 6:30 AM

  Legalize grass.or a certain amount for own use should be allowed at youre own home?Look at all the Infantrie Breaking down doors for one joint?what does that cost?Sell it like in other countries and you will see that it will disseapear from street so all those raids as far as a bit of weed wont be needed.Its outrages looking at how they arrest persons all the damage for a joint like they won a war!Then that person who had the jiont has to go to jail to get raped and end up getting chosing for wich civilian prison he could learn a occupation because he cant get a job for having a record,pretty soon no one can vote.They should have a debate on TV now eletion time is on about weed only I bet the one for wins cosidering docters ,lawyers,judges,you name it have smoked it !!

  Posted by anthony on Jan 23, 2008 at 2:24 PM

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