Or at least the most entertaining takedown on the drug war I’ve ever read. Go read.
In theory, conservatives pride themselves on making rational decisions. They endeavor to avoid erratic behavior. They don’t like extreme change. They try to avoid getting in trouble, causing trouble, making trouble, and being troublesome. I respect conservatives for trying to make wise choices.
When it came to drugs the party that claimed to be conservative stepped on its own balls. Repeatedly. It was a forgivable mistake when “Reefer Madness” was all the rage. It is unforgivable to stick with it to the bitter end.
“Don’t do drugs ’cause being stupid sucks” sounds pretty conservative. “We’re going to militarize the police, imprison thousands, and rework the policing of society” doesn’t sound conservative at all. It’s a sea change with tremendous consequences. Conservatives are supposed to avoid big and poorly thought out shifts. They’re supposed to avoid stepping into bear traps. Prohibition doesn’t work. Look it up.
I’ll be waging a guerilla campaign against a guy running for office around here. I’ll use this. Thanks.
(He’s a small government Republican conservative who has taken upwards of $150,000 in farm subsidies over the past few years. He never mentions that in his campaign flack, but, on the other hand, he explains in detail that he is really against pot and goes to church often.)
I have a brother in law in jail for 23 years for a crime he committed while high on drugs. He doesn’t even remember doing it. Another shirt tail relative is dead, he died a few years ago ran his car into a tree while high on drugs. I know a middle aged woman who lost both her kids 15-18 years ago because she couldn’t stop taking drugs and today these kids have kids of their own. Her kids resent her and don’t want to spend time with her. They won’t let her take car of her grand children and her life pretty much sucks because of drugs. So remind me again how us conservatives are all wrong and how great drugs are?
Nobody said drugs are great. The post I linked specifically states that taking recreational drugs is stupid.
But riddle me this: A hundred years ago there were such things as heroin and cocaine, just like now. You could buy them and morphine right over the counter, legal as breathing. Sometimes people got hooked on them, and they made all sorts of trouble for themselves. Sometimes they died.
Somebody decided there should be a law. So they passed a law, and then another, until there were lots and lots of laws saying you’re not allowed to use drugs without permission. Some drugs they outlawed entirely.
Now it’s a century later. Is the world a better place? Have the drugs gone away? Is there more peace and prosperity thanks to the government having outlawed the drugs?
You’ve got sad stories; I’ve got sad stories. My younger brother was a crack addict, except he’s not now because he’s been dead for almost 20 years. A good friend, who was a physical wreck and died a few years ago, dealt dope for years in LA – mostly to himself, and it showed. I have never done any illegal drug in my life except weed, because I’ve seen what they can do to you and I think they’re suicidally stupid, one and all. Which only goes to show how bad prohibition is, because it has actually managed to make a bad thing far worse.
So no, drugs are not great. And yes, you conservatives are all wrong on this issue.