Drug War

Maybe it's time to quit stigmatizing Third World countries by calling them Third World countries.

At least when it comes to the drug war.

While the supposedly advanced and enlightened First World countries, such as The United States of America, still love to gussie up their cop corps with military style guns and gear and gangland arrogance and turn them loose like a pack of hounds on people who are doing nothing more than committing an act of harming no one, the nations of South America are dismantling the War On Some Drugs one law at a time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act requires the federal government to respect state laws allowing the growing of industrial hemp.

Eight States--Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia--allow industrial hemp production or research in accord with state laws. However, federal law is standing in the way of farmers in these states growing what may be a very profitable crop. Because of current federal law, all hemp included in products sold in the United States must be imported instead of being grown by American farmers.

We have recently heard many shocking stories of brutal killings and ruthless violence related to drug cartels warring with Mexican and US officials. It is approaching the fever pitch of a full blown crisis. Unfortunately, the administration is not likely to waste this opportunity to further expand government. Hopefully, we can take a deep breath and look at history for the optimal way to deal with this dangerous situation, which is not unprecedented.

Alcohol prohibition in the 1920’s brought similar violence, gangs, lawlessness, corruption and brutality. The reason for the violence was not that making and selling alcohol was inherently dangerous. The violence came about because of the creation of a brutal black market which also drove profits through the roof. These profits enabled criminals like Al Capone to become incredibly wealthy, and militantly defensive of that wealth. Al Capone saw the repeal of Prohibition as a great threat, and indeed smuggling operations and gangland violence fell apart after repeal. Today, picking up a bottle of wine for dinner is a relatively benign transaction, and beer trucks travel openly and peacefully along their distribution routes.

"In Washington, D.C., a jury ignored a military veteran's obvious violation of the city's draconian gun laws, setting him free with only a slap on the wrist. In LaSalle County, Illinois, a medical marijuana user found with 25 pounds of the plant didn't even get the slap; jurors chatted with him after finding him not guilty. While we can't know for sure, in both cases jury nullification was likely at work as regular people serving an important role in courtrooms exercised their power to quash laws they found repugnant.

What, if anything, will be done to rectify the situation suffered by those whose life, liberty and employment have been negatively impacted by the War on Drugs? To those who are still rotting in prison, those unable to secure employment or college scholarships and grants; those whose possessions-land, homes and bank accounts; were confiscated by drug warriors? Do you tell them, "My bad! But now I've seen the light and I want to start with a clean slate!" Who will clean the slate for these people? Who will give them a do-over?

"Marijuana Fights: Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, Liver Disease, Epilepsy, Skin Allergies, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety and Depression. And is also Neuroprotective and Causes Neurogenesis (brain cell growth)..."

"YOU, as one individual, cannot do much to effect legislation. But YOU can effectively defend the Constitution when a gun owner, a tax resister, or someone who knows he owns his individual body, is on trial for not following government-made laws that are both unconstitutional and violate human rights. The primary responsibility of any juror is to protect innocent humans from government tyranny. That means any violation of basic human rights should be nullified by you, the juror. This is your individual executive veto power, built into our justice system by our founders."

...

K.K. Forss does not claim medical marijuana solves all his problems. His pain from a ruptured disc in his neck is debilitating. He is unable to go to work or to the First Baptist Church he used to attend because of the pain and muscle spasms. Taxpayers through Medicare spend over $18,000 a year on his various medications. Half of those drugs are strong narcotics. The other half address the various side-effects brought on by the first half, such as nausea, heartburn, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, and muscle spasms.

I doubt seriously I would make a good President; I'm sure I would be every bit as big an asshole as any other but I would differ in that I would begin every daily briefing, every Congressional session with a reading of the Constitution rather than a prayer. It would be my hope that eventually, the words would sink in and effect some much-needed change.

Class: Sociology 203
University Mandated Assignment
Due Date: 4/15/2029

Assignment: Discuss the sociological ramifications of the Presidential Lottery held on November 7, 2007.

Additional Class Notes: As you know, the Presidential Lottery was never held again, due to the public outcry. You may use as reference the still small minority who continue to try to re-introduce the Presidential lottery. If you do, be prepared to analyze in depth the claims that the actions of that day are the only thing that allowed our country to (using their language) “turn back from the slide into a Nazi type Fascism so prevalent among the ruling class at the time.” And unless you can provide incontrovertible proof that Mr. Bush, or anyone for that matter, survived the destruction at the old Verizon Center, please don't regale me with your fantasies they are living on a Tropical Island. The attached diary entry may be used to compare and contrast what officially happened, to what did happen, and to what was planned.

As per University rules, the best paper on campus will be printed in the University Times.

There are several special interest high profile taxbuck-funded long-running campaigns to report on, and most of these so-called WarOns are going quite well for the bureaucracies that run them and the bureaucrats who directly benefit from them. Item: War On Poverty. This war has been a very successful project for the Lefty-whimpery-whiny social welfare crowd since President Johnson launched it in 1964. Because of the various change-as-needed definitions of "poverty" the program will never run out of "welfare fodder."

This week Congress is again grasping for more control over the health of American children with the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Parents who think federally subsidized health care might be a good idea should be careful what they wish for.

Despite political rhetoric about a War on Drugs, federally-funded programs result in far more teenage drug use than the most successful pill pusher on the playground. These pills are given out as a result of dubious universal mental health screening programs for school children, supposedly directed toward finding mental disorders or suicidal tendencies. The use of antipsychotic medication in children has increased fivefold between 1995 and 2002. More than 2.5 million children are now taking these medications, and many children are taking multiple drugs at one time.

Thought of the moment:
I'm a libertarian, with all the ethical baggage that entails. No cheating, no stealing, no controlling others, and no supporting of those that do. I also once considered myself a proud supporter of the Libertarian Party. Unfortunately the LP has accumulated too many large scale questionable acts for me to continue. This week's article brings to the fore the latest slide of the LP into the dust bin of libertarian history.

MJ

 - Current Article: -
Too late to Barr the door, by Garry Reed
http://www.reasontofreedom.com/too_late_to_barr_the_door.html
In the true style of "Do anything to get power" by a politician: Bob Barr --once considered the most fanatical Drug Warrior in Congress-- first loses his 2002 re-election bid, partly though $50,000 in Libertarian Party issue ads, and now in late 2006 accepts a leadership position within the LP. What exactly is the LP thinking?

If you're a member of the Libertarian Party, or even just a frustrated libertarian, you might consider the Boston Tea Party as a less corrupt replacement.

Libertarian Party press releases: "Libertarian Party Launches TV Ad Campaign Targeting Rep. Bob Barr on Medical Marijuana." "Medical marijuana ads play role in defeat of U.S. Rep. Bob Barr." "Former Congressman Bob Barr Accepts Leadership Position within the Libertarian Party." Comment: "The LP spends $50,000 to defeat Barr and now they're Strange Bedfellows. What next, Nancy Pelosi for Public Relations Director?"

Specifically, I will document and discuss the significance of two foundational principles embodied in the U.S. Constitution: limited government and residual individual sovereignty. I will explore how these twin foundational presumptions evince a morality of American law itself, a set of higher values by which to gauge the legitimacy of ordinary laws. Subordinate to the Constitution are ordinary laws, enacted by a legislative majority, that tell citizens what specific actions are punishable. These ordinary laws often reflect "public morality"—i.e., the passions, prejudices, and moral beliefs of a portion of the citizenry. But are they legitimate exercises of governmental power? Should we restrain our neighbor's liberty because she engages in an activity we consider icky, gross, or just plain wrong? This book will argue that the answer is no because public morality—based laws are immoral exercises of governmental power, inconsistent with the morality of American law.