I just finished spending a year organizing events related to the 40th Anniversary of an organization that’s important to me. The fact that it was the 40th was really a random milestone, but it was an excuse to celebrate, to remember, to connect with people, and to bring attention to the wonderful work that is being done today.
In a similar manner, the events revolving around today’s “40th Anniversary” of the war on drugs have very little to do with the significance of 40 years. After all, it’s really the 40th anniversary of one speech in the war on drugs. The drug war can’t really be contained in one set of dates.
The event of the 40th, however, has given us an opportunity — the opportunity to remember the atrocities, to gather together those who have suffered, to call attention to the failures and the societal destruction, to lead a charge toward a more sane future.
It’s been so wonderful to see the plethora of articles and voices, all calling for an end to the war on drugs in some way.
Let’s enjoy the moment and let it give us fresh strength for the job ahead.
Here’s come coverage round-up.
It’s been a great week, even Saigon decided to make a song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5-7GPAfnc
.
.
On the anniversary of the start of the abject, epic failure of public policy which some people call the war on (some) drugs I’m going to post a stark, ‘before and after’ illustration to show the fantastic progress and success of these much less than sensible policies. People don’t seem to know that what would take a full year in 1960 to accomplish, can now be done in less than a week.
————————————————————
40 Years of Drug War Hasn’t Worked;
“Time for a Change,” Says 9-Year Veteran
The public understands how disastrous it’s been — now it’s time for the politicians and law enforcement to change course. full story
The War on Drugs Turns 40 by Ed Rosenthal
It’s time we make clear our public support for ending the war on drugs to the president directly:
Death Penalty Cost
“Using conservative rough projections, the Commission estimates the annual costs of the present system ($137 million per year), the present system after implementation of the reforms … ($232.7 million per year) … and a system which imposes a maximum penalty of lifetime incarceration instead of the death penalty ($11.5 million).”
Death penalty costs California more than $300m per execution