Back from an exciting trip to New York. Saw some great shows and ate some amazing food. As usual, walked all over the city, and the weather mostly cooperated.
A lot has been going on, and hopefully you’ve been following the comments where our team has been hard at work on the couch.
Here are a few random notes…
Some determined master thieves, caught in the act, appear to have given up trying to steal this particular item….
Feds Give Up Trying to Seize a Motel Based on Drug Offenses by a Few Guests by Jacob Sullum
Today the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston said it will not appeal a ruling that blocked the federal government’s attempt to seize and sell a family-owned motel in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, based on drug offenses committed by a tiny fraction of the people who stayed there. The government conceded that the owner, Russell Caswell, did not participate in those crimes and was not aware of them at the time, but it argued that he was “willfully blind” to them.
I’m sure they’re already scoping out other lucrative targets.
U.N. development chief slams War on Drugs
Even some U.N. officials are unhappy with what the U.N. is doing in drug policy.
Helen Clark, the head of the United Nations Development Program, has publicly slammed global strategies to combat drugs, claiming there is increasing evidence that “the war on drugs†has failed. The former prime minister of New Zealand urged Latin American leaders to develop new policies to tackle drugs, which she says should be addressed as a public health problem rather than criminalized. “I’ve been a health minister in my past and there’s no doubt that the health position would be to treat the issue of drugs as primarily a health and social issue rather than a criminalized issue,†she told Reuters.
A View of the Drug War: Stop Blaming Police and Start Emphasizing Personal Responsibility
Sergeant John Bruhns wants us to stop blaming police for the problems of the drug war. Well, we don’t blame all police — after all, we’re big fans of LEAP, and we know that not all police are alike. So what’s his argument?
An anti-law enforcement sentiment currently exists in American society, particularly among those who are disconnected from the realities of inner-city areas that are plagued by crime. In these circles, I often hear law enforcement personnel blamed for the “prison industrial complex, mass incarceration, and the war on drugs.” […]
Like all wars, the drug war was started by policy makers. Law enforcement personnel had no say in when the war began, nor will they have a say in when it ends.
Oh really? We’ve heard that line before. How come every time I’ve been at a legislative hearing about drug policy, there have been police officers in uniform there to testify in favor of keeping the drug war as it is? Law enforcement holds an incredible amount of power over legislators, in terms of campaign contributions, lobbying efforts, and public visibility. Why do you think the Byrne grants keep getting re-funded despite multiple administrations admitting they do no good? Bizarrely, we even see police officially commenting to the media on whether marijuana is an efficacious medicine.
Here’s the news that’s giving everyone a kick… Steve Katz Arrested: New York State Assemblyman Charged With Marijuana Possession
A New York State assemblyman who has opposed medical marijuana legislation was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana after he was pulled over for speeding this week.
Oops.
As Lee Rosenberg tweeted:
Anti-pot politicians getting busted for weed is going to be the new anti-gay politicians busted with gay escorts.
I don’t understand. Here’s an email I received (and I’ve received several like it over the years I’ve been doing this blog):
Subject: need help with dope dealing trashy neighbors
my new neighbors are obviously selling drugs, have parties and throw
trash into my yard.
I am happy to give any info i can including address, vehicle
descriptions, etc. thanks for any help
Why are you telling me? I don’t have a trash pickup service. Are your new neighbors a CVS store? About the parties – is it that they’re too loud, or you’re not invited? Have you asked them not to throw trash in your yard? I really don’t know how to advise you. Excuse me, but I need to go write Radley Balko and ask him what to do with the dog poo in my alley.
Hey Pete, I think you get those occasional emails because of the name of your site (as some may read it): Drug Warrant.
First time I ever came across the site, that’s what my brain interpreted, until I spent 10 seconds scanning the content here and actually used said brain. Aha! Drug WarRant!
Now go help that person bust those litterers. Issue that warrant!
Unfortunately some lack the ability to use “said” brain.
good thing it didn’t say Drug WarChant…
’cause then I would have had to refer you to Gary Snyder’s Smokey the Bear Sutra:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bear.htm
but you didn’t, so I don’t have to.
I was an official Junior Forest Ranger. Smokey was my hero. Is. This is the next step.
Lol! I do totally love it!
OT, hypocrites corner
an example of the christian right polishing his sword:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr0UpQXYkGs
Jack Schaap was subsequently arrested for sexual abuse of a minor:
http://tinyurl.com/behpuas
The blog has changed. Now, when I click on my favourites, it doesn’t take me to the latest entry, it takes me to the entry where I marked it as a favourite. Formerly, it went to the top and the latest entry. Is there a way I can reconfigure so it will always take me to the latest entry?
Most definitely!
primus, not sure what favourites you’re using, so it’s kind of hard to answer that. Make sure you’re at drugwarrant.com (where you can see multiple posts if you scroll down) and not a particular post (with comments) when you bookmark the site. As long as your favorite is at that root address, it should take you to the top.
I gotta say Pete, the site has been behaving strangley now for a while….
When possible, please give me specifics. What’s not working right, and what browser/platform you’re using. I don’t have a tech staff, and I have to try to figure this out myself. It’s working perfectly for me on three different browsers, which makes it harder to trouble-shoot.
Well, the first thing is, now I need to enter my pseudonym and email addy everytime I comment on the site, that only used to happen when I cleared my browser history. Also, same as Primus and Malc, and Windy, too, I can’t always see the latest comments once I’ve been through. It returns me to what must be a cached copy, because I often don’t even see my most recent post. Then in order for me to see the site the way it currently is, I DO have to delete my Hx. It’s mildly annoying, sometimes I delete my Hx now before I even come in…but then I get to sign back into all of my password sites as well. I’t’s actually reducing the frequency of my visits back. It seems to apply equally whether I’m using explorer or firefox.
I hope that helps. Anybody else noticing other stuff?
That actually helps a lot.
Looks like it’s all related to caching problems. I’m going to go ahead and deactivate the caching functions for the site and see if that improves things. It could end up slowing down load time for pages and push up the amount of server that I’m using, but let’s try it for awhile.
pete i expect thats why posters keep changing their names when the avatars stay the same
Avatar is linked to email, not name.
Well, had to delete my browser history once again to see your reply…so I guess it’s a no-go. Just noticed my cursor behaving oddly as well…it doesn’t return to where I tap, but when I type, it had obviosly moved to the spot. (I do lots of corrections as I write, I can’t type for shite.)
It’s been this way since before you left us for New York. Hey, I though you were bringing back pastrami and cheesecake….
No, Jean is right, we’re entering our real e-mail addy’s but since the name field is blank, well, we were bored. You were gone….
Pete, what darkcycle said, except I’m using Google Chrome and I haven’t been deleting my history (due to the password sites I visit). I have to enter my name and email addy each time I visit if I want to comment, sometimes it shows me the comments I’ve rated and sometimes it doesn’t and one time it showed I’d rated a comment I hadn’t seen before that moment; once I made a comment (responding to another) it cleared that false rating and I was able to rate it.
Pete, I am using IE and their favourites. When I manually insert the http://www.drugwarrant.com it goes to an old entry, about how the drug war creates the harms it intends to stop, about 20 entries down.
primus, try clearing the cache in your browser (probably in the advanced settings). It sounds like your browser has an old version of the site that it thinks is current.
OK folks. I’ve updated everything that can be updated, re-installed the main blog software, and turned off a lot of the caching functions.
I hope this will help. Keep letting me know of problems, and I’ll work on them tomorrow night.
Wow… for once my old ‘puter, outdated browsers (Camino, Flock) and a slow ass 44kps dial-up always goes to DWR.com and never weird. The only malfunction is the site doesn’t automatically load my name and email any more.
I do blame the police. In the case of the drug war, law enforcement does in fact both enforce AND make the laws. It is the DEA, a law enforcement agency, that decides on the scheduling of controlled substances. If that’s not both making and enforcing the law, I don’t know what is.
And I hope they throw the book at that assemblyman.
Yes, slight conflict of interest there…
Choppers again. Surely that’s $2 Million in Fuel by now, Blown by our little Detachment on Terorizing the Birdies, Deer, and Raccoons. But Yep, Some of those Plants are Special, Just Like You were, on the Short School Bus! Hope Yer not all Grounded for a Hot Section Inspection, Polishing Shafts, when a Genuine Rescue Call Occurs.
a nicely done follow-up (press release) on our little buddy (RIP) Cash Hyde’s mom:
Pediatric Cancer Mom Turns Her Pain into Purpose with Aid of United Patients Group
They may be blocked from taking a motel, but the Feds are still at it:
http://tinyurl.com/ald2p5r
Well, this will keep VFW membership down for the younger ones who need better PTSD medicine. What is this telling American citizens: Suicide is next to Godliness? More suicides exist in places where there are no dispensaries. The Feds are becoming more and more afraid that the Military is starting to wise up when it comes to Fed laws directly creating American troop draw ups around the world. They are afraid that our excruciating long war might be that straw that broke the camel’s back. That’s why more and more returning and joining troops are questioning and blaming cops for our current problems. Who will fight the drug war when the military refuses to go to Afghanistan or Africa fighting drug money unless the end of the 61’ U.N. Single Act is abolished? Far too few cops are getting killed for the drug war, which is sad, very sad. The only Americans dying in the war on drugs are the ones living in the ghettoes, those who overdose, the sick and cancer filled, those with too long of drug sentences and the U.S. military, not the cops, which again is sad, because we should respect their right to die for their cause. Maybe if 30% of our police force wound up dead and wounded from fighting street gangs and dealers like in Mexico or Iraq (drug money), we might see the cops waking up and question why ‘we’ couldn’t make a dent, just like we are discovering that drug prohibition kicked the U.S. Military out of Iraq and is fixing to evict us again out of Afghanistan . . . the War on Drugs robs us of our right to fight and die for tortured and mistreated humans and if there is shame in going to war for that, then curse the Jew for not fighting Hitler and forcing us to die for their freedom to be ‘gas chamber’ free.
Our 2nd Amendment was invented for cops –to be used against cops, since they are the first line of defense for the Feds. But actions like this do get noticed and maybe the people will question the laws even more. What’s happening to this dispensary is a direct reflection on what happened to Baghdad, and anyone who cannot understand this is not capable of seeing why we at all costs have to end the drug war. We taught our children that Americans were right for killing Brits, but now the Red Coats are swarming our city streets and taking up residency in our homes (dispensary, warrants etc). Should we not teach our children to take up arms against cops or should we outlaw the Revolutionary War from our history books since just one of them: ‘today’s cops’ or ‘War for Independence’ is hypocritical. Who will stop the cops from creating the next war on something? We either join the cops and dilute them and thus bring them back to the fold of a Free and Democratic America, or we neutralize them the way we neutralized Nazis and the Southern Slave endorsers. No man nor woman should ever be allowed to live if said life makes the world more violent. How is it not physically possible to blame the estimated 60-100 thousand dead Mexicans on one drug law enforcing cop -9/11 even? If no American can understand that the War on Drugs was the epitome of the NYPD crashing airplanes into the World Trade Centers, then they are nowhere near ready to see how important it is to end this War on Drugs quicker than A.S.A.P. Every drug enforcing cop or DOJ is a Radical Terrorist and every law obeying badge was Osama Bin Laden’s wet dream . . . The Taliban jerks off at the thought of Americans not influencing or not eradicating the police force. The DOJ’s mindset is so far removed from the U.S. Laws and Constitution that it’s almost comical.
Thank you Thinking Clearly, thank you for further showing me how to work this Rubick’s Cube we call ending Global Drug prohibition. Now I’ve got some letters to write to young troops in Afghanistan about the War on Drugs. Alas Africa.
You’ve been reported
Oh no! Poor War Vet has been snitched out!! The ignominy!!! The humanity!!!! The kindergarten level of maturity!!!!!
Katz seems to be living out the parable of the unmerciful servant.
Sergeant John Bruhns has replied to some of the comments.
This is the most outrageous:
A Basic Citizen Stipend would go a long way towards allowing All to fully Participate in Society. Piss it away and One deserves to be Kicked under a Bridge. But Dammit, That Essential Cheque Must be there at the Launch of the following Month. Anything less is Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Scrooooge Inc’s Specialty.
This Continent has become nearly Unrecognizeable. Where are the Happy Tinkling of Coins heard anymore? Tears for Mexico. Canadian Elite with Lazy Eye looking behind the Flag Studying Stalin, Hitler, Bush, Observing, Scamming, Learning, Planning. Misery Index Rising.
There are tons of functional addicts out there. They just don’t come to the attention of the police or hospitals, outside of the odd bust.
How long was Rush Limbaugh addicted to oxy before anyone took notice? If his housekeeper didn’t snitch on him would anyone have known he’s a junkie? I’m no fan of Limbaugh, but I say the man can chug a bottle of oxy’s if he damn well pleases. I don’t have much sympathy for him though, probably went to some five star rehab that served him lobster and keep him well medicated. Most junkies get the cold-turkey in a small cell treatment (or rather mistreatment).
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Frankly keeping that man doped up is a public service. Let him nod off into lala land. When he opens his mouth it puts ideas into heads that are better bereft of any thoughts. The less he thinks, the less he says, the better off everyone is.
Logical fallacies in the Bruhns article…
So because some fraction of users become addicted, and of those addicts some may go on to commit other crimes, the kinds of crime that violate the rights of others, drugs must be prohibited for everyone? And we are expected to believe that focusing on just the most problematic users would not decrease arrest rates? Not to mention the high black market prices drive a lot of that acquisitive crime, if a heroin habit was no more costly than a cigarette habit no one would be stealing to buy heroin.
Also walking free are all the users who never hurt anyone else. The drug dealers are now regulated corporations instead of cartels. Instead of trying to catch all the drug users, the police focus on the subset that go on to commit crimes with real victims. Sounds like a pretty good system.
If addiction is a disease, why is it treated by the criminal justice system? Addiction is not communicative, therefore forcing treatment on addicts when they have harmed no one else is unethical. Treating someone against their will certainly violates the physician’s oath to “first do no harm…” Addicts see forced treatment as punishment, a mindset not conductive to a therapeutic environment, and probably responsible for a lot of that “resistance.”
Bruhns goes on to mention austerity as a reason to cut back on drug treatment, while completely ignoring the costs of enforcement. Also no one claims that legalization will solve all of the potential problems of drug use and addiction, merely that society will be far better off without prohibition. As for “sober citizens” laying the groundwork for society, its not like drug users have never created a worthwhile piece of art, music, literature or made any contributions to science…
DITTO PETE !!!!
The drug war is the greatest crime against humanity of all recorded history.
It was the cops who signed Snoop Dog to ‘Death Row Records’ . . . it was the cops who sang on Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ . . . it was the NYPD who recorded the Wutang-Clan albums. Cops, not rapper, invented Gangster rap, even the rappers will admit that in their lyrics. Lil Wayne accurately described the Panama War with the U.S. in 89′, not CNN . . . the L.A. PD were the ones who taught Cypress Hill how to role their blunts. The Drug war invented Red and Blue rags. That’s why if cops aren’t good, then all society is safer with no law enforcement. It would even be better if we had laws that required all Americans to give up a few hours a month to act as cops, than to hire cops, since absolute power corrupts -partially? We don’t need cops in America because cops pretend to be in authority and we pay them to pretend to have more powers than the average citizen. We should dissolve the DOJ and then reinvent the justice system anew.
We should dissolve the DOJ in a giant vat of acid and then reinvent the justice system anew.
Sergeant John Bruhns may want us to stop blaming the police, but the old ‘we’re only following orders’ defense isn’t going to work this time.
A social awareness and consensus exists that sees the current punishment model of drug control as a failure beyond all reckoning. Ignoring the obvious, and working to block reform, will be regarded as an unpardonable offense, much like defending racism, for which prohibition is a remnant.
Bingo. Cops have the answer. They were oriented to it, when they took and agreed to follow their commission and certification to uphold the laws and protect communities. What they can’t come to grips with, is a well read, aware, sober and outspoken somebody who has figured out they are oftentimes CHOOSING to knowingly not do their jobs for whatever reason.
pete u get emails like that? oh man i would love to get emails like that. thats too funny man. LOL. you should write back this and only this
“oh, woah, really? is the shit any good? how much? you think you can get me a good deal if you mention my site? let me know, please get back to me ASAP it’s important”
Anyone catch the Intelligence2 (squared) debate last week? Asa Hutchinstink represented the con side, of course, and the “save the children” mantra was ever-present. The question debated was “Legalize Drugs?”. At the end of the debate, the pro-side won handily.
“For” was represented by Paul Butler, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Nick Gillespie, Editor in Chief of Reason.tv and Reason.com
“Against” was Asa Hutchinstink and Theodore Dalrymple, Dietrich Weismann Fellow, Manhattan Institute.
Link:
http://bit.ly/XGUUsO
Thank you! Asa getting spanked. Gotta like that.
O/T
Budget cuts may after US drug war efforts in South America.
Navy Might Lose Its Technological Testing Ground — The Drug War
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While it’s been great fun beating up Mr. Katz I can’t help but wonder if his personal opinions are irrelevant. I didn’t check to see where his constituency resides but there’s plenty of right wing redneck constituencies outside of New York City. Regardless of whether we like the position or not, isn’t he supposed to represent his constituents beliefs and not his own?
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Crack Babies: The Epidemic That Wasn’t – NYTimes.com
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I’m sure everyone here has heard of the so called “stand your ground” law if only the version from the State of Florida. At least the State of New Hampshire has also adopted a similar law, and that State’s legislature is debating repeal.
The point of this post is not to debate whether such a law is right or wrong. I haven’t researched the subject enough to form an educated opinion. The point of this post is to point out the unmitigated arrogance of Rep. Kyle Tasker. Rep. Tasker appears to have missed the fundamental basis on which our Country was built…that the only appropriate role for government is to protect people’s rights, not to create them.
A few sheriffs in Colorado are in unified revolt because of some new gun control measures waiting to be signed into state law by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper. The sheriffs maintain the laws are unenforceable and will make no difference in gun related crimes. These same sheriffs are refusing to enforce the gun laws if enacted.
While Weld County Sheriff John Cook refuses to enforce laws he deems unenforceable involving guns capable of blowing people apart; neither he nor other sheriffs did anything prior to protest the drug laws in Colorado when marijuana was still illegal. Aren’t drug laws as unenforceable as gun laws? Aren’t guns effectively more dangerous than drugs? Where was Sheriff John Cook and his buddies when some Coloradan could be sent to prison for possession of a single marijuana seed?
The perception of danger is different for people who use certain items regularly, and those who don’t use them at all. People who are familiar with handling guns fear guns less, and usually tend to use them safely. The same is true for drug users and drugs. The situation creates a cultural disconnect between advocates and prohibitionists. In subcultures such as Mormonism, in which drinking coffee is one of many taboos, there are Mormons who truly believe caffeine to be no different than heroin.
Ignorance of drugs and their effects is not an excuse to prohibit them. Law enforcement personnel would benefit greatly from scientifically correct drug training. There’s no reason the drug training should be boring, either. Perhaps trainers could send trainees to Disneyland where they could smoke some weed and ride the Matterhorn.
Don’t ride the matterhorn! It seems like every time I’ve been there, it’s broken down. Sketchy. Plus, it’s a very old ride. Probably not any safer in space mountain either.
Stick to the Teacups (for the vomit effect) and mr Toad’s wild ride!!
OT
I’ve heard there’s free ‘evict monsanto’ bumper stickers floating around. Anyone know about this?
Glenn Greenwald does a great take-down of our friend David Frumm and his apolegetics for the Iraq war (“all of us who advocated for the [Iraq] war have had to do some reckoning”)… he should be in practice though when it comes time for him to do the same for the drug war.
http://tinyurl.com/bub53hq
ALARM! ALARM! ALARM!
MARK KLEIMAN AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO CONSULT FOR WASHINGTON STATE’S LEGALIZATUION PROGRAM. WE’RE FUCKED, NOW:
http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/mar/18/washington-picks-massachusettes-firm-for-pot-consu/
Sonofabitch! Kleiman! Debby Goldsberry applied and she had ACTUAL experience making rules in an actual marketplace with actual marijuana!! Kleiman only has experience mucking about in his own imagination! Look for the regs to be unworkably strict and fucking designed to FAIL!
(give it to the Government, just watch them fuck it up. *chagrin*)
No wonder he’s been so quiet since the election… had his eye on the main chance. Kevin’s had the spotlight all to himself.
dark,,I-502 was written to fail from the day it was rolled out,,,and appointing Klieman proves it,,whomever is the author of I-502 is a prohibitionist in sheep’s clothing acting as if legalization was his goal but keeping the black market in place is his real purpose.
The federal government thinks failing to stop the black market will take some of the wind out of the sails of the legalization effort but it won’t.
Having thought about it….well, it still sucks. But I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
No, I-502 was written so it would PASS.
IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY WHO IS A FUNCTIONING HEROIN OR COCAINE ADDICT ENLIGHTEN ME?!!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU DIRTY SON OF A TRANSGENDERED DONKEY HIPPOPOTAMAUS HYBRID I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE CANT FUNCTION BECAUSE OF PROHIBITION.
HOW WOULD I KNOW?!
easy – 2008 I started a job as a dishwasher. Everybody knows im a junkie and have been for a very long time. I was able to land this job through a fellow junkie. I had a good run of luck the week before the job started so wish a little discipline I made a few bundles last a long time so I was actually able to show up to work. I worked 10-12 hour days washing dishes all day long. It was pay per week and towards the end of that first week I could see I was gonna run out of dope and have a major issue. I do what we do best and, despite 12 hours of work schemed up some cash to keep it going.
The paychecks put me in a situation where I was spending all but 20 bucks on dope. I know in a legalized market I would have been spending 20 bucks on all my dope.
Well I held that job for 3 years and was eventually promoted to assistant manager. I lost that job because after I got my best friend of 20 years girlfriend hired and then him hired soon thereafter, they video recorded my shooting up in the basement as I had been doing for years and that was that. Nobody knew anything. Nobody had a clue. They knew because they were my friends. They did that because the girl didnt like me and they wanted to position the guy to take my job.
Thats when everything went to hell. It’s hard to come up with 1000$ every monday when you dont have a job.
Before that happened I was the best employee they’d ever had. I had the girl of my dreams. I had a car. I had my own apartment. Yes, as I got promoted I was able to buy my dope and save lots of cash. What a great life.
If things would’ve continued that way all would be well.
But they didn’t. Here I am with all of you. There is no doubt in my mind, you dont need to look far, check out heroin maintenance programs and they all tell you the same thing. Take the junkie out of the hustle and amazing things happen. Families are raised. Jobs and responsibilites are acquired. Indeed, friendships are cultivated and truth be told, if you dont know nothing about dope, you probably would have no clue the person youre speaking with is high on heroin.
Look I cant say anything about the amphetamines stuff. Sure its cool once in awhile.
I DO KNOW that there are virtually no ‘substitution’ or ‘maintenance’ options for the coke users. It breaks my heart. I mean, I love all my fellow junkies and druggies so please dont be mad at me when i say this but would there be some kind of like speed or adderrall or would something kind of like that work? I know they have the ability to prescribe yay in england but i know that it suffers the same way as heroin does in that due to US pressure in the 70s and 80s its a difficult script to come by at the moment. I need you guys to know my heart breaks for meth heads, cokers and crack basers. I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I DO.
What a scumbag who made that quote. What a true blue scumbag man. He sounds like a conservative jerkoff so let me suggest he go wherever someone would go to do this and go ahead and get the WHOLE FN CATALOGUE of rush limbaugh tapes from his shows from all those years he was evidently ‘abusing painkillers’ and theres your freakin example theres your freakin high functioning junkie you bastard. and hes one of your own. what do you got to say about that?
nothing. i bet. not only that but i bet hed give us some BS about “yeah well theres always an exception to the rule”
you know, people like that are just as bad as the 12-steppers with their catchphrases and answers for everything. they can never be wrong or incorrect about anything. always right. people like that are cowards. afraid to learn. Afraid to grow. I’m sorry but they are. I think we can all be that way sometimes but I try not to be that way WHEN WE’RE TALKIN ABOUT LIFE OR DEATH AND THE WAR ON DRUGS IS LIFE OR DEATH!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, CJ!