The excellent Diane Goldstein (a member of LEAP) has a good tongue-in-cheek column: I am a Recovering Drug War Addict
She suggests the need for a program for drug war addicts…
How do we create a “safe space†for both our political and law enforcement leaders to publicly acknowledge what most admit behind closed doors, which is that, indeed, our current policy is a failure. I propose that we start a Drug-War Addiction 12-step Program where lawmakers and law enforcement leaders can safely discuss why they are addicted to the Drug War (okay sarcasm here), and how they can change.
Here’s one of my favorite “steps” proposed:
Examining and making amends for past errors with the help of a sponsor. Making amends requires that we acknowledge that part of our failure to change is the addiction to the many perks of the Drug War. This can include policing for profit under the guise of asset forfeiture, federal categorical block grants that supplement police budgets based on narcotics enforcement only, or Department of Defense surplus equipment (4.2 billion worth nationally since 1990) that has contributed to the militarization of our police. I propose Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) to fulfill that role, as we have already conquered our addictions by adhering to these steps;
too sweet!
And to quote one of the all time classic one-liners from humanity’s rich trove of literature:
Burn!
left this comment (awaiting moderation):
I’ve been calling them that for a years.
Even made them a cozy spot for their drug worrier spewdumbs.
Never thought rehab could do any good.
Can’t test stupid in a piss quiz.
Prohibitionist WoD Junkies
Excellent article. I wonder who actually benefits more from the BLACK MARKET.
Law enforcement or the cartels?
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Neither. It’s called symbiosis. Neither side can exist or thrive without the other. I suppose this also must be a peculiar combination of symbiotic parasitism since both principals are parasites as well as being symbionts.
Seriously, is the guy who had $206 million in currency locked in a vault stolen by the authorities the victim or the crime? I can’t even imagine how losing that much money would feel, but that guy would not likely have had it in the first place without the existence of the people who stole it from him.
Perhaps the feeling depends on if the guy wasn’t the kind of guy to put all his eggs in the same basket. The rule is one for cops, one for the rippers, and one for me.
Oh OK, parasites can be symbionts. Except that in our instant example there are 3 species involved, or is it 4?
Yes the cartels and prohibitches are mutual symbionts to each other, and they are each parasites on the rest of humanity.
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I reiterate my position that I would like to see the gov’t declare a war on war…I’ll bet there are some government stooges who could do that with a straight face too.
Of course if we prefer to benefit society in the long term we should lobby for a war on peace if we keep in mind just how easily government screws up it’s objectives. Just look what they’ve accomplished in the effort to make the world “drug” free.
Now those are just silly. But if we’re to have hope for the end of the war on (some) drugs we need something to keep the prohibitionist parasites and their sycophants from getting into real mischief.
When I consider that the sycophants of prohibition are just none too bright and are very easily confused, I can only come up with one solution: the war on bugs. Since bugs rhymes with drugs and has the same number of syllables that will make for a more orderly facilitation of the transition by not confusing the sycophants any more than is humanly possible to avoid.
The prohibitionist parasites will not lose any job security since this is yet another futile “war”. There’s actually a darn good possibility it will increase their potential for employment because there are so many damn bugs. Also, bugs don’t vote, picket, have any Constitutionally protected rights, or know how to petition the government for redress of grievances. The only potential problem here may be family loyalty or professional courtesy since so darn many bugs are also parasites.
Mandatory disclosure of personal interest: I may or may not support the proposal as a result of my genuine, deep seated hatred of insects. But unless I’m grossly mistaken nobody really likes bugs except for forensic nerds on CSI.
Say, did we get to see Bill Maher dismantle Mr. SAM this past June? By we I mean everyone but me because I sure didn’t get to see it before 10 minutes ago. Bend over Mr. SAM
One amazing take-away from Patrick in that piece;
“…the NIDA research shows, if you allow this sense of
‘there’s no harm in using it,’ more people will use, that’s a fact”
!!!!!!!
Pat is just full of these statements, That makes me wonder where Sabet disappeared to recently?
Maybe – he’s in a ‘Time-Out’ – for flubbing up the last few performances before various congressional meetings?
Pat is full of crazy and it shows in his debate skills, (or his lack there-of), and IMNSHO = you can tell he’s been “convinced” via his use of Rehab-speak its a dialect of BS phrases… Things that are most often said disingenuously, like you used to see in Public Service Announcements from ‘stars’ = of music/film/tv/etc.
You can tell they were part of community service plea bargains – resulting in the (IMO) hilarious “Rock Against Drugs” commercials, and other similar sorts of stuff. They seemed to stop doing those – possibly because the ‘stars’ were getting busted again, and that undermined their previous statements as the lies told to get out of trouble that they were – rather than a genuine change of mind/beliefs on the part of the Participants.
In the same regard – we could end up seeing Pat on the News after a “relapse”, he doesn’t sound totally convinced – (if only on a sub-conscious level) he speaks like he’s trying to remember a speech/script, rather than arguing ‘off the cuff’ – based on a REAL change in thinking/thoughts on the issue.
When he says, “I used to think like you do Bill” – my personal Bullshit-O-Meter – goes off & pegs the freaking dial at Maximum-Crapola…
Maybe they’re considering (or testing), trying to ‘lose the war’ gracefully?
IDK, why-else you’d send this guy out to speak for you??
Classified DEA Division Supplies Secret Tips to Drug Cops
Remember that traffic stop that got you busted for weed, the one where the cops said you made an improper lane change? Remember how you were driving so carefully that night, knowing you had marijuana in your trunk? Out of all the cars on the freeway, some that were weaving and speeding and driving far worse than you were, how in the world did you manage to arouse the suspicion of Officer Observant and his trusty dope dog, Bust’em?
Because unbeknownst to you – and most importantly your defense attorney – a classified division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) secretly tipped off the cops about you.
I’m ok with offering treatment programs to the drug warriors, as long as it’s part of a balanced approach. Obviously, they’re still going to need to face trial for their crimes against humanity and receive appropriate “tough-but-fair” sentences. Recidivism must be discouraged.