03-09-2004, 08:21 AM
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#26 (permalink)
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Illusionary
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Quote:
Originally posted by KungFuGuy
ok, i'm in total agreement about legalizing drugs and ending the drug war. the arguments you stated have been around for a LONG time, as i found out when i did a paper on it like 5 years ago in high school.
the PROBLEM, is that the drug war has been institutionalized, for lack of a better term. so many ppl depend on the drug war to make a living. Most notably are the police, judges, lawyers, and other people in the legal system. Over half of convicted criminals in correctional facilities today are from drug related crimes. A lot of people make their living on putting them in there and keeping them in there.
Now, when you take into account that so many lawyers and judges, etc, make there living off of the drug war, and that those ppl most directly involved with the legal system also are in the most direct control of the government, the result you get is a system dependant on itself for its own continuation.
the bottom line is that many people in control have an interest in keeping the drug war going for their own interests.
my dad, a corrections officer (prison guard) is one of those ppl. i mean, he doesn't have control, and his feelings are similar to mine on this issue, but if the drug war ended and half the prison population were let go, they wouldn't need him anymore (probably, he's a sergeant with seniority now...)
another side issue is, if drugs were legalized, do you realize how many lawsuits against the gov't there would be, even if there was a statement they couldn't be sued?
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There are many reasons that make a transition hard, from the current situation to a more sane approach. That does not mean it shouldnt be done. It was very hard to abolish slavery, yet it was done.Any job loss would be more than offset by revenues and regulatory positions, as well as savings from the billions spent now on the war on drugs. We as a society need to set the priorities, not the federal government, unless we decide to forgo our democratic republic in favor of a totalitarian regime.
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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha
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