Re: Jaberwokey

[Antigen]

Anyone up for some newspeak and jaberwockey? See
California DARE Days, 2001

I don't know about ya'll, but this sort of thing really burns me up. DARE is  NOT effective! (unless, by effective, you mean profitable) They most certainly do  NOT provide accurate information about alcohol and other drugs (can't even acknowledge in plain terms that alcohol is a drug, forchristsake!) And it does not improve self esteem. The only study that I know of that even examined that last question found a slight incidence of  lowered self esteem among DARE graduates!

Recently, some diplomat or other, I forget which one, declared the US as the Taliban of international drug policy. That is so true. I don't know if any of ya'll are aware of it or not, but Canada has decriminalized MJ, whether for medical or recreational use. And So. American state governors as well as national leaders, who haven't been able to come together on  anything for the past 50 - 100 years, have come together on one point; we  must end the drug war. You won't read or hear about in in the US media unless a lot more people start pressuring our own local papers and broadcast stations to cover the damned story.

If you want to know anything about what's going on down there, see Narco News Al Giordano, a rather well respected international journalist, has been translating selected news items from Mexican, Colombian and other latin language newspapers for about 2 years now. Seems to be working. He's now being sued by BANAMEX Bank for translating spanish news items into English and sending them to US journalists and his regular readership base.


-If there's a worse idea going than locking kids up for victimless crimes, it's probably locking them in close proximity to some tyrannical altruist bent on helping them even if it kills them.
Saving our Children from Drug Treatment Abuse

[FaceKhan]

I think he is being sued by Bannamex because he wrote that the executives were connected to drug cartels, which is true. Bannamex has been venue shopping ever since they lost 2 law suits in Mexico and now they want to sue him in NY. Hopefully the NY court will throw it out, because if they hear the case it will chill freedom of the press throughout the world if corporations can pick which nation's laws they would like to sue under regardless of where the alleged wrongdoing took place.  


Slavish discipline makes a slavish temper... If severity carry'd to the
highest pitch does prevail, and works a cure upon the present unruly
distemper, it often brings in the room of it a worse and more dangerous
disease, by breaking the mind; and then, in the place of a disorderly young
fellow, you have a low spirited moap'd creature, who, however with his
unnatural sobriety he may please silly people, who commend tame unactive
children, because they make no noise, nor give them any trouble; yet at
last, will probably prove as uncomfortable a thing to his friends, as he
will be all his life an useless thing to himself and others... Beating them,
and all other sorts of slavish and corporal punishments, are not the
discipline fit to be used in the education of those we would have wise,
good, and ingenuous men...
John Locke, 1692

[Antigen]

Not only that, but he looked like an easy target. Several major latin language newspapers had the story (that's where he got it) but they could easily defend against a suit. He can't do it as easily. It's a baseless suit, but it still takes some money to prove that it's baseless.

Regardless, they can't sue us all.



The only place you'll find a drug free America is on a map of a flat Earth.


-If there's a worse idea going than locking kids up for victimless crimes, it's probably locking them in close proximity to some tyrannical altruist bent on helping them even if it kills them.
Saving our Children from Drug Treatment Abuse

[Elle]

Just a note on decriminilization, I'm Canadian and there hasn't been any legal pot smoking, or hemp growing, except for medical purposes.


                                      Elle.

[Antigen]

There are so many subtle variations of definition of these words. I know that the Canadian Supreme Court issued a ruling (or maybe an opinion?) to the effect that the Canadian constitution does not support arresting citizens for mere posession. Doesn't mean it's legal, they could still get a ticket, fine, court date, etc. Just not be arrested.

I saw a piece on one of the news magazines awhile back where they were busting grow houses in Vancouver but not prosecuting the growers. They do the same thing here sometimes, only in the US they also confiscate the property of the person who was never even accused, far less convicted, of any crime.

As de dawg chases his tail.


-If there's a worse idea going than locking kids up for victimless crimes, it's probably locking them in close proximity to some tyrannical altruist bent on helping them even if it kills them.
Saving our Children from Drug Treatment Abuse

[jetandra30]

ALL Drugs, including heroin and crack, are decriminalized in Spain and just recently in Portugal.  They are still illegal and its no walk in the park getting "busted" but you will absolutely not be incarcerated (in jail or prison) for such minor offenses such as possession.  It?s the equivalent of getting a speeding ticket and nobody enjoys getting a speeding ticket. One study in Spain showed that users who are incarcerated use more drugs while incarcerated than while on the street! Did drug use go up in Spain with the liberalization of drug laws?  Nope. They also use far less illegal drugs than Americans.  Who benefits by putting users in prison?  Tax payers?  The community?  The user?  People are a benefit to society and their community when they are healthy and gainfully employed, whether drug user or not.  Ginger, I loved the drug free America picture, that's hilarious!

Decriminalization is a step in the right direction freeing up vast public resources but still fails to put the criminal cartels and drug dealers out of business and still encourages street crime, drug trafficking and money laundering among other social ills.  There?s also an issue of enforcement.  Some sexual positions are still illegal in some states but they are not enforced.  Marijuana is illegal in Vancouver B.C. but is officially a low enforcement priority as it should be.  B.C. cops estimated that every minor pot arrest gets a cop of the street for about 3 hours and they can?t afford to do that.  Enforcement of the law actually makes the streets MORE dangerous as cops must spend all their time processing these ?criminal? as opposed to keeping the streets safe.  At least that?s the way the cops say things and I agree with them.