"bandito" shoot-down

[Anonymous Poster]

I'm about to step into it so forgive me in advance. I do not use either drugs or alcohol and see no redeeming value in either. More deaths occur annually due to drunk drivers then the total US losses in VietNam (~58,000) so comparing drugs to alcohol as a justification to legalize is quite flawed.

I have heard interviews with the family of those who died in the shoot down on Moody Radio. When asked if they believe the anti-drug air patrols should end or if drugs should be legalized to reduce demand their overwelming answer was no.

"If we legalize drugs at least the crimes and deaths won't be caused by illegal activities thus reducing the crime rate!" This little ditty was told to me by a Nader supporter trying to get my vote last November. And they say drugs don't effect your brain.

Give me break

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: \"bandito\" shoot-down

JOR_EL,

Prohibition, despite the glorification of rum rooms and speak easys, was successful in reducing domestic violence and deaths related to the use of alcohol. It was repealed not because it wasn't effective, but because of the increase in violent organized crime, corruption and lack of resources to fight it. This parallel with our modern day drug problem is why many believe drugs should be legalized.

While repealing prohibition ended many of the above mentioned problems it escalated the original problem, death and violence from the use of alcohol. The same will occur with the legalization of drugs.

My point in the other post was that the repealing of prohibition should not be held up as a successful test case to make the point for legalizing drug use.

<font color=blue>That statistic seems to lend itself more to an argument for de-legalizing alcohol use</font color=blue>. OK by me. I've had more than my share of friends and family killed by drunks.

"Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

 

[JOR_EL]

Pitbull,

<font color=blue> More deaths occur annually due to drunk drivers then the total US losses in VietNam (~58,000) so comparing drugs to alcohol as a justification to legalize is quite flawed. </font color=blue>

That statistic seems to lend itself more to an argument for de-legalizing alcohol use.

<font color=blue>When asked if they believe the anti-drug air patrols should end or if drugs should be legalized to reduce demand their overwelming answer was no.</font color=blue>

With all due respect for their losses, I'm not sure that having suffered in this way qualifies them as experts on the "drug problem", competent to decide national policy. (No, I don't consider myself qualified either, ...I just find the arguments of many who are more-in-the-know to have merit worth at least considering. When I mentioned "trying something else" in my last post , I did not mean at this time to advocate full legalization, ... I would have to do a whole lot more study on this issue to feel able to responsibly cast a vote on this. but there are a great many negative aspects of the way we are doing it now.

I know it is a lot easier to complain than it is to offer a better solution, but if today's methods are not questioned, a "better way" will not be found. )

I wonder if those family members are satisfied with the conducting of this particular "mission", ...which was the main complaint of my original thread. ( and even if they were, which I doubt very much, I would not be.)

<font color=blue>"If we legalize drugs at least the crimes and deaths won't be caused by illegal activities thus reducing the crime rate!"</font color=blue>

Terrific idea!, ...but why stop there? Lets legalize murder, rape, robbery, etc ., and do away with "crime" altogether? (Holy eureka Batman, ...why didn't we think of that?) /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Larry

 

[skent]

BINGO!

Set aside areas in metro cities where people can check-in and buy what they need, and provide them with an area to toast their minds/bodies, provide medical assistance when needed, but do not allow them to check out till they are down. This would do several things: 1. allow the gomnt to collect tax dollars (tax the drugs). 2. Reduce the burden on law enforcement. 3. Cull the flock (the really useless people are going to do drugs whether they are legal or not) providing more room for productive prople.

Now realize there will still be the same problems with people doing drugs outside and driving while under the influence , etc. But we have that now with alcohol.


Steve

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: \"bandito\" shoot-down

If you are convicted of drug use or trafficing, you should loose any gov payments or intitlements, even SS. Let them choose dope or food. Why should the US taxpayer give these dopers a place to shootup and medical care? I work for a living and don't even get that. There are plenty of alleys to live in and land fills to bury them in. Its a free country, let them choose.

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: \"bandito\" shoot-down

Grumpy,
Although you are a little extreme I do think you are on the right course. We have consequences for everything that we do. If you choose to live a life of crime and be a dope head then you should have to live with the consequences, even if that is life in prison. I don't feel too bad for people that make poor choices. They know that the choice is wrong when they make it. If we would make people responsible for their choices instead of saying that they have a disease or a problem we would be a whole lot better off. The problem is the do gooders in our society keep shifting the blame off of the people and let them blame their actions on it being a disease or a consequence of their growing up. Well I've come across alot of people who grew up in a living hell and turned out to be good people and not drug dealers. I completely agree with three strikes, mandatory sentences, etc. With most of these people you are not going to make a difference. The only person or program that will make a difference is the person themselves. I mean let's be real here alcohol and drug abuse systems are at the best about 20% effective. So that means that only 1 out of 5 people that gets the help they need will really change. Well that one person probably would have changed anyway so how effective is your program? There is no answer to the drug, alcohol, and crime problem except to make people responsible for their actions.