sear

Several reasons.
How we define our terms has powerful influence over a debate.

And I'm not running for political office. I suspect you're not also.

So at issue here is basically a process of elucidation of the issue.

"Precision & clarity in the use of language leads to precision & clarity of thought." G. Gordon Liddy

The one that benefits from clarity of thought here PP is YOU.
"To thine own self be true".
I pray you are right PP. Blacks should not have freedom. Whites should not have freedom. No body should have "freedom" in the sense that it imparts to them superiority over others.
I am a champion of Liberty. Liberty and freedom are not the same.
I advocate Liberty for everyone*.
I advocate freedom for no one.
I agree with you. You shouldn't. You should do as you think appropriate.
Thank you PP. That is my intention. And you in turn have helped me as well.
No.
I see no point in discussing freedom. It's a non-entity politically, in my opinion.
But I absolutely do not view Liberty as a gift from any man, of any color.

It is a Founding principle of the United States of America that Liberty is not a gift from man. Instead, it is explicitly clear that Liberty is a gift directly from our Creator.
But don't take my word for it.
This is how Thomas Jefferson wrote it:
I'm painfully aware that Jefferson was a hypocrite on this issue, that he was a slave owner (as if humans are property).

But the issue is principle here. And the notion that a man, or men "give" rights is preposterous.
Rights are god given. It is government's obligation to secure those rights; not issue them.
Self expression is precisely what this forum is for sir.
I believe you are quite good at it.
I am glad you have.
I hope you will continue to.

I'll look forward to it.

Thanks

* Exceptions include but not limited to minors, incarcerated felons, politicians, etc.

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"Work is the curse of the drinking classes." Oscar Wilde

tyreay

Still kind of hurting and out of it but I've been wanting to post on this one for too long.
I still say the answer lies in education dealing in the truths of the pros and cons of using drugs. The drug education in this country today is bulshit and as I have said before on this thread, it creates more addicts.
The only way one can use reason and logic is to have a test case. The only true test case available is the Netherlands. They've done just what I have been saying should be done. Make pot totally legal and decriminalize hard drugs.
Do just what the Dutch did.
Please take the time to check out these two links. Here the proof that American drug policies could be changed for the better, and proven by a working model. Crime, addiction, pot use, drug related deaths, and AIDS spread, has all gone down(some way down) since making pot legal and decriminalizing harder drugs. Please go look.

Hope everyone is well. I'll be back in here soon I hope.


Drug War Facts: The Netherlands and the United States – A Comparison
HOLLAND / THE NETHERLANDS

__________________
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong. ~Richard Armour

There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle. ~Alexis de Tocqueville

Nightrider

Interesting link, Ty, and I think that it speaks volumes. . .

Anyway, hang in there, and I hope you are feeling better soon.

- NR

sear

It has long saddened me that "the land of the free, and the home of the brave" has among the highest per capita incarceration rates in the world.

What an absolutely deplorable thing to be a hypocrite about!

And Drug War is a substantial part of the reason for this.

What other explanation could there possibly be? That Americans are simply more predisposed to criminality?
That might seem to have some possibility of being true, were it not for the fact we also claim to be "a nation of immigrants".
So why are the Peoples from which we are composed not equally criminal?

It is a disgrace.

Drug War is not only hypocritical. It is an affront to Liberty.

__________________
"Work is the curse of the drinking classes." Oscar Wilde

hevusa

If you legalize everything and control the inventory you take the power away from the violent dealer COMPLETELY and return a huge underground black market back into the mainstream economy.

Plus the benefit of an open relationship with users and thus a greater chance of offering benefical social services.

__________________
--- help me Instant Runoff Voting, you're my only hope ---

"There is no such thing as laziness. Laziness is only lack of incentive." Norman Reider, MD

Morality is not contingent on religion to exist. Therefore religion only detracts from the purity of morality.

Toxic

If society cannot withstand the weight of it's own freedom, then society does not deserve to exist". - me

Legalize all drugs,gambling, and prostituion. Tax them. Feed every hungry child in the country. Shelter the homeless. Pay of the national debt. And still have enough money left over to give everyone a free college education.

Make Heroin and cocaine ten cents per dose. Within 6 months the "drug problem" will have sorted itself out. If a junkie wants a fix, he can look through his couch cushions and won't have to resort to crime to afford it. No one with any sense will do any drug just because it is legal.

Democrats should want to legalize drugs because it is compassionate.
Republicans should want to legalize them because that is what free trade is all about.
But no one wants to legalize them because they are all a bunch of fucking pussies who are bought and paid for by the criminal corporations whose best interests are upheld by drug laws.

Hayling

I support this message.

Survival of the fittest. Anyone dumb enough to do heroin loses the right to live.

__________________
As I leave you with restless liars and dealers on the take

bfrazz1

While put rather bluntly, I agree with this post. If a junkie wants to do their thing and sleep a life away, or loose it altogether, so be it. But why create a system that cultivates a criminal underground that only works due to the illegality of controlled substances and victimless crimes like prostitution and gambling? The police could focus on the true crimes of violence and theft and maybe even make a dent. While police organizations insist that the war on drugs must be won, most individual officers I know see it as a total waste of time and resources.

bfrazz1

I do think that users should be held accountable for their actions while intoxicated such as driving or creating a public nuisance.