Posted by Isis at ic007191.ithaca.edu on February 04, 2002 at 19:34:08:
In Reply to: Re: No offense at all... posted by phone monkey on February 04, 2002 at 16:35:06:
However, not everyone who is using "drugs" (quote-unquote) is buying them.
And I think it should always be borne in mind that the political interests that wish to maintain the ridiculously punitive brand of justice known as the "war on drugs" (do a bit of research and find out what percentage of the incarcerated population today is in on non-violent, first-time drug offenses) are the same political interests that wish to maintain property values, cut down the trees and roust the homeless. This is not a coincidence; it is fascist thinking.
I completely agree that drug use is a problem; however, it is a individual, medical problem, not something that can be solved through incarceration. That has more than been proved by the skyrocketing of drug use in the years since the drug war has been underway.
: Right, so if you could go out and buy the socially conscious brand label drug, then it would be ok?
: Look, it is unfortunately true, if you put the money in the hands of someone who is engaging in illegal acts, he is quite likely not going to be using it to finance urban redevelopment.
: While it is quite true that the meth lab that burned down about a mile from my house was probably not funding third world terror, it did burn down a sweet old lady's embroidery business.... uh, which I think she was financing by renting out her attic to a meth lab.
: So, I feel soooooo much better about the head shop that's a block and a half from where I live, because that's a legitimate business.
: But, I find it really frightening that since they have opened, the amount of light to enter into that place is constantly decreasing. Started out w/a little sign - now you can't see a sliver through that soaped up window. Trying not to be seen? or worried about what the neighbors might be thinking?
: Of course, in the spirit of urban renewal, the "will work for food" guys who sleep in the grove of trees down past the bike path one block from my househave been rousted and they are putting in a parking lot.
: That's legal.
: And the trees are gone, and that's legal too.