[sctman800]

First of all I am a Libertarian so I am against the Drug War allmost as much as I am against Gun Control. I believe pretty much everyone using this board is against gun control but some are for and some against the drug war. I am courious if anyone else thinks one reason the drug war goes on is because it gives anti gun people the headlines and body count to help justify their gun control? Seriously, if drugs were legal there would no longer be the tremendous amount of black market money to be made, and I certaintly don't see the gang violence continuing at the level it is today. When two 19 year old rival gang members shoot each other over drug money the antis get to claim "two teens lose lives to firearms" and since they knew each other "your gun is 20 times as likley to kill someone you know than a stranger." These are my opinions, and they are just opinions, think about it and share your thoughts. Jim.

[P95Carry]

Jim ...... personally I am 100% on your page! Indeed, any and every time two slimes take each other on and shots are fired ... it is excellent fodder for the anti's .... whi twist and manipulate stat's anyways, to suit there nefarious purposes.

There are also of course other factors with ''the war on drugs'' ... I mean ..... look at the manpower (and budget :mad: ) allocated to this ''war'' ...... sure would be a lotta guys outa work if things were legalized. Crime tho would radically reduce, of that I am convinced.

[cookhj]

i think you have a descent theory, however, i don't think that it would be wise to legalize "hardcore" drugs such as heroin cocaine. i would have no problem in legalizing marijuana because it is not as powerful of a drug as most other illegal drugs. it would bring in tax money to the gov't and it would keep them from spending millions of dollars trying to erradicate it. it's possible that the statistics of drug related violence give fuel to the anit-gun crowds, as you stated in your post. however, i just don't think that the legalization of all illegal drugs would solve the problem.

[Standing Wolf]

I am courious if anyone else thinks one reason the drug war goes on is because it gives anti gun people the headlines and body count to help justify their gun control?

I'm sure there's a connection there, but doubt it's a significant factor.

The so-called "war on drugs" is just another example of American Puritanism writ large as public policy and law.

My paternal grandmother, born in 1900, was a lifelong member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which had nothing to do with the temperate use of alcoholic beverages and everything to do with their complete prohibition. As far as she and her friends were concerned, drinking was un-Christian, and therefore ought to be prohibited by federal law. That's decidedly not freedom-oriented thinking, but it's widespread.

The current deluge of laws and law suits and taxes pertaining to tobacco are Puritanism in action. Many of the measures are dressed up in the guise of so-called "public health concerns," but it's essentially my grandmother's attitude in action: I don't like that stuff, so we need laws to prohibit it.

Prohibition (1919–1933) is the classic example of Puritanism without restraint or regard for freedom. It not only failed, but engendered additional evils, including deeply entrenched organized crime and widespread disregard for law.

I'm sure there's an element of Puritanism in some people's anti-Second Amendment bigotry, but I believe most of the so-called "gun control" advocates are plain old-fashioned leftist extremists.

As far as I'm concerned—a Libertarian at heart who votes Republican for practical purposes—it's nobody's business whether I smoke pot, drink a glass of wine with supper, smoke a cigar, wear blue socks, keep and bear arms, hang out at thehighroad.org, or paint pictures in my spare time. Far too many Americans don't have sense enough to mind their own business, and believe they're entitled to demand that government mind everyone's business.

[Pilgrim]

I personally don't care if someone destroys their life on drugs. I resent that the drug laws are based upon and justified by society's perceived need to take care of these derelicts.

I would love to see society change its attitudes towards self-destructive behavior. Mainly treat it like any other privacy issue, like sex between consenting adults; it's none of the government's business.

Wouldn't episodes on ER be refreshing if the doctor looks at the unconscious subject on the gurney and asks, "What's this?"

"Drug overdose, Doctor. Blood panel says he has been speedballing. He was in cardiac arrest for five minutes according to the EMT's who picked him up."

"Can his family pay for his treatment?"

"No, they're in the waiting room. They can't afford his treatment."

"Tell them to come get him then. If they don't want him, put him in the corner to die."

[MeekandMild]

Concerning the antigunners, they are just opportunists like flies, mosquitos and leeches.

I would love to see society change its attitudes towards self-destructive behavior. Mainly treat it like any other privacy issue, like sex between consenting adults; it's none of the government's business.

Actually you're more right than you know. Things have gotten markedly worse since riders were put on several healthcare laws.

Half of illegal drug abuse would disappear if word got around that no one with illicit drugs on board got any medical care at all except as paid for with cash or as paid for by turning state's evidence against their drug dealer.

The other half would go away with a simple law saying it was a misdemeanor punishable by ten dollars fine to kill a drug dealer.

[sctman800]

This thread isn't to argue the pros & cons of legalizing drugs there are other places that do that, I am just commenting on how the antis use anything to demonize guns. In fact I think Standing Wolf probably hit the biggest reason for the "war", but we also know where antis get their numbers. Jim.

[DeltaElite]

I'm not sure the two are connected, but I do know that the WoD is big business for most police agencies and we have a few Fed agencies that make their name off the WoD.
I think the money drives the WoD far more than anything else.

FWIW, I am bored to tears with the WoD, since it is a unwinable battle.
I will stick to more traditional crimes, such as rape, murder, robbery, burglary, auto theft, etc.
I will leave the WoD to those who still mistakenly think it can be won. :rolleyes:

[jmbg29]

Drug War necessary for Gun Control! :rolleyes: :uhoh: :barf:

[dustind]

We should legalize drugs, even the really bad ones. I think that drug use would go down. In countries where alcohol is legal at every age, almost no teenagers binge drink or get into trouble because of alcohol. While in the U.S. almost everyone has drank before they are 21, and most smokers start before 18. Do you think that drugs being illegal has stopped anyone from using them? If we end the war on drugs the government will shrink, our courts will be uncongested, our jails wont be overcrowded, and our police will be able to go after the real bad guys. The biggest change is drugs will be cheap, so no one will steal or kill for them, or sell themselves on the street to support a habit. Gangs will have less to fight about, drug dealers will be no more dangerous than any other small businessman. During prohibition illegal alcohol got many killed in gang/mob warfare, how many gangs or alcohol dealers have killed each other or shot up neighborhoods since 1934? Can anyone give any reason to make drugs illegal? I honestly can't, I have never smoked, drank, or done drugs, and never will, I can honestly say it hasn't been because of any laws.

My key points are, laws don't stop people from doing something, and over 90% of the bad things about drugs are only because they are illegal