Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by eevilspock on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @09:06AM
(#9576025)
I agree that we should end the drug war but you are oversimplifying.
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Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by CPLX on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @09:11AM
(#9576049)
Not really. Much like "end apartheid" or "US out of Vietnam" we are occasionally presented with government policies so clearly unethical or ineffective that they defy oversimplification. The drug war is one such obvious failure.
Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by Lawtonfogle on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @09:37AM
(#9576173)
It is still nuanced in how you do it. For example, what about age limits for drugs? What about adults being banned from getting drugs (say an 18 year old getting alcohol). What about pharmaceuticals being sold without a prescription. What about ensuring safety standards in what was being sold (say ensuring that the crack in the store wasn't cut with anything horrible).
Edit: That said, I do think the argument that even with all this, the argument that legalizing everything now and worrying about the details later is better than keeping it illegal while we work out details does have merit. I'm not convinced it is right, but I'm not convinced it is wrong either.
Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by sliverstorm on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @02:56PM
(#9578382)
Yes, but you haven't yet shown it's the root of our struggles with racism, economic issues, police brutality, crime, etc, (which seems to be what you claim in your first post)
Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by happyscrappy on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @09:16AM
(#9576070)
It is ending. Legalization of marijuana is the start.
Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by justaman on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @09:47AM
(#9576248)
Legalizing marijuana is _very_ different from changing the policy on crack-cocaine. Crack is one of the primary issues in lower income/black communities.
A good first step? Absolutely, but it will be another generation before any policy is passed that results in the taxation of other narcotics. The US needs to sell guns to someone...
Re:Policing, Mass Imprisonment, and the Failure of American ...
by happyscrappy on Wednesday May 20, 2015 @11:26AM
(#9576929)
Right, crack is illegal so they can sell guns. Are you for real?