no third solution

Blogging about liberty, anarchy, economics and politics

Category Archives: Drug War Rants

The War on Drugs Enables Terrorism

November 5th, 2008

My friend Zach left a great comment on Michigan Proposal 1:

What is morally wrong about marijuana? I can list a couple of far stretched morality issues , i.e. Some terrorists organizations receive money through the drug trade, etc.

I thought he was lost, but he redeemed himself with the following:

But other than these, which can be easily avoided by making it legal and/or legal to grow your own just like you do potatoes, corn, wheat, etc…

I remember when he was finishing up his undergrad degree and I proofed a term paper he wrote, absolutely slamming Sarbanes-Oxley and other similar legislation. I’m impressed that people I know are starting to grasp the idea that government interference, prohibition, regulations, etc., are the primary cause of most of what people perceive to be problems in society.

At the same time, and I mean this is the most constructive manner possible, he didn’t quite reach the “A+” conclusion. Although he’s 100% correct that ending prohibition would eliminate the lucrative profits to be had in the drug trade, thereby also eliminating gang warfare, eliminating an (allegedly) important funding source for terrorists, etc., he failed to make a very important distinction.

Allow me to present an analogy: the Mafia in Detroit used to use car washes as a front to launder money; that doesn’t make going to a car wash immoral or wrong, does it?

So with that in mind, simply because terrorists profit from the restricted supply (and quasi-monopolistic profit accruing thereto) of certain controlled substances, we cannot reasonably conclude that the cultivation, trafficking, consumption and/or trading of these substances is malum in se.

And this is the ultimate distinction: the problem isn’t the drug, the problem is terrorism. Terrorism is always wrong.

And one more thing: the terrorists are winning the war on drugs.

+++

Just so nobody says “David Z made a huge error, he neglected to say that the war on drugs is domestic terrorism,” I’ll say it: the war on drugs is domestic terrorism.

But that’s a topic for another day.

Mock Teh Vote!

November 4th, 2008

‘Nuff said?

I voted for “Nobody” for every office: judge, district attorney, supreme court whatchamacallits, treasurer, sheriff, etc. I cast straight-ticket libertarian for university trustees, for whatever that’s worth. Doesn’t the University of Michigan need a libertarian Regent? I don’t know.

I voted in favor of Proposal 1 to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana since it appears to be strictly a cause of decriminalization and does not (on its face) appear to empower any individual, politically. I am well aware that the Feds will continue to knock down the doors of 80-year old cancer co-ops.

I did not weigh in on Proposal 2 (a measure pertaining to stem cell research). I am not against stem cell research, but I am against taxpayer subsidies for anything, and it looks like Proposal 2 mandates taxpayer subsidies. Seriously. What’s wrong with just not making things illegal? I’m not sure why things so often appear to come down to the “subsidize” vs. “criminalize” debate.

There is one exception to what is otherwise pretty much a null ballot. If there is a “Homer Simpson” in Oakland County, he will be pleasantly surprised to learn he received at least one vote for the position of County Drain Commissioner.

On Michigan Proposal 1

November 4th, 2008

Anonymous left a comment on Medical Marijuana in Michigan:

This article hurts the proposal more than helps it…while medicinal marijuana may prove beneficial, there are significant reasons why marijuana should not be legalized to the general public.

The crux of my post was, “Who cares if medicinal marijuana is on the ballot?” Medical marijuana may be a step in the right direction, but the real issue is “Why can’t (allegedly) free people be allowed to use it?”

I wonder why he didn’t list the “significant reasons”… Like the junk science that suggests marijuana is more harmful than tobacco? Nice try.

There may be a number of reasons why you’d prefer to abstain from the substance, but there is not a single, reasonable argument you can put forth to justify the violent interference with an adult’s peaceful and private decision.

Keep this in mind at all times: We’re not talking about you, trying to rationally convince people that they’re wrong. We’re talking about violence, perpetrated by agents of the State, against people who happen to have a habit that you simply don’t like.

That is, using all of the power and guns of the government, to force your opinions and beliefs upon those with whom you disagree.

Sorry, it’s never reasonable for a mature, rational adult to use violence in such a manner. Ever.

no third solution

Blogging about liberty, anarchy, economics and politics