from crooks and liars:
Elon James White, one of our favorite comedians and a Netroots Nation stalwart, channels a lot of people sentiments in this video. It might be NSFW, but White says a lot of things that need saying.
It's part of the ACLU's campaign to End the War on Drugs:
June 2011 marked the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon's declaration of a "war on drugs" — a war that has cost roughly a trillion dollars, has produced little to no effect on the supply of or demand for drugs in the United States, and has contributed to making America the world's largest incarcerator.
The war on drugs has sent millions of people to prison for low-level offenses, and seriously eroded our civil liberties and civil rights while costing taxpayers billions of dollars a year, with nothing to show for it except our status as the world's largest incarcerator. There are 2.3 million people behind bars in this country — that is triple the amount of prisoners we had in 1987 — and 25 percent of those incarcerated are locked up for drug offenses. Taxpayers spend almost $70 billion a year on corrections and incarceration. A far more sensible way to deal with a public health problem like drug addiction is to provide treatment, which study after study has shown is more effective than incarceration.
Through advocacy and litigation, the ACLU has been seeking an end to this failed war on drugs and our costly addiction to incarceration for decades. Go here to read more about the ACLU’s work to end to excessively harsh crime policies that result in mass incarceration and stand in the way of a just and equal society.
There is a series of posts on the subject at the ACLU's Blog of Rights. Be sure to check it out.
6 Comments
marinaraupvote for politics.
obvious fault w/ this video. if you're going to complain about war on drugs, don't pick a young black man to argue for amnesty. pick a soccer mom.
also worth mentioning Portugal, who has ended the war on drugs with good sucess.
MarineGunrockAwwww..... FUCK that stupid "DING" sound. OMFG.
ChaosEngine>> ^MarineGunrock:
Awwww..... FUCK that stupid "DING" sound. OMFG.
Agreed. It was *DING!* annoying, *DING!* pointless and *DING!* did I mention fucking annoying.
I like the concept of content producers agreeing to make more stuff in exchange for policy changes though. We could get another season of Firefly if they slash the military budget. Or Pink Floyd could reform if they repeal the patriot act. Or Simon Cowell could come back to American Idol if they get rid of the TSA... actually, fuck that. I'd rather be groped by a sweaty man at an airport than have more of that shit on tv.
shagen454People are changing their minds about drugs. I'm not sure but if you look to the 1990's where every kid was prescribed ritalin in junior high - once those kids got to college they started snorting it down as cocaine. "Man, it might not last as long but this shit is waaay better." (And no, I don't believe that -but it is more entertaining at least). Then on to psychedelics and natural drugs.
Don't get me wrong I don't think psychedelics will make you realize the next technological feat but society cast them out and ushered in crack & heroin & meth. And when I look at the fact that something that is non-addictive, makes one compassionate, imaginative, happy (well some ups and downs maybe) and is the sort of thing most "normal" people wouldn't want to do for a long while after even though they had a blast. And then I think about these horrific new drugs we've been seeing. It's like comparing a bowl of fruits and vegetables to pouring a bowl of battery acid on your brain.
Get over it - not all drugs are addictive or all around bad. Some "medicines" are actually very positive if taken properly. But, the government DOES have something to fear from psychedelics... and that might be a realization to an aversion of corrupted authority.
NetRunner*politics
*law
siftbotAdding video to channels (Law, Politics) - requested by NetRunner.
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