*promote

Self promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Sunday, September 2nd, 2012 7:34am PDT - promote requested by original submitter eric3579.

Statist subversion at its finest: Drug War.
*quality *doublepromote

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by gwiz665.

Double-Promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Sunday, September 2nd, 2012 7:43am PDT - doublepromote requested by gwiz665.

If anyone finds this movie online (torrent or other) please let me know.

*controversy

Adding video to channels (Controversy) - requested by MrFisk.

>> ^DuoJet:

oh, no shit?
Apparently it's one of those things that's so obvious to everyone involved, yet...not obvious enough for things to change?

Looks like cops and a dose of Mr Obvious.

The war on drugs is because a significant part of the population does not want drugs in their country. Now is it having a huge impact on us because of our poverty rates? yea.. if anything it is a holocaust on the dollar bill. The more we spend on drug wars, the more people that get poorer. There isn't a GOOD ending to this scenario.. either we stop fighting it or it will eventually makes us broke.. how ever...

Still doesn't stop the fact that we don't want these types of drugs around, or the people that use them. Find a different country if you want to shoot up. A country I can't go around without seeing people overdosing in front of me is not a country I wan't to live in.

>> ^jmd:

Looks like cops and a dose of Mr Obvious.
The war on drugs is because a significant part of the population does not want drugs in their country. Now is it having a huge impact on us because of our poverty rates? yea.. if anything it is a holocaust on the dollar bill. The more we spend on drug wars, the more people that get poorer. There isn't a GOOD ending to this scenario.. either we stop fighting it or it will eventually makes us broke.. how ever...
Still doesn't stop the fact that we don't want these types of drugs around, or the people that use them. Find a different country if you want to shoot up. A country I can't go around without seeing people overdosing in front of me is not a country I wan't to live in.


This is a fine example of the sort of fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of drug use and addiction that keeps this war on the poor so profitable.

"Its not a war on drugs, its a war on personal freedom ... Keep that in mind at all times."
Bill Hicks

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.

>> ^xxovercastxx:

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.


I would suggest that what many of us are advocating is a different deployment of resources. Rather than incarerating people that have an identifiable health problem, we fund programs that would enable those with drug-related issues the help they need.

Difficult task? You bet.

Easy fix? No way.

But at least it would be a step towards making things better rather than worse.

If anything, I want more government. I want a health care system in place for everyone. A health care system that also helps people with drug addiction and doesn't incarcerate them. I'd also like to see mental health addressed that way, as well. One day, I hope.

>> ^xxovercastxx:

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.

If this movie will talk about a solution on the drug problem beside jails, that's good.
If this movie will just talks about how many people are sitting in jails, they should be released and drugs legalized, then it's nothing more but a surrenderist propaganda.

By the Way somehow we need this to reach a larger audience. Post this shit everywhere!

>> ^xxovercastxx:

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.


Personally, I want a penal system that does what a penal system -should- do: rehabilitate those who can be rehabilitated, and isolate those who cannot from the rest of us. The war on drugs attempts and achieves neither. What I do -not- want from a penal system is one that provides a pool of slave labor for politically connected investors. The war on drugs is -really- good at that one.

It's a pure waste of money that could be better spent researching addiction, and how to treat it...something that has gotten little attention and less funding.

>> ^xxovercastxx:

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.


I love how the right suddenly believes in big government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs (or reproductive medicine for that matter).

>> ^mxxcon:

If this movie will talk about a solution on the drug problem beside jails, that's good.
If this movie will just talks about how many people are sitting in jails, they should be released and drugs legalized, then it's nothing more but a surrenderist propaganda.


WTF is "surrenderist propaganda"? Surrender to who? The drugs themselves? The people on drugs?

Or is it those evil ambiguously South American drug lords?
<mcbain>MEEEEEEENNNNDOOOOOZZAAAA!!</mcbain>
Ya know, the ones that only exist because of our drug policies?

I can see that taser companies get rich by selling equipment to the cops, but wouldn't the US government and various drug companies stand to make MORE money if they legalised (and then taxed) recreational drugs?

I always feel like Goldilocks when it comes to the small vs. big government debate. I don't want a government too big, nor do I want a government that is too small. I want a government that is just the right size to be as efficient and effective as possible. >> ^xxovercastxx:

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.

What country do you live in?

I've done loads of drugs for about 25 years and I have yet to see anyone "overdosing in front of me".

PS: it's not *your* country. It's everyone's, including the people who like to do drugs. The problem isn't drugs, it's an unusually harsh penal system that is unlike anything in any other western society. You've got to ask yourself one very simple question: Are Americans 100x more horrible than citizens in other western democracies, or are our policies harsh and unrealistic?

>> ^jmd:

Looks like cops and a dose of Mr Obvious.
The war on drugs is because a significant part of the population does not want drugs in their country. Now is it having a huge impact on us because of our poverty rates? yea.. if anything it is a holocaust on the dollar bill. The more we spend on drug wars, the more people that get poorer. There isn't a GOOD ending to this scenario.. either we stop fighting it or it will eventually makes us broke.. how ever...
Still doesn't stop the fact that we don't want these types of drugs around, or the people that use them. Find a different country if you want to shoot up. A country I can't go around without seeing people overdosing in front of me is not a country I wan't to live in.

Although it's counter-intuitive the case of Portugal suggests that you are less likely to see people overdosing in front of you under legalization than prohibition. Does this alter your views?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portugal-drug-decriminalization
>> ^jmd:

Looks like cops and a dose of Mr Obvious.
The war on drugs is because a significant part of the population does not want drugs in their country. Now is it having a huge impact on us because of our poverty rates? yea.. if anything it is a holocaust on the dollar bill. The more we spend on drug wars, the more people that get poorer. There isn't a GOOD ending to this scenario.. either we stop fighting it or it will eventually makes us broke.. how ever...
Still doesn't stop the fact that we don't want these types of drugs around, or the people that use them. Find a different country if you want to shoot up. A country I can't go around without seeing people overdosing in front of me is not a country I wan't to live in.

Let us not forget the nice little side effect of systematically stripping the right to vote from the poor and minorities.

+1 million for Portugal link. Thanks pyloricvalve! And, it isn't counter to my intuition.

Sift of the week yo.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'The House I Live In, trailer, drugs, jail, money' to 'The House I Live In, trailer, drugs, jail, money, holocaust in slow motion' - edited by lucky760

@dag @lucky760

Inline bug report... There's 5 replies to my comment in this thread and I got exactly zero emails about them. The only reason I even noticed is because Obsidian's comment is in the Top Comments block.

@ObsidianStorm, @UsesProzac: Both good points.

@Stormsinger: I strongly agree with this. I have a friend who is a federal CO and we talk about this now and then. It seems most of the COs he works with are of the opinion that the purpose of prison is to beat the fuck out of anyone in a jumpsuit as often as possible. Mind you, a lot of the prisoners are there for child murder and molestation and there may be no saving them, but I do believe that should always be the goal, however unattainable.

@ChaosEngine: This amuses me as well, but don't stop at drug law. The party of "small government" is the same one who says government should decide who can get married.

@dystopianfuturetoday: I think nearly everyone would describe themselves this way but everyone thinks "just right" is a different mix.

>> ^jmd:

Looks like cops and a dose of Mr Obvious.
The war on drugs is because a significant part of the population does not want drugs in their country. Now is it having a huge impact on us because of our poverty rates? yea.. if anything it is a holocaust on the dollar bill. The more we spend on drug wars, the more people that get poorer. There isn't a GOOD ending to this scenario.. either we stop fighting it or it will eventually makes us broke.. how ever...
Still doesn't stop the fact that we don't want these types of drugs around, or the people that use them. Find a different country if you want to shoot up. A country I can't go around without seeing people overdosing in front of me is not a country I wan't to live in.


I took your advice, rounded up all the drug users, quickly organized them for a mass exodus, and gleefully watched as they ratified amendment after amendment into their own system of government. I take no credit in this feat, as the combination of their GEDs and generations of unchecked family abuse paved the way. If their government fails they can always move to Liberia and die in a torrent of AIDS and more AIDS. Thanks for the advice, fuckface.

*law

Adding video to channels (Law) - requested by MrFisk.

>> ^xxovercastxx:

I love how the Sift suddenly believes in small government as soon as the topic shifts to drugs.


Phrases like "big government" or "small government" don't belong in any serious discussion with the possible exception of extreme communism and libertarianism. It's like labelling someone left-wing or right-wing, it's a vague, ambiguous label that means virtually nothing and only really serves to put up barricades to productive debate. I believe the government should be bigger in some respects and smaller in others. I'd guess that about 100% of fellow sifters believe the same.

Let me put it this way: I don't believe in government health-care because I'm in favour of big government, I am in favour of it because I believe it is the best option. That this results in a part of the government being big is an effect, not a cause. I believe the government should stay the hell out of my personal business, which has the effect of me believing that the "war on drugs" part of the government should be very small. That's not the hypocrisy that you imply, that's a mature, considered position that's not trying to apply a one-size-fits-all approach to an enormously complicated situation.

>> ^Quboid:

Phrases like "big government" or "small government" don't belong in any serious discussion with the possible exception of extreme communism and libertarianism.

Good thing I was just making a joke then.

Is this a good time to point out that government health care pretty much guarantees no drug decriminalization for the foreseeable future? That's one that yanks me in both directions: I support decriminalization and I was also for the public option.

I got your reply by email. Check your junk mail filter?>> ^xxovercastxx:

@dag @lucky760
Inline bug report... There's 5 replies to my comment in this thread and I got exactly zero emails about them. The only reason I even noticed is because Obsidian's comment is in the Top Comments block.

>> ^xxovercastxx:

@dag @lucky760
Inline bug report... There's 5 replies to my comment in this thread and I got exactly zero emails about them. The only reason I even noticed is because Obsidian's comment is in the Top Comments block.


I too've been getting emails every day. Check your spam folder and if you find emails there, please forward it with all the original headers to siftbot at videosift dot com.

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^xxovercastxx:
@dag @lucky760
Inline bug report... There's 5 replies to my comment in this thread and I got exactly zero emails about them. The only reason I even noticed is because Obsidian's comment is in the Top Comments block.

I too've been getting emails every day. Check your spam folder and if you find emails there, please forward it with all the original headers to siftbot at videosift dot com.


Considering how long I was an Exchange admin, I'm kinda embarrassed I had to be told to check spam. There's a whole pile; I'll forward them momentarily.

>> ^xxovercastxx:

>> ^lucky760:
>> ^xxovercastxx:
@dag @lucky760
Inline bug report... There's 5 replies to my comment in this thread and I got exactly zero emails about them. The only reason I even noticed is because Obsidian's comment is in the Top Comments block.

I too've been getting emails every day. Check your spam folder and if you find emails there, please forward it with all the original headers to siftbot at videosift dot com.

Considering how long I was an Exchange admin, I'm kinda embarrassed I had to be told to check spam. There's a whole pile; I'll forward them momentarily.


Glad it was enough time that you are now mature enough to admit your oversight.