for fucks sake
i cant fucking sleep. im posed to wake up in 2 hours. man, fuck it.
i wrote an awesome paper on the drug war. there are many typos, so please excuse them.
The War on Drugs in America: A Hoax
Lies, deception, hypocrisy and propaganda: these four words describe America’s War on Drugs. It is not about making this country drug free. This so-called “war” is a hoax. The people of the United States are prisoners of war, a war against freedom and constitutional rights. Not only does this war diminish our liberty but it also consumes a large proportion of tax dollars, causes over crowded prisons and jails, and contributes to ignoring important issues more vital to our nation. Issues that need to be addressed include lack of funds for schooling, much need expansion on research for health conditions, the steadily increasing rate of street violence and many other problems affected by the Drug War (Callahan).
The first fault in the Drug War and perhaps part of the reason why it has not been very effective can be found in the name itself. War implies violence. The issue is obviously drug use. Drug use may be illegal however it is a non-violent crime. Consequences of this war affect every citizen of the United States whether they have had any involvement with drugs or not (Callahan). To truly understand the negative elements it is important to focus on the fact that drug users are human beings. A key factor determining the outcome of violating drug laws is a first offender policy referred to as the mandatory minimum. This policy focuses on the amount of drugs seized to determine the sentence. Minimum sentences were once merely a theory. This theory is very comparable to Marx’s theory of socialism. The idea was to create fair sentences for any law offender which would be based on equal standards according to the offence. This theory, like socialism, was misinterpreted and eventually followed the same path as communism. Wealth equals power (National Resource).
At the root of the mandatory minimum problem dwell the active drug dealers and drug transporters who actually benefit from the policy. Sentence reduction can be negotiated. Dealers with enormous amount of marijuana, cocaine and heroin can trade in drugs, money and any information of the drug world. Offenders in this situation are often let go with out any punishment. The worst part of the minimum falls on those who do nothing but use the drug, do not contribute to drug trafficking and do not have any ability to control the issue. These people are irrelevant to the operations yet face more jail time because they can not offer information and substances to trade in (Gertner).
Stereotypes play a large role in enforcing the drug laws. Police purposely target suspected prostitutes, thieves, ex-convicts and other groups often associated with drug abuse. One of the biggest stereotype issues deals with black men in their 20s and early 30s. 41% of black male drop outs between the ages of 22 and 30 were locked up in 1999. In 2002 the justice department reported that 1 in 8 black men between those ages were behind bars, compared to 1 in 36 white men. Black, White, Asian and any other race use drugs just as much as the next group. There is no relation between race and drug use. It is estimated that 1 in 3 black men will go to prison at least once in his life time. These stereotypes affect all races, ages and genders (Reiland).
Victims of the Drug War include the people at the bottom of the drug chain and those who are stereotyped. Every single citizen of the United States can fall into one category or another and labeled a victim (Callahan). The natural rights presented to the nation through the constitution are too often overlooked and walked on. The 4th amendment is constantly ignored. Both violators and non-violators of the law pay the cost of this war with their freedom. Even people never convicted with any crime can be evicted and their property seized by the government completely based on “probable cause” (Gertner). These oppressive futile laws control consensual activity (Callahan). Road blocks and random locker searches are both common 4th amendment violations. It is absolutely legal to enforce this, even with out a warrant. There is absolutely no probable cause for this invasion of privacy (Gertner).
It is in no way acceptable to consume harmful drugs. However, not criminalizing it does not mean it is approved. Regulations that do not exist do not encourage drug use or anything for that matter. It is not surprising that countries with no laws have significantly lower crime rates (National Review). It is believed that the War on Drugs only creates problems that easily demolish the benefits in any argument. An increasing problem is corrupt police who often resort to unnecessary violence (Reiland). Police are supposed to be trusted, noble defenders on the side of good. They force people to fight a war that they would rather not fight. They only create more problems by enforcing drug laws. The increasing risk of getting caught with drugs only creates an incentive to dealers because inflation causes prices to rise immensely, thus increasing profit (Gertner). Street violence is an increasing problem. Turf wars between gangs often involve drug relations. Many gangs take part in the speeded transfer of massive amounts of wealth through drug trafficking (Reiland).
The Drug War in America has not been successful and will never succeed. It causes damage to society. Both cigarettes and alcohol present problems similar to various drugs. Alcohol prohibition was a complete failure and cigarettes will never be illegalized. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat mistakes (Callahan).
There are a lot of programs enforcing laws created and more strictly enforced by this unnecessary war. “Zero Tolerance” is one saying among hundreds. Possession of drugs automatically resorts to jail time. Jail is not a place of rehabilitation. Many people suffer tremendously with disorders they can not control our have to deal with life trauma. Jail is a place of embarrassment, violence, despair and deprivation. Maybe it is time for a new saying. “Rehabilitation Opposed to Incarceration”. Incarceration does not help the problem at all and is not a healthy, effective method, especially for those convicted of non-violent crimes. Rehabilitation can rid addicts of drug abuse and even completely rid them of the habit completely (Callahan). Other health risks created by the drug war include pregnant women who fear going to hospitals in fear of prosecution. This is also true for many teenagers who abuse drugs and also many adults (Gertner).
Medical marijuana is another health issue which is currently being studied. Researchers and scientists conducting experiments have found that many major problems thought to be caused by marijuana are either exaggerated low risk dangers, not effective unless marijuana is heavily abused, or completely ineffective. The drug has been found to be very effective in treating glaucoma, AIDS, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy induced nausea and some forms of cancer. Stereotypes also unfortunately exist. Anyone with potential to abuse will not even be considered under any circumstances. Assuming the potential abusers does not run on any facts (Meyer).
Progress in the Drug War is non-existent. In December of 1997 Los Angeles landed 130,000 large steel containers used for imports. Custom inspectors examined only 400. The other 129,600 passed on through with out any question. A years supply of heroin can be shipped in a single container. The entire cocaine supply for the U.S. would fit just 13 of the steel import boxes (Sullum).
The United States is a well-run admirable nation; however America has its faults. The U.S. is the leading incarcerator of the world (Gertner). In 2004 the number of persons incarcerated for all crimes through out the country is greater than the numbers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain all put together (Reiland). In 1986 the expansion of drug offense enforcement began. Between then and 1997 about 500 billion dollars was spent on jails, prisons and camps alone (Gertner). In 1997 the price of building one prison rose to an average of 2 million dollars. At this time the Federal Government owned and operated 132 prisons and camps, the majority of which held 2 times their capacity. The government had to build an 832 bed facility every 2 weeks just to keep up with the amount of people facing incarceration for violating drug laws. People were and still are unjustly punished for non-violent crimes (Callahan).
The amount of money spent on enforcing this war is ridiculous. It has drained criminal justice resources from more serious crime (Gertner). For every drug law violator the government will consume the entire tax bill of 4 families. This will fund the jails that continue to be built all over the nation due to the harsh conditions of crowded jails. If the amount of incarcerated drug law violators was even slightly reduced the money could be put to better use. There is continuous construction on jails yet somehow there is a lack of funs for building schools. Around the United States students have to deal with over crowded schools. Their education suffers because of class sizes too large for one teacher to handle. There is also a limited amount of teachers which is partly caused by low pay. Nora Callahan disgustedly questioned and pointed out current concerns in her speech at the 1997 Drug Day Rally. “What will the rest of the world think when they see a country more committed to building prisons than building schools- where prison guards are paid more than teachers?” The chaos must come to an end (Callahan).
Violating the Bill of Rights, causing corruption and violence even in police, expanding health risks, restricting necessary medical use of all different kinds of drugs, overcrowded jails, billions of dollars wasted, generating increase in drug production in foreign countries, and speeding the transfer of massive amounts of drugs and wealth to those playing leading roles in the drug world; these are the problems brought about by the War on Drugs in America (Callahan). If the Drug War was really about keeping America drug free and safe they would be more concerned with the root of the problem (Gertner). There are no signs of progress and too many signs that this war is going to fail. This war will not be won. It will not take away the Constitution or natural rights. The United States was founded with visions of liberal rights, it was built on negotiation, and it has faced many problems but always overcame them. The War on Drugs will inevitably deteriorate but for now it is vital to oppose this war and contribute to regaining freedom and repairing the damage.
i wrote an awesome paper on the drug war. there are many typos, so please excuse them.
The War on Drugs in America: A Hoax
Lies, deception, hypocrisy and propaganda: these four words describe America’s War on Drugs. It is not about making this country drug free. This so-called “war” is a hoax. The people of the United States are prisoners of war, a war against freedom and constitutional rights. Not only does this war diminish our liberty but it also consumes a large proportion of tax dollars, causes over crowded prisons and jails, and contributes to ignoring important issues more vital to our nation. Issues that need to be addressed include lack of funds for schooling, much need expansion on research for health conditions, the steadily increasing rate of street violence and many other problems affected by the Drug War (Callahan).
The first fault in the Drug War and perhaps part of the reason why it has not been very effective can be found in the name itself. War implies violence. The issue is obviously drug use. Drug use may be illegal however it is a non-violent crime. Consequences of this war affect every citizen of the United States whether they have had any involvement with drugs or not (Callahan). To truly understand the negative elements it is important to focus on the fact that drug users are human beings. A key factor determining the outcome of violating drug laws is a first offender policy referred to as the mandatory minimum. This policy focuses on the amount of drugs seized to determine the sentence. Minimum sentences were once merely a theory. This theory is very comparable to Marx’s theory of socialism. The idea was to create fair sentences for any law offender which would be based on equal standards according to the offence. This theory, like socialism, was misinterpreted and eventually followed the same path as communism. Wealth equals power (National Resource).
At the root of the mandatory minimum problem dwell the active drug dealers and drug transporters who actually benefit from the policy. Sentence reduction can be negotiated. Dealers with enormous amount of marijuana, cocaine and heroin can trade in drugs, money and any information of the drug world. Offenders in this situation are often let go with out any punishment. The worst part of the minimum falls on those who do nothing but use the drug, do not contribute to drug trafficking and do not have any ability to control the issue. These people are irrelevant to the operations yet face more jail time because they can not offer information and substances to trade in (Gertner).
Stereotypes play a large role in enforcing the drug laws. Police purposely target suspected prostitutes, thieves, ex-convicts and other groups often associated with drug abuse. One of the biggest stereotype issues deals with black men in their 20s and early 30s. 41% of black male drop outs between the ages of 22 and 30 were locked up in 1999. In 2002 the justice department reported that 1 in 8 black men between those ages were behind bars, compared to 1 in 36 white men. Black, White, Asian and any other race use drugs just as much as the next group. There is no relation between race and drug use. It is estimated that 1 in 3 black men will go to prison at least once in his life time. These stereotypes affect all races, ages and genders (Reiland).
Victims of the Drug War include the people at the bottom of the drug chain and those who are stereotyped. Every single citizen of the United States can fall into one category or another and labeled a victim (Callahan). The natural rights presented to the nation through the constitution are too often overlooked and walked on. The 4th amendment is constantly ignored. Both violators and non-violators of the law pay the cost of this war with their freedom. Even people never convicted with any crime can be evicted and their property seized by the government completely based on “probable cause” (Gertner). These oppressive futile laws control consensual activity (Callahan). Road blocks and random locker searches are both common 4th amendment violations. It is absolutely legal to enforce this, even with out a warrant. There is absolutely no probable cause for this invasion of privacy (Gertner).
It is in no way acceptable to consume harmful drugs. However, not criminalizing it does not mean it is approved. Regulations that do not exist do not encourage drug use or anything for that matter. It is not surprising that countries with no laws have significantly lower crime rates (National Review). It is believed that the War on Drugs only creates problems that easily demolish the benefits in any argument. An increasing problem is corrupt police who often resort to unnecessary violence (Reiland). Police are supposed to be trusted, noble defenders on the side of good. They force people to fight a war that they would rather not fight. They only create more problems by enforcing drug laws. The increasing risk of getting caught with drugs only creates an incentive to dealers because inflation causes prices to rise immensely, thus increasing profit (Gertner). Street violence is an increasing problem. Turf wars between gangs often involve drug relations. Many gangs take part in the speeded transfer of massive amounts of wealth through drug trafficking (Reiland).
The Drug War in America has not been successful and will never succeed. It causes damage to society. Both cigarettes and alcohol present problems similar to various drugs. Alcohol prohibition was a complete failure and cigarettes will never be illegalized. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat mistakes (Callahan).
There are a lot of programs enforcing laws created and more strictly enforced by this unnecessary war. “Zero Tolerance” is one saying among hundreds. Possession of drugs automatically resorts to jail time. Jail is not a place of rehabilitation. Many people suffer tremendously with disorders they can not control our have to deal with life trauma. Jail is a place of embarrassment, violence, despair and deprivation. Maybe it is time for a new saying. “Rehabilitation Opposed to Incarceration”. Incarceration does not help the problem at all and is not a healthy, effective method, especially for those convicted of non-violent crimes. Rehabilitation can rid addicts of drug abuse and even completely rid them of the habit completely (Callahan). Other health risks created by the drug war include pregnant women who fear going to hospitals in fear of prosecution. This is also true for many teenagers who abuse drugs and also many adults (Gertner).
Medical marijuana is another health issue which is currently being studied. Researchers and scientists conducting experiments have found that many major problems thought to be caused by marijuana are either exaggerated low risk dangers, not effective unless marijuana is heavily abused, or completely ineffective. The drug has been found to be very effective in treating glaucoma, AIDS, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy induced nausea and some forms of cancer. Stereotypes also unfortunately exist. Anyone with potential to abuse will not even be considered under any circumstances. Assuming the potential abusers does not run on any facts (Meyer).
Progress in the Drug War is non-existent. In December of 1997 Los Angeles landed 130,000 large steel containers used for imports. Custom inspectors examined only 400. The other 129,600 passed on through with out any question. A years supply of heroin can be shipped in a single container. The entire cocaine supply for the U.S. would fit just 13 of the steel import boxes (Sullum).
The United States is a well-run admirable nation; however America has its faults. The U.S. is the leading incarcerator of the world (Gertner). In 2004 the number of persons incarcerated for all crimes through out the country is greater than the numbers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain all put together (Reiland). In 1986 the expansion of drug offense enforcement began. Between then and 1997 about 500 billion dollars was spent on jails, prisons and camps alone (Gertner). In 1997 the price of building one prison rose to an average of 2 million dollars. At this time the Federal Government owned and operated 132 prisons and camps, the majority of which held 2 times their capacity. The government had to build an 832 bed facility every 2 weeks just to keep up with the amount of people facing incarceration for violating drug laws. People were and still are unjustly punished for non-violent crimes (Callahan).
The amount of money spent on enforcing this war is ridiculous. It has drained criminal justice resources from more serious crime (Gertner). For every drug law violator the government will consume the entire tax bill of 4 families. This will fund the jails that continue to be built all over the nation due to the harsh conditions of crowded jails. If the amount of incarcerated drug law violators was even slightly reduced the money could be put to better use. There is continuous construction on jails yet somehow there is a lack of funs for building schools. Around the United States students have to deal with over crowded schools. Their education suffers because of class sizes too large for one teacher to handle. There is also a limited amount of teachers which is partly caused by low pay. Nora Callahan disgustedly questioned and pointed out current concerns in her speech at the 1997 Drug Day Rally. “What will the rest of the world think when they see a country more committed to building prisons than building schools- where prison guards are paid more than teachers?” The chaos must come to an end (Callahan).
Violating the Bill of Rights, causing corruption and violence even in police, expanding health risks, restricting necessary medical use of all different kinds of drugs, overcrowded jails, billions of dollars wasted, generating increase in drug production in foreign countries, and speeding the transfer of massive amounts of drugs and wealth to those playing leading roles in the drug world; these are the problems brought about by the War on Drugs in America (Callahan). If the Drug War was really about keeping America drug free and safe they would be more concerned with the root of the problem (Gertner). There are no signs of progress and too many signs that this war is going to fail. This war will not be won. It will not take away the Constitution or natural rights. The United States was founded with visions of liberal rights, it was built on negotiation, and it has faced many problems but always overcame them. The War on Drugs will inevitably deteriorate but for now it is vital to oppose this war and contribute to regaining freedom and repairing the damage.