Kathleen Parker is one of the most truculent so-called conservative columnists in the country. She made her bones like all “conservative” columnists do — criticizing republicans.
Having said that, she occasionally makes sense. Today is one of those days. Parker writes in The Daily Beast about Obama’s dismissive remarks during his Internet “Townhall” (stacked with Obamabots) about legalizing marijuana.
According to Obama, a significant percentage of online questions submitted to him were about legalizing pot. He laughed off the question and made a joke about online people being potheads and then said, “No, I don’t think legalizing marijuana is a good way to grow our economy.”
Those who support legalization (myself included) need to stop framing the debate around issues that most Americans are not going to buy into. Legalizing weed may in some way help the economy, but that’s not ever going to be the reason for legalizing it and most people simply dismiss the notion off hand.
The issue that should be pointed out over and over again and one that nobody can disagree with is the comparison to alcohol.
I truly believe that alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs on the planet. People get drunk and commit violent acts. Drunk driving kills thousands of people a year. Alcohol can make you into a totally different person — and rarely a nice person.
We legalized alcohol regardless of the dangers it poses, because it was impossible to stop it. People wanted to drink and were determined to drink. Keeping it illegal only tied the consumption and distribution of alcohol into a source of revenue for organized crime which is itself tied to bloodshed and violence.
The only violence associated with Marijuana is the extreme violence used by Mexican drug traffickers to get it into this country. Pot itself doesn’t cause users to beat their wives or stab someone in a bar. Pot doesn’t make you into a dangerous and unstable individual that nobody wants to be around.
When was the last time you heard about a fraternity pledge taking bong hits until he died? But, what you do hear about are fraternity pledges dying right and left from pouring booze down their throat.
The fact is, alcohol is what does real damage to society not pot. It would make more sense for booze to be illegal if the arguments against pot are to be believed.
The real reason pot is illegal doesn’t have anything to do with damaging society or protecting kids, but rather another kind of green — money.
The DEA and other agencies have grown fat over the last 30 years fighting their phony “war on drugs.” Trillions in tax payer dollars have been doled out to agencies to wage their war. Putting millions of Americans behind bars for simple possession of marijuana.
The so-called “war on drugs” has become a massive government funded industry that jealously guards its funding. Any talk of legalizing pot sends the bureaucracies into an uproar as they foresee dramatic funding cuts, and fewer thermal gizmos that detect leafy green plants in someone’s backyard.
It’s time that we grow-up in this country. America is broke and we have a president determined to roll-back the welfare reforms of the 90’s and turn us back into an entitlement society on a massive scale.
We have two wars going on and can no longer afford to fight phony wars like the “War on Drugs.” Obviously, we cannot legalize all drugs. I don’t think there’s such a thing as responsible, recreational heroin use. I don’t think smoking the occasional crack rock is something that’s okay for people to do.
But we can start by playing the war on drugs game a lot smarter. We can stop with the silliness and legalize pot. Then the DEA can focus its attention on real drugs like meth, cocaine, crack, heroine, ecstasy, and the growing prescription drug problem.
Marijuana should be legalized, taxed, and fall under the same rules as alcohol. That means 21 and up to buy it. Those under 21 found with it should be ticketed like they are for alcohol. Those found to be driving under the influence of marijuana should be given DUI’s like they would had they been drinking.
We need to quit dismissing the marijuana issue and have a real substantive debate about it in this country. I’m confident that president Obama can find better ways to waste our tax dollars than locking up pot smokers.
Legalizing pot — change we can believe in.
-Chris Jones
Pingback: thehotjoints