Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Gonzo I've been asked why I haven't written on Hunter Thompson. Too daunting, I suppose. I'll let Fred Reed speak for me. This tribute says the most to me right now. (via TalkLeft) Hunter Thompson: All Gone Now It's a tribute, not an explanation. Only Hunter could explain himself and he chose not to. 5:14:48 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Boondocks From Editor and Publisher (Thanks David) At least three of the approximately 300 'Boondocks' clients dropped today's strip mentioning President Bush's alleged former drug use. Aaron McGruder's comic showed one character saying: "Bush got recorded admitting that he smoked weed." Another character replies: "Maybe he smoked it to take the edge off the coke." According to Universal Press Syndicate, newspapers pulling today's strip included The Detroit News and the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. The Poynter Institute's Romenesko site reported that the Chicago Tribune also dropped today's "Boondocks," with the paper saying the comic "presents inaccurate information as fact." I think the Tribune is wrong there. It presents accurate information as comic strip conjecture. Here's the strip. Update: There were two strips involved. Both available here. (Thanks, Scott) 5:05:05 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Narcs scramble for loose change from terrorist victims Loretta pointed me to an interesting lobbying group: The National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition. Well, naturally, they are outraged at the proposed cuts in the Federal Government's drug control budget (Remember: the overal federal drug control budget is higher. What has been cut includes the Byrne task force grants, which were ineffective and tied to corruption and abuse.) The top two listed organizational goals are: To ensure that the Edward R. Byrne Memorial Fund is fully funded in order to maintain the multi-jurisdictional drug task forces...and To maintain, increase, and intensify drug asset revenue sharing -- the most important tool that narcotic law enforcement has today. So the NNOAC (or Natl Narcs as their website is named) is determined to do whatever it takes to get that money that they feel is rightfully theirs put back in the budget... including tarnishing the memory of terrorism victims. Their Spring Newsletter (pdf) has a cover filled with images invoking 911 and the teaser: "Illicit Drugs vs. National Security. Page 4." Page 4 is a remarkably ignorant screed and call to action by the organization's president, Ron Brooks. He lists practically every bad side effect of drug prohibition as a reason for more money for drug prohibition, and even claims "that drug use weakens this great nation's ability to defend against terrorism." I'm not sure, but I think he means that America is too stoned to stand up to terrorists, so we need to divert terrorism-fighting resources and budgets over to arresting pot smokers. And it clearly is a mission that deserves adequate federal funding and the unwavering support of every American, including those in Washington. I would urge all NNOAC members to realize that this attack on law enforcement funding and the growing movement to legalize drugs is a battle that we are currently loosing [sic]. The only way that we will be successful is for us to all remain organized, focused and educated on drug policy issues so that we can challenge our nation's leaders to continue their support for drug law enforcement. This is not a battle that we can give up without a fight, nor is it a battle that we can afford to loose [sic]. Of course, it's fun to ridicule an ignoramus like Ron Brooks. But the sad part of it is, he's got a chance of success. He, and others like him, will play the national security card to convince our pork-crazed Congress to give them more money so they can continue to terrorize the American public. And we'll get to pay for our own torture. 9:33:57 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []