Thursday, May 26, 2005

Drug war madness!!! Be afraid, mothers and fathers. There's an insidious disease that infects the minds of the weak and gullible. This is your brain... on propaganda. Don't Underestimate the Danger of Marijuana Use by Larissa Lytwyn (yes that's her) [Thanks to all the fine folks at Cannabis News for the information and the inspiration.] 11:15:13 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

No More Tulias - federal legislation filed Via Scott at Grits for Breakfast with additional information at Drug Policy Alliance: Congresswoman Jackson Lee's bill would [prohibit] states from spending federal money on anti-drug task forces unless they have laws to prevent people from being convicted of drug offenses solely on the uncorroborated word of an undercover officer or informant. The legislation is based on a law enacted by the Texas legislature in the wake of the Tulia, Texas scandal. That law was passed thanks to a coalition of Christian conservatives and civil rights activists. During the floor debate, conservative Texas legislators quoted the Bible and pointed out that Mosaic law requires corroboration, while civil rights leaders emphasized the need to reduce racial disparities and protect innocent people from going to prison. This is what we need to see more of. Different groups with differing agendas realizing that the drug war is wrong in so many ways that they can work together to reverse some of the worst abuses. This is a bill that should be fully supported. 10:31:00 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Once again, the Drug War Spectacularly Fails to Work Los Zetas are coming! Citizens and police in Arizona and California border areas are being warned by the Justice Department: ... a group of rogue Mexican military commandos may be headed this way. They're thought to be setting up new drug smuggling routes and it could bring new violence to the border area. And yes, they could be very dangerous...because we trained them in the U.S. at the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia. That's right. We find people of questionable moral character so that we can train them to go and assassinate/murder drug cartels. Then we send them into Mexico where there are enormous profits available in the drug trade to those who are ruthless and well trained! Oops. They defected. The Intelligence Bulletin we obtained says the Zetas are responsible for hundreds of violent drug-related murders. It says they've executed journalists, murdered people in Dallas, McAllen and Laredo, Texas. They even detained two DEA agents and recently they've shot at Border Patrol agents. At the Arizona border with Mexico agents are already seeing a major increase in violence. We put them there! Is there no accountability? In other news... China acknowledged in a nationally televised broadcast "that they have failed to stop surging narcotics abuse despite repeated crackdowns." This, from the country that routinely executes drug smugglers. And yet, some people still seem to think that if we could just get a bit tougher, we could make prohibition work. 8:25:33 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []