War On Drugs A Failure

Recently the UN Global Commission on Drug Policy published a report that states the "war on drugs" is a failure. The report states that the consumption of Opiates, Cocaine and Cannabis all have increased from 1998 to 2008. This despite the enormous amount of funds expended to combat the war on drugs. The report goes on to sate that "in spite of increasing evidence that current policies are not achieving their objectives, most policymaking bodies at the national and international level have tended to a avoid open scrutiny or debate on the alternatives.

It is about time that we as a nation change that. It is time to honestly and openly discuss how the current policies on our "War on Drugs" have been a failure and have actually made matters worse. Once we get past our emotional, knee jerk response to the drug problem we can develop a more coherent and effective policy.  I encourage everyone to read the full report.

Let us start the dialogue to a different kind of policy.

Shooting in Arizona

The shooting in Arizona is a tragedy. It was an assault on America. The assault happen on Saturday but has been in the making for a number of years. What happened on Saturday was an inevitable consequence of the language of our elections. The language used predominately those on the far right. That does not mean that the left has not used inflammatory language but the bulk of it has come from the right.

For the past several years there have more and more politicians and various members of the media that have been fueling he fire. Trying to ignite an anger that goes beyond disagreement of policy. There has been rhetoric that true Americans carry guns, of the country needs to go back to "God and Guns." Posting targets with cross hairs telling the masses which districts (politicians) to go after.

During the last Presidential election, one of my greatest fears was that someone would be thinking they were doing the country a "favor" or "doing their duty as an American" if they killed then candidate and President elect Barack Obama. You could hear it in the rhetoric that was pouring out over the airwaves. As a result, President Obama has received more death threats than any other president to date.

Of course in the next few days the topic will be debated. Individuals will want to bring civility to the matter and true heart of the matter will get whitewashed. The truth will still be there for those who wish to see it, the language used by many on the right help create what happened on Saturday as the inevitable consequence of the words that have been used in the name of first amendment without thought of the future impact.

I just hope that somewhere it causes a mass reflection of the words used and the consequences of those words.