CNN reports on the war on drugs in Mexico. President Felipe Calderon is proposing stronger laws.
The plan would better coordinate federal and local police, seek to root out corruption and establish bases "so we are all integrated into a system of national public security," Calderon said.
Calderon is urging the regular citizens to get involved.
"To win the battle against crime, it is fundamental that the society get involved in this fight," he said.
Sounds like the same old blah, blah, blah to me. Stronger laws, citizen involvement, yeah, that should do it.
Lest I be thought of as one of the many who criticize without offering a solution, here is mine. Basically, what I'm saying is legalize drugs. With regards to Mexico, if drugs were legal in the US, those Mexican gangsters, as well as the Colombian ones would be out of business practically overnight.
What's your opinion? Do you think if drugs were legal we'd be giving tacit approval to their use? Whatever problems the legalization program created, don't you think they'd be offset by the tremendous monetary gains? I'm thinking not only of the taxes, but imagine how much stuff is sitting right now in the security lockers of all the police stations. It could be turned in and processed into legal product, a type of recycling.
Your comments are welcome.
Seeing as you're a bit of a film buff you've HAD to had seen "The Untouchables". obviously its a tale of fiction, but there's enough fact in there to make it relevant. What fueled Capone's massive warchest? The Prohibition of Alcohol! Now Fast Forward to today, are there any crime rings based around Bootlegging? NOPE. Talk to a high school kid who's in trouble with the law, ask them if its easier to score booze or Pot at their age? There's booze in every house, but if one of my gin bottles goes missing I know who the culprit is, every store sells it, but kids can't buy it. But EVERYBODY knows SOMEBODY who can come up with a dime-bag if a few dollars changes hands.
ReplyDeleteOf course we could also get rid of the Black Market for guns by lifting the restrictions of Felons from guns...but I wouldn't recommend that.
So "all drugs" being legal just doesn't fly. We all know the guy who occasionally sparks up a joint to alleviate stress after a long day at the office, or while talking with friends around a campfire on vacation. They go back to their jobs and maintain their status as one of the pillars of society. I also know people who roll out of bed and hit a bong before going to their job waiting tables, or running a lane at the local mega-mart that they'll never exceed. As long as something exists a means to abuse it will also exist, so abuse is not a reason for restriction.
I also know gamblers who have a good healthy time at the games.
Pot and Gambling should be legal.
I've known some people into Coke who have handled that too...but its readily cooked into Crack which I only know of junkies using. Same with heroin. Never known a guy to be riding the H-Train and get off at the stop best for his life. Women on these drugs very often choose to sell use of their bodies despite their best interests just to get more junk. I also believe prostitution should be legal...but that's not the way prostitution should be legally conducted.
So I think we have a direction to go, but I don't think that direction leads to infinity.
Drugs are legal in Mexico no matter what the Presidente says because it's a corrupt third world country that runs on mordita. That's why a an oz of cocaine costs $300US or less in Mexico and upwards of 75US/gram in the States...Anything Mexican leaders say about "drug wars" is just paying lip service to the American Government to get more aid money. Brick of a lb of weed in Nuevo Laredo or Tijuana is still gonna be 25-50USD rather than 300-1000USD Stateside.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteOff topic but should be required reading.
http://politicalwrite.blogspot.com/2008/09/anit-gun-rights-to-pro-gun-rights-my.html
Weer'd, It's funny you mentioned the Untouchables because our friend Bug Eyed Earl recently posted a great quote from the film.
ReplyDeletehttp://beearl.blogspot.com/2008/09/enthusiasms.html
Bob, I agree that should be required reading, if for no other reason, simply because it's so well written. I left him a comment.
ReplyDeleteDo you think I'm headed that way after reading all your comments?
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you are heading, but I do know where I hope you are heading :)
You could be just particularly stubborn and never "see the light" or like me require a significant amount of convincing before turning to being pro 2nd amendment.
I think that you are intellectually honest enough to make decisions based on logic instead of feelings. I think that on many issues our feelings are based on intuition and solutions to firearm issues, like many others, are counter intuitive.
I think the argument you are make goes like this:
1. Firearms are used to commit crimes
2. If firearms were banned, there would be fewer crimes.
Therefore, banning firearms makes sense.
The argument that counters it is:
1.Most firearms are held by law abiding citizens
2. Criminals, by definition, don't obey the law so any ban only affects the law abiding.
Therefore, any gun ban only disarms the law abiding.
Let's try this thought, say I have the power to remove every knife in the world with a thought (just go with it, silly I know). **BAM** thought done and every knife is gone.
How long will it be before someone is stabbed or cut with a sharpened object?