We put hundreds of people to death every year in the US for violating drug laws ..they become victims of prison violence ..dying at the hands of gang members and murderers. In addition, criminal prosecution ruins lives and careers ..which often leads to destitution and suicide. Now, the number of people being killed during police raids is going up ..thanks largely to new property-forfeiture laws and ambitious government officials. In Malibu California, a small army of police smashed into the home of an innocent ranch owner ..and shot him to death when he ran in panic. Drug laws distort law enforcement priorities ..instead of chasing violent criminals, police target ordinary citizens ..and fill our prisons with people who do not belong there. Isn't there a more realistic and sophisticated approach to drug use other than criminalization ..
This was part of a long-winded comment I made to Keshi ..regarding the execution of a 25-year-old Australian in Singapore. You can see her blog at Viva forever .
2 comments:
A social drug alcohol, in spite of its health hazards, is acceptable to most of the governments, which is regally taxed by it at times. But it is an stimulant basically, and is no less responsible for the crimes and voilence.
But something like cannabis, which is basically a depressant or a tranquiliser, is rendred illegal by the societies. Thankfully, more recently, it is changing.
But capital punishment for something is not acceptable. As it tries to prove that a criminal is solely responsible for his acts and not the society, which produced him/her. So, the people receiving the capital punishments are a victim of sort, too.
Please write something on this again William. I beg of you!! Most people feel the same way but are too afraid to speak their mind like you just have.
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