Pubdate: Mon, 31 Jan 2011
Source: Daily Nexus (UC Santa Barbara, CA Edu)
Column: Flying High
Copyright: 2011 Daily Nexus
Contact:  http://www.dailynexus.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2729
Author: Kevin W. McCarty
Note: Daily Nexus drug columnist Kevin McCarty has nothing against 
Call of Duty, as long as there's weed involved.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

Flying High

CHARISMATIC LEADER TURNS CONDESCENDING DEMAGOGUE

President Barack Obama recently held a YouTube conference in which 
American citizens could ask questions about the topics they feel are 
important to the country. Of the top 100 questions, a whopping 99 
were either in reference to the failed war on drugs or the 
legalization of marijuana. Despite the overwhelming emphasis that 
Americans placed on the destructive consequences of the war on drugs, 
our president took time out of his busy day to tell us what he's 
getting his wife for Valentine's Day and who he thinks will win the Super Bowl.

Okay, George W. Bush was (or played the part of) an incredibly stupid 
man, but at least when he tried to make a point we could all listen 
and laugh at the utterly moronic words and phrases falling out of his 
face. I did not expect to have to put up with that shit from Obama. 
This man made his debut into national politics at the Democratic 
National Convention with one of the most eloquent and persuasive 
speeches I've been alive to hear. Now he's babbling worse than Bush, 
and this time, it isn't funny at all.

It wasn't just Obama's fault that the marijuana and drug policy 
questions were removed from the list. YouTube probably had a hand in 
fucking it up too - it is their website, after all. Nonetheless, 
Obama has unequivocally betrayed the stoners who put him in office 
thinking that he would represent them.

As a presidential candidate, Obama declared that he inhaled marijuana 
smoke to incite a laugh at the insincerity of former President Bill 
Clinton's answer to the question of whether he's ever been high. Now 
we have a president who admitted he's been high but still finds it 
appropriate to laugh at questions regarding the benefits a legal 
marijuana industry would have on the national economy. In no way is 
that a stupid question, Mr. President, especially considering the 
dismal economic results of every single bailout and stimulus package 
dispensed thus far. If I had a trillion dollars to spend, every 
American would feel the benefit of my lavish consumption, yet the 
best I've seen so far from the stimulus is the fixing of some roads 
that weren't that bad to begin with. When the fake money dries up, 
what the fuck are those construction workers going to do, anyway?

It is beyond my comprehension to understand how the president of what 
should be the country of the most intelligent citizens in the world 
can get on YouTube and tell the electorate that drugs should be kept 
illegal because of interest in public health. When asked this time 
about marijuana, Obama replied, "I am not in favor of legalization. I 
am a strong believer that we have to think more about drugs as a 
public health problem."

After Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001, all public health 
indicators improved. Marijuana, which would certainly be the first 
drug to be decriminalized, has no toxicity whatsoever. So, all in 
all, the president's words are complete nonsense. When one of the 
most eloquent speakers in America takes several seconds to enunciate 
a vague point about Mexican drug cartels, you know he's full of shit. 
I pity the fool who still thinks a vote for the Democratic ticket in 
2008 would be a departure from Wall Street cronyism. By all accounts, 
Mr. Obama has taken the soft tyranny of Mr. Bush and made it permanent.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent was fired last week for saying in a casual 
conversation that legalizing and regulating drugs would help stop 
cartel violence along the southern border with Mexico. A single 
comment founded in good logic and good faith has brought the hammer 
of "justice" down on a federal employee. This is the stink of 
fascism, and it's creeping faster than ever.

Utah police recently shot and killed a man while raiding his parents' 
home in search of drugs. One of the officers, seeing that the man was 
holding a golf club, fired three shots into the man's chest without 
demanding that he put down the club. The officer (who was probably 
wearing body armor) thought that the golf club was a sword. This 
isn't Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, pigs. These are people's lives. 
The kicker to this story is that these uniformed gangsters couldn't 
even remember to bring the warrant to the house that they would soon 
turn into a gruesome murder scene.

The only real purpose for having a government is protection. Do you 
feel protected by your government? Do you really feel safe around a 
police officer? Before you vote again, consider these questions.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom