Opinion: Local Libertarians tackle drug laws
This month lets tackle drug laws. No, Libertarians are not in favor of drug use, however you have to understand the freedom behind it. It is a matter of personal freedom to have that choice. Nothing that has ever included bans or prohibition has ever worked. If you tell people they can’t that is just an assurance that they will. The modern concept of illegal drugs stems from racism. Somewhere about 1913 a gentleman named Henry J Anslinger, a racist toward Hispanics and blacks utilized the tactic of demonizing Cannabis (Marijuana) to target Hispanics and blacks stating that they are the groups that import and use said products, that they will produce lazy shiftless people moving away from being productive members of society with encouragement toward being anti- Hispanic and anti-Black. When scare tactics are used it incites the public into falling in line with the ideology. The film “Reefer Madness” was one of his false diatribes and stirred action through the indoctrination of fear. Anslinger became one of the earliest Drug Czars and received a government appointment as such. The drug war became a major push by the Nixon administration in the late 60’s. The federal government became a major progenitor of the ideology because they love bans and prohibition. It became a major method of targeting people as well as being federal income on arrests, using the judicial system to get richer with fines, fees and incarcerating whole groups. At this point 60% of all those in prison are there due to Cannabis laws. Think on this level, just because there is a law does not make it just. Simply, alcohol is easier to regulate than cannabis, therefore alcohol is allowed if you pay the state to do so.
The reason bans and prohibition do not work. Make something illegal and it produces an illegal market, driving cost up and making it a lucrative market. The thing cartels do NOT want is for it to become legal, it drives them out of business on the product and moving on to other things illegal. Think alcohol prohibition in the ‘20’s. It didn’t stop it; it just created a market illegally making those doing so rich.
The Libertarian way recognizes that personal choice is just that, their decision. That does not mean we let it all go in that respect. In the course of your choices anything that causes harm is a crime. If you partake of cannabis and cause a wreck or harm to another then prosecute the crime not the cause of the harm. If you partake of alcohol and cause harm, prosecute the crime, the actual harm or injury not the choice. Cars are not banned or outlawed because of impaired drivers, where is the need to punish those who behave responsibly. Doing away with drug laws removes the illegality but not the responsibility of it. The concept of this is from a logical point of view and expression of freedom but almost all people have been indoctrinated to the concept of a drug war through a hundred and eight years of constantly being told it’s a good thing all beginning from a perspective of racism and fear baiting. A hundred years of it has stopped nothing and won’t, it is time to do something different to lessen the problem.
Ever wonder why several states have legalized? They have figured out there is more money to be made allowing it. The ones that have not still deal with the fear that has been part of who they are for many decades. It is so deeply ingrained in the southern viewpoint those southeastern states will likely be the last to follow.
Donald Reid Deal is past Chair of Davidson County party, current vice-chair of the state party. Last cycle candidate for Davidson County Commissioner.
