War on Drugs is War on Democracy Essay - 1286 Words

The voters of California succeeded in passing a proposition to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana as prescribed by doctors. The passing of Proposition 215 seemed to symbolize a promising trend toward knowledge of the substance. However, after reading an article by Eric Schlosser in the April issue of Atlantic Monthly, I have been shocked with the reality of what is occurring elsewhere. Many of us are aware of the idiocy of our legal system treating marijuana offenders worse than violent criminals. I doubt, however, that many Americans are truly conscious of how some peoples lives have been shattered because of current practices in the so-called drug war. Now, about 15 years since its beginning, the war on drugs has become a†¦show more content†¦Legislation for the bill was hastily pushed through Congress, inspired by the recent passing of a standout basketball player and first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics. Len Bias died on June 17, 1986 due to heart failure caused by crack cocaine. In drafting the bill, the prime factor for necessitating a mandatory minimum sentence was the quantity of drugs involved in the crime. As Eric Sterling, then assistant counsel for the House Subcommittee of Crime, states, Numbers were being picked out of thin air. Less than three months after being drafted, the bill was signed by President Reagan. One result of this legislation was the conviction of Donald Clark, a watermelon farmer in Florida found guilty of growing marijuana. He was sentenced to probation by the state court, then re-tried five years later under federal law and sentenced to life in prison. In addition to severe incarceration penalties, the government may also seize all possessions without due process. In 1994, $1.5 billion worth of assets were seized during routine searches under the guise of lawful forfeiture. (In 80 percent of those cases, the owners were never even charged with a crime.) If these facts shock you, the next ones will make you sick. The allure for seizing property is that the assets are divided among the various law enforcement agencies involved who can then sell those assets for profit. Thirty-one drug agents raided theShow MoreRelatedEssay Obstacles That Weaken Democracy 1652 Words   |  7 PagesDemocracy is defined as a government that is governed by the people, where the supreme power is in the hands of the people and is exercised through a system of representation done through free elections. It is easily defined and understood, but the true test is to follow through the people’s expectations and be capable to overcome obstacles a democracy might face. Mexico has recently celebrated its bicentennial representing their independence and the centennial of their revolution, although theyRead MoreThe War On Drugs : A New Us National Security Doctrine1442 Words   |  6 Pagesthe war on drugs, which as a social issue has had a unique effect on the security agenda of states. The modern war on drugs began in the 1970’s when Nixon declared it a nation wide problem and began to focus on both the supply and demand aspects of drug use. As a geo-political problem the war on drugs can be explained in two ways. The first way, as outlined in Waltraud Morales’s article The War on Drugs: a New US National Security Doctrine? explores how the United States uses the war on drugs as aRead MoreThe Battle On Terror And The War On Drugs953 Words   |  4 PagesIn many ways, the war on terror and the war on drugs have merged. The type of red scare rhetoric from the McCarthy era became nearly interchangeable with the drug war and terrorism during the Reagan administration. â€Å"We’re in the middle of a major epidemic...Parents have a right to feel terror,† said Donald Ian MacDonald, Reagan’s top drug advisor. He was referring to drugs. Marlin Fitzwater, Reagan’s Press Secretary openly admitted that â€Å"everybody wants to out-drug each other in terms of politicalRead MoreThe Revolution Of The 1960 S846 Words   |  4 PagesThey believed the participatory democracy was the real social change. By the mid-1960s, facing growing opposition among the young to the war in Vietnam, they were viewed as a rebellion force. They became more militant and active in social issues and politics. Some demonstrations were violent and even people died. The young group became a strong force in The United Stated and, also other countries. Also, changed their physical appearance by growing their hair, used drugs and, practice â€Å"free love.† InRead MoreVietnam War and American Culture1684 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Vietnam Wars Impact on American Culture Donna Whittle DeVry University Introduction to Humanities I. Introduction and Thesis Statement In the 1960’s America went through many cultural changes. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, delivered his famous, â€Å"I have a dream† speech. African Americans were fighting for peace, freedom and equality. The United States was involved in the Vietnam War, committed to anti-communism. African Americans were deployedRead MoreManufacturing Consent1486 Words   |  6 Pagescorporate interests. The first section of the film, entitled Thought Control in a Democratic Society, focuses on Americas power politics and protein guises. With his anarchist convictions, Chomskys basic supposition is that propaganda and democracy are necessary accomplices in the functioning of state affairs. He compares it with a totalitarian state, where the government can use the military to keep the populace in order. In a free society, Chomsky believes, ideas are the states weaponsRead MoreThe World Into The American Image856 Words   |  4 Pagesin foreign relations. Later we started to become an intervening military, involved with other nation affairs, and wanting to promote liberty and democracy. The United States wanted to remake the world into the American image. World War I was the first test of Wilson’s belief that American power could â€Å"make the world safe for democracy†. Before World War I, most of the interventions appropriated in the western hemisphere. This became a time where the beliefs of imperialism, nationalism, and socialismRead MoreThe Prison System And The Jail System1352 Words   |  6 Pagesconcluding which action I am going to take to further y concern about the jail system. When hearing about the jail system, this is a political issue indeed. Having a fair democracy is a political gesture, the jail system is of course for criminals, but making the argument that anybody from having a mental illness or carrying drugs should have integrity within the justice system. When it comes down, we are all flawed humans. 1) What is the Jail System? The jail system is defined as an imprisonmentRead MoreThe War On Drugs : The World s Largest Farming Area1630 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the world, countries focus their drug policies in order to fight the â€Å"War on Drugs.† While most countries are fighting a war on drugs, Portugal has managed to break away and completely shock the world by taking an action that had the potential to make or break the country. Back in 2001, Portugal’s government made the decision to continue its war on drugs through a new approach. On the other hand, Iran faces a real drug problem because it is located next to Afghanistan, the world’s largestRead More`` Dirty Wars `` By Jeremy Scahill777 Words   |  4 Pagesignoring what can possibly be the truth. Jeremy Scahill, in his narrative Dirty Wars reprimands the Obama military activity on war on terror. He negates what he portrays as the organization s endeavors to standardize and legitimize by drones executed and generally Sp ecial Operations attacks and other secret military practices that blur the fight lines of the war on terror. In fact, the war on terror and the war on drugs have converged to shape a hydra-headed beast that greedily targets not only Americans