There is nothing racist about what I said. It is the truth that drugs have had a much more negative impact on the black population than the white population. Are you denying that fact?

There are many reasons why this true. One reason could be that many black people don't seem to have the same support system at home and the same family structure as many white people.

That opens a much larger sociological debate where a lot of the culpability for that rests squarely in the lap of government itself. The government's so-called "war on poverty" has been extremely destructive on many levels. That is the costliest and most destructive so-called "war" ever initiated by the government. Their "war on poverty" has done nothing but destroy several generations of Americans and doom them to government dependency and a life wrought with a sense of despair.

I previously asked a question of the pro-legalization people regarding drug counselors. How many drug counselors advocate for the legalization of drugs? No one has answered that question. Everyone has avoided it. Also, how many serious black community leaders advocate for the legalization of pot? They know first hand what drugs do to their community. That includes marijuana. They know better than some white dude sitting in a nice house in suburbia smoking a bong and advocating the legalization of a drug because he thinks it is benign.

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I've already said that I believe legalizing pot will create a larger user base. More people will be willing to try it. More people will be willing to buy it if there were no legal ramifications involved. If you could just walk into a store and buy a pack of "joints" as easily as a six pack of beer or a pack of cigarettes, usage would undoubtedly increase. Society needs less stoners and potheads. Not more of them.

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Another thing to consider........... Even if marijuana were to be seriously considered for legalization, I don't think it should be considered for legalization in this country until there was a device which law enforcement could easily determine if someone is driving under the influence of marijuana on a routine car stop. Something like an alcohol breathalyser, but for pot. Possibly analyzing saliva. Something that could stand up in court. Even things like blood tests which may be required after an accident where people have been hurt, rarely stand up in court for marijuana intoxication because any good lawyer can blow that off because of the way the body metabolizes THC and the concentrations that linger in the body. Law enforcement would need some tools prior to any serious consideration of marijuana legalization.

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The fraud known as "medical marijuana" may also soon be taking a big kick in the ass because it seems an inhaler has been developed as a delivery device for the drug and may be approved for use in the United States in the near future.

Link to article...

Once that is approved, the "medical marijuana" fraud will loose almost all of it's steam and so-called legal and moral arguments.

Fuck off Shahram. Don't you have more pressing arguments of which to make exaggerations and falsehoods such as an illegal alien debate?

The only discussion of mental capacity that belongs in this debate is the mental capacity of chronic potheads. I think the jury is already out on that issue.

I've noticed at times you seem to claim you are a libertarian. Haven't you ever wondered why the Libertarian Party gets almost no votes in any election? They are almost a non-entity. You've never wondered why?

Maybe you people should stop equating 'liberty' with an "anything goes" type attitude and governance. Legalizing drugs, wide open borders, and everything else that basically can be considered one ladder rung above anarchy does neither equate to liberty or come close to providing it.

NY Madman, you wrote how illegal drugs like marijuana are negatively impacting the Black race and the Whites and Hispanics are the ones responsible. I say bullshit. Legal and illegal drugs negatively impact all races. Your statement comes close to claiming that the Black race is subservient to the Whites and Hispanics – I don’t think that was what you meant to convey, was it?

In response to your drug counselor argument, I say this: A drug counselor advocating the legalization of any drug is like a judge advocating the repeal of drunk driving laws – its not going to happen on principle. Secondly, any paid drug counselor will not advocate legalizing the drugs that he gets paid to counsel people on.

In response to your Black leader argument, I say this: Blacks and Whites alike would shun a Black leader that advocated the legalization of drugs. White leaders would do no better in arguing for the legalization of drugs. If leaders go too far against the “moral fabric” of society, they will cease to be leaders, instead they will become outcasts. That is why any legalization movement would have to come from the student population – just like what happened in the mid 70s with the anti-draft movement.

I do agree with you that law enforcement would have difficulty in determining impairment when it comes to being under the influence of marijuana.

I never indicted whites or hispanics for negatively impacting the black population because of drugs. Where did you pull that from?

I said the government itself has a large responsibility and culpability in wrecking the black family structure. I don't know where you would see any Hispanic involvement in that. However, white liberals do have a large culpability in this issue regarding black family structure in modern America.

Prior to the "war on poverty", black people for the most part had good family structure. There wasn't the high 70% out of wedlock birth rate that exists today. There wasn't the modern phenomenon of the non-existent fathers that proliferates in the black community today. The government's "war on poverty" and ambition to create the modern welfare state changed black America for the worse. They basically destroyed several generations of their own citizens.

The largest single reason for poverty in this country is out of wedlock births at a young age. The government has done an awful lot to enable this phenomenon. Government bureaucrats have for years actively encouraged it. It is also now considered "politically incorrect" to even openly discuss this issue. Why would that be?

The problem has morphed beyond an issue related to black people. White people also are now experiencing an explosion of out of wedlock births by young girls. As many as 30% now. That is a recipe for disaster. It's a recipe for poverty.

Hispanics have a very high rate of out of wedlock births. This problem seems to be highest among Hispanics who come here from other countries and cultures where this type of behavior is common. Hispanics are now approaching a 50% out of wedlock birthrate. To make matters worse, many Hispanics and illegal aliens come from cultures where it is acceptable for older men to have sex with very young girls. Many young Hispanic women are impregnated by older men in their life. Many of them their mother's boyfriends. In increasing numbers even a family relative. This is also another extremely negative phenomenon that is not discussed because of the evil insanity known as political correctness in our society.

Quote:

In response to your drug counselor argument, I say this: A drug counselor advocating the legalization of any drug is like a judge advocating the repeal of drunk driving laws – its not going to happen on principle. Secondly, any paid drug counselor will not advocate legalizing the drugs that he gets paid to counsel people on.

On a strictly economic basis, you would think that drug counselors may want more clients to increase their income and prospects. But then again, they don't operate on those premises, right?

Maybe their interests just lay in doing the right thing. Is that such an outdated concept?

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In response to your Black leader argument, I say this: Blacks and Whites alike would shun a Black leader that advocated the legalization of drugs. White leaders would do no better in arguing for the legalization of drugs. If leaders go too far against the “moral fabric” of society, they will cease to be leaders, instead they will become outcasts. That is why any legalization movement would have to come from the student population – just like what happened in the mid 70s with the anti-draft movement.

So, according to you, black and white leaders can't advocate for the legalization of pot because of the "moral fabric"? At least you recognize there is a moral fabric to the issue.

But, in your mind, students would be the perfect demographic to seek legalization of pot. Like anyone really cares about what students are protesting these days. Especially since they are the demographic that probably smokes the most pot.

Were you smoking when you wrote this response?

I'm not really trying to bust your balls or anything, but it seems like the support for pot legalization comes largely from those that smoke pot.

Maybe we should have a poll in this thread. State your position on legalization and also state whether or not you are a user of marijuana.

Let me get this straight...pot is to blame for out of wedlock births in this country.

Poverty rates will rise due to this social phenomenon, and family values are dwindling. To this point I will not argue. Anyone who can't see society unraveling because of this is blind.

I'm having a hard time seeing what the legality of a recreational drug has to do with this.

No. I wasn't saying that pot is responsible for the explosion of out of wedlock births and the decline of the family unit.

In my response to someone else, the conversation drifted into some sociological aspects and government.

Cough cough,, personal responsibilty. Oh yeah, we don't need that anymore, people are just victims. :rolleyes:

NY Madman, I’ve walked through many “ghettos” (northeast) and “barrios” (southwest), and have yet to piss my pants. I have friends and coworkers who live in “the projects”, and I have never felt out of place or threatened when I go to their homes.

One thing you cannot deny; some poor people regardless of race are eking out a living by selling illegal drugs. They sell to anyone of any race and/or socioeconomic status. I don’t blame them. If I had no other means, I would do what I had to do to survive. If marijuana were to be declared legal, the street value would plummet. The dealers would have to replace their income from marijuana with some other source – most likely a more profitable drug.

Well, it is really hot in Arizona, but as long as you stay hydrated, you don’t usually spontaneously combust.

Seriously though, I don’t smoke. The company that I work for has government contracts, and as such, is federally mandated to have an ongoing drug-testing program. That being said, I haven’t heard/read a valid reason why possession or use of marijuana should remain illegal.

NY Madman, no reply?

Im pretty surprised that this isnt major news in Texas but as of September 1st, the state decriminalized marijuana up to 4 oz. I think that is the right word but I could be wrong. They basically got rid of the requirement to arrest the individual (at the discretion of the officer).

Click ME

Other states should pull their heads out of their collective asses and do the same. Think of the money saved in the court system.