The Government Is Killing You, And For What?

The astute long-time reader of YPS, if such a beast is not mythical, may have figured out by now we view the War on [Some] Drugs with a hearty helping of loathing and disdain. Radley Balko points out many of the problems our decades long campaign against incorrect substances has caused. All of his points are valid, and he repeatedly brings up a point that I’m going to focus on today.

The government is killing innocent people so somebody else won’t get high. This is the alpha and omega of the war on drugs. In the minds of the people tasked with protecting your welfare, killing some of you so someone doesn’t smoke a joint is a perfectly acceptable trade-off. Because little Billy down the street might get high, the government is going to blow missionaries out of the sky and shoot little old ladies.

I feel so much safer because of this, don’t you?

I really don’t know what kind of bankrupt morality someone must have to think this is acceptable. I have a sneaking suspicion I’ll find out in the coming months because I intend to ask. I would like, if you are inclined to agree with us about the futility of the great crusade, you to bring this up with people when the topic arises. Ask folks if drugs are such a threat to our society that killing innocent people to stop drug use is justified. The answers may be illuminating. Plus, if it causes one person to think about the issue differently, it might be worth it.