10 November 2006

Thoughts on the "Drug War"

Why does the government call it a "War" instead of "Prohibition"? I think the government didn't want to call it Prohibition because of its past failure with alcohol. Instead of reminding us of their previous failure, they trotted the same horse out with a new and improved name, "War". The use of war as a name is quite clever. It makes us want to sacrifice resources, liberties and lives. Government justifies these losses by stating, "if we can save just one person from the drug scourge, then it will all be worth it". Unfortunately, the cost to everyone does not justify forcefully preventing people from making bad choices.

How does it harm innocent people? The "war" increases theft, violence and corruption. By making some drugs illegal, it forces prices up and allows criminals to monopolize the product. Because criminals are making obscene profits, they are able to corrupt government officials, violently take over territory and seduce our children with their extravagant lifestyle. Addicts must steal to maintain their habit, and they won't seek help for fear of being imprisoned. Violent criminals are set free early because of prison overcrowding by non-violent offenders. Lastly, police are unnecessarily put in harms war to try and stop well armed criminals.

Financially, it puts a great strain on us, too. We are forced to hire more police, who pay also inculdes benefits and the long term costs those entail. We must house drug offenders - which make up 70% of prison population - at a cost of $50,000/year. All of these costs are paid for with taxes on us.

There is also collateral dammage by the use of unconstitutional laws allowing police to act as thugs, storming residences without warning or a warrant, ending up killing innocents. Additionally, the ability to sieze property using "asset forfeiture" laws entices police to steal our property.

Using government (i.e. force) to save people from themselves only leads to harming everyone financially and personally. We destroy productive lives at the expense of those who want to abuse themselves. Our streets are still unsafe, so we hide in our houses, only to have the police illegally smash our doors down and shoot us dead. This in the name of safety and public good? I don't see how this is good or safe for anyone. The sickest part of all is we are paying for this with ever rising taxes, loss of liberty and loss of safety. Just think all this destruction and pain is being done in an attempt to save a few people from their own behavior.

The real issue here is not the dangers of drugs, but the right of the individual to use their private property (their body) as one chooses. If one chooses to forcefully intervene by using government, then they do not respect another's private property and will necessarily be subject to someone elses interventions. To those of you who use government force to make others conform to your ideals, you are behaving like a tyrannt and do not believe in the American value of liberty.

I believe my body is solely my property. To do good or ill with my property is my choice and sole responsibility. We must refrain from intervening in the lives of the individual. Such intervention ultimately leads corruption and tyranny. Only when we abandon this policy will we start to put an end to destructive behavior like drug abuse.

Paper Currency - A Contractual Problem

After reading my handy dandy copy of the Constitution, I find that 1) only the government can coin money, and that money can only be silver and gold, 2) by making gold and silver illegal tender and forcing me to accept paper IOU's called "Federal Reserve Notes" - a defacto contract - the government, in order to benefit the banks, has forced me into a contract, which is illegal, and 3) they are forcing me to be liable for the debts of someone else and for the debts of other generations.

Let me sum it up: Why am I responsible to pay back anything to thieves who use illegal tender, force me into an illegal contract, and make me liable for someone else's debt? All are unethical, immoral, illegal and most importantly, UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!!! This is just a way to strip away our freedom by making us into identured servants. Our freedom and liberty is the foundation of our dignity and humanity.

Iraq War - A Thought

The fallacy: "they (Moslems) hate our lifestyle and freedom". If they hate us for our culture, then why are they immigrating here by the tens of thousands? They hated the USSR and it's culture, but yet Moslems did not immigrate there. As a matter of fact, they tried real hard to get out.

Liberty vs Government

The ultimate expression of government and collectivism is chaos, war and all of the misery and destruction it brings. The ultimate expression of liberty and individuality is peaceful cooperation, improved living standards, and rapid advancement of the sciences and arts which enrich our culture and civilization.

Life and Pay

When one trades their labor for pay, what they are really doing is exchanging a portion of their precious finite life for pay (something real and precious) in order to provide the necessities of life in order to prosper. When one gives up a portion of their precious life, they want their labor to benefit them, and no one has the right to take any part of one's life without permission.

(other articles are archived on my Writings page.)

Rebecca Iocca

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