August 23, 2006

• Today’s post to the city issues list (written yesterday):
  

  This is a long email and really didn’t come out as articulately as I would like.

  All I really want you to do is watch this video:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayaGk0TMD

  And then think about what we can do locally about this issue.

  #######

  Ever since moving to the “big city”, I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that much of our society’s crime is fueled by the “War on Drugs”.

  As Prohibition fueled the rise of the Mafia, so have these laws and efforts fueled the rise of the modern gangs and all the pain that has gone with them.

  But how to voice that without sounding like just another whining progressive?

  I’ll let someone else say it – the officers whose job it has been to fight the war. Please turn your attention to this presentation by Law Enforcement Against Prohibition:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayaGk0TMD

  One thing they don’t really focus on is what happens to a kid who gets caught up dealing or using? How easy is it to get out? You can die, you can go to jail, but how hard is it to go legit? Especially if you’ve picked up some jail time or obvious gang tattoos? Once you’ve thought of yourself as a criminal and been seen as a criminal, how easy is it to stop? Especially for the non-living wages that are likely all that is available to some of them? Former street dealers likely have a bit more trouble than I do finding a paying gig.

  There are people who do manage it. They deserve the respect they’ve earned, but are we really surprised that many don’t?

  Beyond that, what does it do to a kid to be raised in a society that defines success as wealth but in a neighborhood where the most blatantly wealthy are violent criminals? Yes, parents can teach them better, but isn’t it a pretty destructive social force? How many of these kids get the chance to see that there even is an alternative before their reality has gone a long way towards shaping the adult they will be?

  Beyond even that, what does it do to a society to have laws that are seriously enforced that are blatantly disregarded by people in all walks of life because they are laws against human freedom and those laws are never followed? What does it mean about the general social respect for the rule of law? We live in a “don’t get caught” society rather than a “I follow the law because its the right thing to do” society. Whether its OK or not for people to feel that way is irrelevant – many of them do.

  So, what can we do about it? Even though they are fueling the fires that burn in our city, our City Council can’t change the drug laws. The general response is “more law enforcement”, “push harder to crush the violent criminals”, “run the drug dealers out of here”. It doesn’t work. Its like pushing on fluid – you can squeeze it somewhere else, but its going to still be there, somewhere and its always going to look for the places it can fit the best.

  I keep wondering if there’s another way for us to deal with it. Sure, I’d like it if people could go buy them at the pharmacy but we probably wouldn’t get away with that for long w/o state or federal permission. Is there some way for us to decriminalize it and put some of the money used enforcing laws against non-violent users and dealers into helping addicts who want help? Have the efforts of our police focused on those who actually commit crimes against people and property?

  I guess to an extent, that’s whats already happening by default. There aren’t enough police to go after every law breaker, so presumably they go after the highest priorities leaving non-violent offenders in peace (I hope I’m not being too optimistic). In its current form, it doesn’t seem to be working so well.

  I this know is full of holes, but here’s what I keep thinking of:

  Say we were to set aside some areas in a few of our city parks or buildings that aren’t too near schools and make them adult only locations where drug dealing is tolerated. Keep enforcement as usual in the rest of the city, but in these locations people can buy, sell, possess or use drugs as they wish as long as they do not break any other laws. Have them well patrolled by police (on foot/bicycle/horse – not in vehicles). Let the police and these dealers establish a relatively cordial relationship. If anyone commits violence or brandishes a firearm, be johnny on the spot to shut them down and lock them up. Heck, we could even warn them if the feds are coming in to do a bust.

  Given a “shelter” that makes them safe from inter gang violence and jail, dealers that operate like this should be able to undercut everyone else in the city. Sooner or later, drug dealing the way its done now just wouldn’t make ends meet.

  Like I said, I know its pretty full of holes. It isn’t a realistic solution – just an idea to prime the pump. There’s GOT to be some way to think outside the box and improve the situation. Maybe the city can sue the state or the feds over this?

  I don’t know exactly what to do, but I do know that we’re GOING to have these problems as long as we have these laws. We may tone down the violence from time to time, but it’ll flare back up. We may fix it in one neighborhood, but it will come back in another one. It has to because how it currently works is that we’re basically providing a cash cow to the bravest and most ruthless parasites willing to go after it.

  Again, whether you agree with me or think I’m a nut (you’re right either way), listen to some folks that have been there, done that and have a much better perspective on the situation than I ever could:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayaGk0TMD

  So, yeah.

  • 2:44 pm
  • 1 Comment