Why Buying Cocaine Is Like Donating to the Nazi Party

[Berkut]

You people are amazingly competent at missing the forest for the trees.

The basic premise of the article is spot on, and incredibly important. America's drug addiction (and the resulting "war" on the same) is causing misery, death, and torment at a scale that is nearly unprecedented, and there is no end in sight.

It is criminal that we simply do not appear to care.

The author makes several errors in the pursuit of the basic point (why oh why do you need to throw in gratuitous accusations of racism?) but his basic thesis is exactly right. This is a horror story, and it should be an even bigger story, and while you can argue about the right solution (personally I think the blame should be on the "war" part, rather than on the users part), he is exactly right that people who choose to use these drugs bear some responsibility for what happens in the process of procuring them for their entertainment.

Hell, Americans (and Canadians) apparently don't care very much about the hundreds of thousands thrown in jail or killed right here in America and Canada as a result of the drug trade. Why would anyone expect them to care about the lives of foreigners, when they seemingly don't care about their own? 

A good point.

[Monoriu]

Seems a bit unfair to put all the blame on consumers.  Surely the Latin American governments have responsibility to maintain law and order in their respective countries? 

[Neil]

Why would we care?  The West decided to abandon colonialism, instead adopting values of democracy and individualism.  Civilization can't move forward with those kinds of values.

[Malthus]

Seems a bit unfair to put all the blame on consumers.  Surely the Latin American governments have responsibility to maintain law and order in their respective countries?

The problem here is that the governments are sometimes simply overwhelmed by the criminals, who are well-funded by the drug trade. Look at Mexico.

For myself, I put the lion's share of the blame on the prohibition itself. It has had the same effect as booze prohibition, in encouraging crime and corruption.

[Neil]

Seems a bit unfair to put all the blame on consumers.  Surely the Latin American governments have responsibility to maintain law and order in their respective countries?

Not when the West is funding and the Chinese are arming powerful insurgent armies in their territory.

[jimmy olsen]

Why would we care?  The West decided to abandon colonialism, instead adopting values of democracy and individualism.  Civilization can't move forward with those kinds of values.

I don't see how democracy and individualism is necessarily opposed to colonialism.

[Razgovory]

You people are amazingly competent at missing the forest for the trees.

The basic premise of the article is spot on, and incredibly important. America's drug addiction (and the resulting "war" on the same) is causing misery, death, and torment at a scale that is nearly unprecedented, and there is no end in sight.

It is criminal that we simply do not appear to care.

The author makes several errors in the pursuit of the basic point (why oh why do you need to throw in gratuitous accusations of racism?) but his basic thesis is exactly right. This is a horror story, and it should be an even bigger story, and while you can argue about the right solution (personally I think the blame should be on the "war" part, rather than on the users part), he is exactly right that people who choose to use these drugs bear some responsibility for what happens in the process of procuring them for their entertainment.

But I don't buy or consume illegal drugs.  So trying to guilt trip me about supporting Nazis or whatever does no good.  Presumably if the production of some good does some sort of harm or the money is used to do some sort of harm, then the purchaser is a party to that harm.  That of course would make everyone a party to all sorts of terrible things.

[Neil]

Why would we care?  The West decided to abandon colonialism, instead adopting values of democracy and individualism.  Civilization can't move forward with those kinds of values.

I don't see how democracy and individualism is necessarily opposed to colonialism.

I recommend that you think about it a little more.  If a people believes that individuals have rights and should have a hand in their governance, then by what right do they hold another people in thrall?  Even if they start out of a mind to colonize, they won't have the will to continue it as it must be done.

[Berkut]

Seems a bit unfair to put all the blame on consumers.  Surely the Latin American governments have responsibility to maintain law and order in their respective countries?

The problem here is that the governments are sometimes simply overwhelmed by the criminals, who are well-funded by the drug trade. Look at Mexico.

For myself, I put the lion's share of the blame on the prohibition itself. It has had the same effect as booze prohibition, in encouraging crime and corruption.

I don't disagree, but do feel that it doesn't excuse the consumer.

There is no question in my mind that the war on drugs is what has created this violence, but that is a know quantity, and the people using drugs know (or ought to know) that is the case, and hence share some responsibility for that violence.

[Eddie Teach]

But I don't buy or consume illegal drugs. 

No, but your votes help ensure that the people who do consume them are funding violent thugs instead of mega-corporations.

[Razgovory]

But I don't buy or consume illegal drugs. 

No, but your votes help ensure that the people who do consume them are funding violent thugs instead of mega-corporations.

I'm not making the connection here.  Walk me through it.

[Eddie Teach]

I'm not making the connection here.  Walk me through it.

I'm saying voters share some of the blame for the effects of policies they favor.

[Razgovory]

I'm not making the connection here.  Walk me through it.

I'm saying voters share some of the blame for the effects of policies they favor.

Sure.  But that doesn't mean I'm voting for people to take drugs.  I'm unclear exactly how much blame I deserve for people who are incarcerated for violating the law.

[The Brain]

I'm not making the connection here.  Walk me through it.

I'm saying voters share some of the blame for the effects of policies they favor.

Sure.  But that doesn't mean I'm voting for people to take drugs.  I'm unclear exactly how much blame I deserve for people who are incarcerated for violating the law.

Then you're doing it wrong.

[Admiral Yi]

Bobo's don't do coke.