I generally don’t write about every single drug war tragedy that I come across, especially ones from outside of the northwest. They happen so routinely – whether it’s a botched drug raid against an innocent suspect, a police officer dying in the line of duty, or innocent people getting caught in the crossfire of competing drug gangs – that it would dominate this blog if I wrote about them all. But one that just happened in northeastern Georgia caught my attention for a couple of reasons and I feel like sharing some thoughts on this.
On September 1, a 28-year-old pastor named Jonathan Ayers was shot and killed by undercover police officers in the town of Toccoa, Georgia. The pastor had been seen driving a car with an alleged drug dealer as a passenger. After Ayers dropped off the suspect (a woman who has not been identified) at a gas station, the officers quickly pulled up in an Escalade and drew their guns (the CNN page has a good video from the convenience store surveillance camera). Ayers sped off as the plain-clothed officers discharged their guns at him. He was wounded from the gunshots and later died at a hospital.
If anyone is convinced that there was some dark side to this pastor, his blog should cast serious doubt on that notion. Reading his recent entries just made my heart sink. Ayers left behind a pregnant wife and was where I was a little less than a year ago, looking forward to ultrasounds and having those “oh shit, I’m going to be a dad” moments. It’s not clear why he had allegedly given this drug suspect a ride, but according to his friends, he considered it his Christian mission to help people, so it wasn’t uncharacteristic for him to be doing favors for strangers.
One post in particular, from only three weeks before the shooting, really struck me as well:
I got pulled over today for no insurance. I was like are you kidding? The deputy told me “no I am not kidding you have no insurance”. We both got on the phone and called the insurance company to figure this whole thing out. They told the deputy that I had a policy but no vehicle’s was on the policy. I was like what kind of policy do I have? So we finaly got it fixed.
I left there and I wandered how many people go through life and think they are ok because they are a good person, have done some good deeds, and they aren’t as bad as some other people. Here’s the thing they don’t know Christ! They have never started a relationship with Jesus. One day they will stand before God and He will say “depart from I never knew you”. They are going to be in for the sadest day of their life. Don’t miss Jesus because you think you are good enough!
I’ve seen several comments to the articles I’ve read about this incident saying things like “well, why did he speed off if he was innocent?” The post above should answer that question completely. Only three weeks before he was killed, he was this rattled from a routine traffic stop. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the sight of several non-uniformed individuals getting out of an Escalade with guns would have scared him enough that he’d choose to drive away as fast as possible.
It’s not likely that an atheist from the Pacific Northwest is going to change the way the drug war is fought in rural Georgia, but every tragedy in this war weighs on me and hardens my determination to start the dominoes falling where they’re most likely to tip over. This one in particular. While religion has never been a part of my life, I couldn’t help but notice that Ayers’ determination as a Christian mirrors my own determination in this battle. And our underlying motivations are largely the same, to build a better society and to promote peace. I hope that Jonathan’s family can find peace in this tragedy and that Americans of all stripes will take a long look at what this war is doing to us.
well, then cops should always be in uniform, cause why then should anyone not run?
@1
You should see the video on the CNN site. The officers simply didn’t look or act like police officers. And the vehicle doesn’t even look close to what people expect police vehicles to look like. I don’t hesitate to say that I likely would have done the same thing as Ayers.
Lee,
As I’ve said before here, I’m a preacher’s kid. So, unlike you, religion has always been part of my life. I can’t duck it, I can’t dodge it, it’s just always there. For me, that’s a good thing. With regard to your post, I’ll say that my father brought home people to live with us when I was a child that my mother did not approve of, particularly. A felony record, homeless native from northern Canada, whatever. It worked out okay; better than okay. So, I believe that the murdered pastor was probably doing good. He was probably doing what the Gospel commands–comforting the least of us. I sue cops now, occasionally. They need to get sued.
The uniform issue is huge. Diallo was shot by undercover, non-uniformed cops. Perhaps he would still be alive if they had been uniformed. At some point it became ‘tacti-cool’ for cops to work out of uniform.
‘tacti-cool’ is getting U.S. citizens killed.
Good god. I saw the video. That’s got to be the most bungled “arrest” video I’ve ever seen. The cops looked like some hoodlums in a hoodlummobile (black Escalade sport truck). I wouldn’t have stopped either, whether or not they were yelling they were cops. They didn’t look like cops at all. And that they shot him when he’d not deliberately tried to hurt them (one cop suffered minor injuries as the guy tried to get away) when there were people and gas tanks there just defies belief. They could have killed a lot of people. They should never be allowed to carry a gun again. Ever. Ever. Ever.
I hope his wife ends up owning that police force and that town. It won’t bring him back, but until there’s a verdict that sends a real message to the cops, they’ll continue their “bad-guy-cool” b.s. and more innocent people will die.
Drug raids are risky for the police because drug dealers often are heavily armed. Consequently, there’s a very high potential for innocent people getting shot by nervous or trigger-happy cops.
@5 Unfortunately, it’s hard to get juries to award damages against police. Out of 12 jurors, you’re likely to get at least one who will “support their local police” no matter what.
@3
I couldn’t agree with you more. Thanks for the comment.
One of the more morbid spinoffs of the “war against drugs” — besides plainclothes cops who look like gangsters blowing away preachers — involves zealous prosecutors persecuting pain doctors with near-religious fervor.
Now, they’re even targeting an activist for prosecution simply for advocating on behalf of pain doctors — free speech be damned.
See also: http://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/1/27/212912/475
When Siobhan Reynolds, founder of Pain Relief Network, “wrote op-eds in local newspapers and granted interviews to other media outlets, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway attempted to impose a gag order on her public advocacy.”
When the judge refused, Treadway issued a subpoena demanding “a broad range of documents and records” including Reynold’s purchase of a billboard ad. The subpoena says Reynolds is under investigation for “obstruction of justice.” The alleged obstruction? Her political activism.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/.....glate.html
One of the more morbid spinoffs of the War Against Drugs — besides plainclothes cops who look like gangsters dusting preachers — is the War Against Pain Doctors being waged by zealous federal prosecutors.
Now, one of these prosecutors is even targeting political activism for prosecution. When Siobhan Reynolds, founder of Pain Relief Network, “wrote op-eds in local newspapers and granted interviews to other media outlets, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway attempted to impose a gag order on her public advocacy.”
The judge refused, so Treadway tried another tactic: She issued a subpoena demanding, among other things, records of a billboard ad purchased by Reynolds. The subpoena accuses Reynolds of “obstruction of justice.” Treadway apparently intends to prosecute her for political activism.
Links for #10:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/.....glate.html
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/1/27/212912/475
Goldy’s spam filter is acting up again. I’ve noticed lately that whenever I put a link in a comment, it disappears and may (or may not) appear in the thread later. I have no way of knowing whether it posted or a black hole ate it. That’s why this one is double-posted.
Apparently pain relief is against the law in this country, so if you can’t stand it, you’ll have to blow your brains out.
Lee is always quick to post stories where the police look bad.
I guess it’s up to me, again, to add some balance to his one-sided crusade.
Mexican Legislative Candidate, Family Killed:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WO.....te.killed/
One other thing that is important to note is that besides being in plain clothes officers that work undercover drug cases deliberatly make themselves look like thugs. I know this from personal experience. They do all the things they can to look like drug dealers. They also drive unmarked cars, usually stolen from defendants in drug cases under our state’s forfeiture law. Where is a person supposed to focus their attention, on the thugs pointing guns and yelling at them or the relatively small badge hanging around their necks? We all know that just yelling “Police” doesn’t always means anything because criminals can do the same thing. The proper police proceedure would be to have uniformed officers in marked vehicles make the stop.
@13 Oh yeah, the Mexican police are model public servants! The story you linked says:
“In response, the Tabasco state government offered all political candidates protection during their campaigns if they requested it.”
If I were a candidate, I’d be better off buying protection from the drug lords who are trying to kill me. The police probably are working for him anyway.
@14 So, how many millions in damages do you think this case is worth? Personally, if I were on the jury, I’d give the widow and orphan at least $3 million.
@13
That’s also a drug war tragedy, as is nearly all of the horrific violence throughout Mexico.
@9
That’s an issue I’ve neglected to write about but is worth a front page post. Thanks for reminding me.
I think you hominids need laws against criminal policing. As far us corvids are concerned, matters are much simpler.
Ping Lee
Should ALL drugs be legal to adults?
RR – As a general rule, sure, because folks sure loves their cops. But that video is pretty damning. And it’s a good thing. When it’s just citizen v. cops telling their respective versions of a story, the cops will win in a jury trial, whether or not they’re telling the truth. That video should completely change the equation. And I hope it does. It’s just the thing to have an impact on this immoral “war.”
And, Troll, WTF does one story have to do with another? If cops mucked up, then they mucked up. It doesn’t magically go away by your posting a story about bad guys killing people.
Sheesh. There’s fair and balanced and then there’s chemically imbalanced.
@20
Yes, either through the same regulations as alcohol (for drugs like marijuana, psilocybin (mushrooms), and MDMA (ecstasy)), or through a recreational use registry at pharmacies, where use can be monitored, or by prescription (for addicts).
In addition, low-purity meth (pep pills) should be treated like alcohol (we used to freely give them to our air force pilots for years). Coca should again be allowed to be an ingredient in drinks – like energy drinks and coca wines – just like it was in the late 1800s.
If people want stronger versions of those drugs or the pure cocaine, they can sign up for a pharmaceutical recreational use registry (which should cost something rather substantial to join, like $200-300) and they can then obtain drugs with known recreational value but with a potential for addiction.
If people have problems with addiction, or get caught stealing to buy drugs, they should be removed from the recreational use registry and be registered as addicts. At that point, they can only obtain drugs from a doctor and use them in a supervised environment.
@22
And just to be clear of course, all of this is for adults only…
Poor little Lee. Reminds me of a venereal disease that can’t be cured. Pick a battle you can actually win next time, instead of being clouded by all the delusions you have in that giant cloud of weed smoke. I truly feel sorry for that kid of yours. Sincerely. Good luck!
And: ‘And just to be clear of course, all of this is for adults only…’
Real “adults” experiment with pot at a younger age, then stop doing it and grow up later in life. Try it, you may find that you feel better. Middle aged and beyond stoners are the most pathetic entity that there ever was.
And Rodent: Before you spew your river of mouth excrement: talk to the hand, and go back in the home. Aren’t they having some sort of special event today in honor of Labor Day? :)
Roger Rabbit @ 6
Given your experiences, I’ll ask you:
What’s the rush to make an arrest?
It seems to me, just from the news stories, that people are being inadvertently killed because of snap decisions or bad tips.
Why not watch and wait?
NWlawyer @ 14
Absolutely.
Even then, there’s danger.
Once, I was harassed by some teens who had rigged their headlights to flash. No red and blue lights. Country road. No way I was pulling over.
I’m told that in Montana, if you’re pulled over in one of those small hamlets, to always make the call to a state trooper yourself before stopping, especially if you’re a woman. It’s second hand (heresy), so I don’t know if that kind of local harassment really occurs.
It’s Georgia, what does one expect?
i’m sure the denizens of this blog would be happy about the outcome if they pastor had just been guilty of using a plastic shopping bag from Piggly Wiggly
then the shooting would be justifiable homicide
@25
I truly feel sorry for that kid of yours.
He’s five months old today, and he’s already smart enough to laugh at your stupid comments.
Middle aged and beyond stoners are the most pathetic entity that there ever was.
All the middle-aged and beyond stoners in the world are collectively not as pathetic as you are all by yourself.
Do you have anything substantive to add to this discussion or are you just here to remind everyone how much of an idiot you are?
@28
i’m sure the denizens of this blog would be happy about the outcome if they pastor had just been guilty of using a plastic shopping bag from Piggly Wiggly
And I’m sure that the goat you had sex with last night regrets what happened more than you do.
You’re correct for once, Lee, but won’t win anyway.
Drugs consentually taken by adults shouldn’t be criminal, except in the way that intoxication by alchohol becomes criminal. With some exceptions, like crystal meth which is dangerous from production through consumption, recreational drug use should be legal for consenting adults.
Drug enforcement by officers of various law enforcement agencies is particularly subject to a full range of problems from misinterpretation to outright corruption. Undercover officers do look like dealers, and being an average wage earner watching some worthless punk rolling in cash does lend to corruption.
So what? Do you think that any small civil judgement is going to outweigh the huge financial benefits of the ‘drug war’ that all levels of government receive?
We need more cops on the street to fight the evils of drugs, so there’s money and power for law enforcement. We need more courts to adjudicate drug laws so the legal system is flush with cash and influence from fighting drugs. We need more prisons to house these lawbreakers. More jobs and government funds to spread around. This doesn’t even touch the simple theft of accused, but not convicted, defendants’ property by means of forfeiture laws. No, drug laws won’t change. They pay too well. Pick another windmill to tilt at.
@31
No one’s saying that changing drug laws will be easy, but we’re reaching a tipping point where they will have to change or else we’ll lose the level of prosperity we’ve been used to. It will be a good test of whether America can muster a sense of responsibility.
Re 32
You may be right. I don’t know if drug policy is as important as soaring national debt or trade imbalances, but you may be right.
Given the past century of public policy we’ll regrettably fail the test if test it is. One particular problem with a democracy is the inablility to act outside popular will when popular will is wrong-headed or simply ignorant. One brave politician or community of them doing so will be booted out and his or her or their policies reversed in 2, 4 or 6 years depending on their status.
The balance of benefits to a democracy outweigh this, but a strong executive form of government outperforms a democracy in times of crisis historically. Don’t know a solution, but there it is.
And people wonder why jimmy carter failed so bad as president.
Well, fume as you will, this will not change, and you only have to look at tea baggers, townhallers, Cynical, Mark, Pissy little marvin the cockroach and Puddy, for starters.
The fact that there is a chickenshit quasi dem in the white house is obviously irrelevant, as is the useless congress, those “blue dog” republicans masquerading as democrats are accompanied by a democratic “majority” that will continue to kiss conservative ass for the duration.
We are back to the McCarthy era with a slightly different makeup job.
Get over it. This is the price we pay for indifferent progressives turning into wimps from the Reagan era forward.
Nobody thought it was bad enough to get out and vote or support liberals until it was too late. “Liberals” have always been too lazy to get involved, and now we have real reason to cry about it.
The fact that 44% of the respondents think that Jesus is coming back in their lifetime says it all, even if you discount a healthy
chunk of that.
I am very lucky. I have fought the fight, I am now abandoning ship. I’ll watch the disaster from afar, and you all have my sympathy: the wingers will find it a nightmare they never intended just like 1959. they can simmer in the cesspool they created. And blame it ALL on the liberals, just like the crybabies they have always been.
ohmigawd lee30 u r so funny! u r kewl n have VALLEY GIRL status!
but to show I’m no better…
yes, your mama did say she was sorry
but why call her a goat, don’t you love ur mama?
You can’t force opinion on people.
Opinion changes over time, as old people die and young people take over.
For example, do you feel the hip-hop generation is going to have the racial issues that robert sheets byrd or al gore sr grew up with?
Lee @23:
Still do, or at least they did earlier in this decade.
The second post I wrote on my blog, way back in early 2003, noted that:
Maybe they’ve banned it again, but probably not. Meanwhile, in a comment on that post, I followed up:
Nothing like fighting, losing and then running away.
And you’re not the lucky one, I’m the lucky one because you’re leaving MY country. Thanks for doing me a favor.
If you want to call me a coward you disgusting little vermin, you go right ahead. It has as much credibility as everything else you excrete here,and no matter how profound you think you are, the responses here clearly indicate the extent of YOUR influence.
The most common response you have to others who find you disgusting is “well, I get YOU to pay attention to me”.
Well, I have to pay attention to dog shit, too, so that I can step around it.
And I’m sure that real people here get a kick out of your claim that it’s “MY country”.
@38
This is stuff I’m not as familiar with as I should be, but I believe that Dexedrine is a slightly different form of amphetamine than meth. Here’s the wikipedia entry. I had understood that the use of actual meth was very common in WWII, but I’m guessing that at some point, they stopped using the meth pills and switched to the Dexedrine.
This is stuff I really need to read up on.
Marvin, I’m simply stating a political fact. The fact is overwhelmed by all that we gain by being a representative democracy. But it’s still a problem.
As an example, a monarchical form of government is often more effective in times of crisis, like war. It can act quickly and unilaterally where a democracy is still making decisions on how to proceed. This by no means indicates my desire for a monarch.
Opinions do change over time, hopefully to their improvement, but not always. Hopefully, to use your example, my theoretical grandchildren will be puzzled by American rascism. I personally think that the type of people who gravitate towards rascism will find a new patsy, but that’s just me. None of this alters the fact that a democracy is at the eventual mercy of the largest voting block, no matter how well or ill advised that block may be.
As for the angry X’ad, what the hell does that name mean? Don’t really care about your rantings, just the name.
@40
Ex-pats can still vote. And with the internet, still participate very closely in our democracy here. And with the way the world is so interconnected, a person who works overseas for an American company can often have a far more beneficial effect on American GDP than many Americans. The idea that we abandon our country by living elsewhere doesn’t make sense in the 21st century. As long as we are citizens, we can benefit (or harm) America no matter where we are in the world.
Actually, Lee, they used amphetamine sulfate, brand named Benzedrine. Dextroamphetamine came later, and was the outrageously popular “Dexedrine” cosumed by xillions of women for weight loss. Which it produced. Often the mind went with the fat. No fatheads then.
@42
Thanks for your comments here, LIASOB.
You’re hitting upon an interesting contradiction that also occurs within the drug war.
There’s another dynamic within democracies where special interests will trump the popular will of the people too. For example, nationwide about 75% of Americans support medical marijuana laws, however only 13 states allow it, and even then, law enforcement is still able to ignore the law. I find that this dynamic tends to be more troubling right now and what drives my desire to affect changes in government.
@44
Thanks.
I didn’t call you a coward.
You said…
Which is why I said you were “fighting.”
Which is why I said you’re running away.
Which is why I said you lost.
You feeling like a coward comes from your own words.
You drug loving fuckwits are a sorry bunch, just take your weed and crack and go to a deserted island and shut the fuck up.
@47
I am not feeling like a coward, sweetie. I am feeling like I’m watching a dear friend die of leprosy after an overwhelming infection FROM ORGANISMS LIKE YOU. IF it were just you, no problems. it’s people LIKE you who have some degree of intelligence who are dangerous.
Re 45
Special interests within and outside of the government are a whole area of study for poli sci majors and political wonks on both sides of the spectrum.
For instance, a strong majority of legislation written in this country the past 2 decades is called ‘administrative law.’ Some sources put the figure into the 70 percent range. This, as I’m sure you’re aware, is legislation written by government beauracrats for their departments or agencies. Legislation gives them the right to write the rules, and little further legislative review happens. It isn’t subject to review by election either but is as binding on the people as any legislation passed in open legislative session. A fair amount of legislation on narcotics falls into this category via the ATF, DEA and FDA, and their equivalents at the state level.
And the majority of voters don’t use marijauana or other drugs laws as a metric for voting on individual senators or representatives. The fight falls into the sphere of special interests by default. Regrettably this is true of an awful lot of legislation that touches citizens in a way they don’t immediately see. If it doesn’t make the news they don’t care.
The trick would be to educate Americans on either of these facts who aren’t politically active already. This voter apathy is a constant refrain in a number of pressing but, for most, boring issues. It’s one of a long list of things to which I don’t know the answer.
Don’t know either about the whole meth debate you and X’ad are on, but I do know of an awful lot of people badly messed up by crystal meth. My mother is a counselor for a rehab center and meets them all the time. She sees people without teeth and in various states of physical decay. My brother in law is a real estate attorney in Yakima who has had to deal with meth houses and the extensive clean-up cooking meth requires. Often it’s more cost effective to raze the house and start over. I’ll leave the chemistry to those who understand it, but the results speak loud and clearly for me.
Wow, those cops are so screwed. Okay, not like dead pastor screwed, but still.
They didn’t even have reasonable suspicion to detain the guy, let alone arrest him with guns drawn.
e.g., “A person’s mere propinquity to others independently suspected of criminal activity does not, without more, authorize a Terry stop unless the officer has reasonable suspicion directed specifically at that person.” State v. Morris, 276 Kan. 11, 25, 72 P.3d 570 (2003)
Lee, the real issue in this instance is not the drug war. It’s just outrageously reckless police misconduct, and the contextual matter of which particular laws the cops were purporting to enforce is not very relevant.
@20 There’s no problem with ravens that can’t be solved with a load of birdshot.
@25 “And Rodent: Before you spew your river of mouth excrement: talk to the hand, and go back in the home. Aren’t they having some sort of special event today in honor of Labor Day? :)”
The quota Mother Nature gave me is 100 cute fluffy female bunnies a day, so for me, one day is pretty much like another.
@26 If I could control the cops, believe me, there’s some things I would change.
@28 Bullshit. It takes a depraved rightwing numbskull like you to believe something like that.
@42 Just as I thought! Wingnuts admire monarchy, and want a king.
@50 “For instance, a strong majority of legislation written in this country the past 2 decades is called ‘administrative law.’ Some sources put the figure into the 70 percent range. This, as I’m sure you’re aware, is legislation written by government beauracrats for their departments or agencies.”
Bureaucrats don’t write any legislation.
Agencies can adopt rules to implement legislation, but they have to go through a public hearing and comment process, and are limited in what they can do by rule.
In case of a conflict between a statute and administrative rule, the statute prevails.
Although there is a large body of administrative rules, many rules are procedural rather than substantive. They simply spell out what you have to put in an application before the agency will process it, etc.
In general, legislative bodies determine taxing and spending levels, establish broad policies, and leave it up to agencies to flesh out the details of implementing programs or carrying out their functions, because agencies have practical expertise in those areas.
@51 I think there’s a correlation between reckless cop conduct and drug busts. Common sense suggests that because drug busts are one of the most dangerous things cops do, they’re more likely to go into those situations with drawn guns and itchy trigger fingers.
Re Rabbit vomit-
Just for the audience: In this one rare instance I find myself in general agreement with an HA blog. This isn’t good enough for the demented bunny, he has to heckle simply to heckle. Or maybe it’s just crankiness. But to answer him anyway-
“In general, legislative bodies determine taxing and spending levels, establish broad policies, and leave it up to agencies to flesh out the details of implementing programs or carrying out their functions, because agencies have practical expertise in those areas.”
Which means that insofar as details are concerned it’s up to the agency and its’ non-elected civil servants. Broad policy isn’t worth rabbit pellets. It’s the details that matter. It’s the details that are where the rubber hits the road. I could give a damn less what the budget for the IRS, for example, is. I want to know how their rules affect my life as a citizen. I also want to know that the career incompetent writing those rules is subject to some form of democratic review by the people, not a half educated congressman. Particularly not a congressman whose committee appointment has less to do with expertise in the area overseen by the commitee than his or her tenure and influence.
“Agencies can adopt rules to implement legislation, but they have to go through a public hearing and comment process, and are limited in what they can do by rule.”
In practice you as a self claimed attorney know this is bullshit. In practice you know the review is a formality and the career bureaucrats write the rules with little or no practical oversight. In practice also there are too many different public comment processes going on at any one time for meaningful citizen input. This is one of the problems of the over-large government we currently have.
“Bureaucrats don’t write any legislation.”
You probably also know that most legislation before either the House or Senate is in fact written by career civil servants and barely glanced at by our eager Representatives and Senators. The congressperson inherits an office and staff who will be there when the elected official is a distant memory. This congressman reads the summary on the front page and won’t go much further unless something forces him or her to do so. The summary is written by the bureaucrat of course.
“@42 Just as I thought! Wingnuts admire monarchy, and want a king.” And the comment this is based on? “As an example, a monarchical form of government is often more effective in times of crisis, like war. It can act quickly and unilaterally where a democracy is still making decisions on how to proceed. This by no means indicates my desire for a monarch.”
Your reading comprehension is remarkably poor for an attorney. Well, non-existent, but I’m trying to be nice.
Have a nice night.
Arguably, it was The Great Depression that brought down alcohol Prohibition. Today’s economy will be the deciding factor in how longer the DrugWar runs on, not ideology.
The economy cannot sustain the War on Drugs anymore as it has been nothing but a net drain on the country’s budget since its’ beginning. The ‘pipe dream’ of drug prohibitionists, that the cartels would somehow finance their own demise courtesy of ‘civil forfeiture’ taking their stuff has proven to be a farce. For proof, tons and tons and tons of drugs have been intercepted at sea and on land for years and the price barely wobbles. Hundreds of millions of dollars in seized cash are regularly paraded in front of the media at each latest “biggest bust ever!” but the cartels just keep humming along as if nothing’s happened.
So the reality is that the DrugWar has been benefiting very few people at the expense of everyone else, and now the money being spent on it is needed for things like unemployment insurance. And if we do get Universal Health Care, then it will have to be paid for somehow, and that means re-allocating money for it from somewhere else.
The time is coming for a debate in this country regarding whether we can afford to continue the DrugWar. Given what’s already been spent (and arguably, wasted) it becomes even less likely that the DrugWar will be popular with a public increasingly strapped financially and wanting more from its’ government in the way of social services. The next two years could get real interesting…
Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out…
Strange…
Someone that hates republicans and bush didn’t leave while bush was president.
But he is leaving when the obama is president.
So it’s even worse than being a coward. I can understand someone being a coward, being a hero takes guts. It’s against all human instincts to enter a burning building to rescue someone. That’s why those that do (like firemen) are considered heros.
Instead, you have a dear friend dying of a disease and instead of helping/comforting them you run away.
Ouch.
I live here in Toccoa, less than 2 miles from the gas station. I’ve lived here 8 years and can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that the police are in fact corrupt. The drug task force is over zealous and have consistantly made mistakes in the past that I was a witness to. They are trained and pumped up and, in reality, they don’t have much to do. When the are called to action they act like they are in a movie or something. I’ve seen 6 police cars respond to a drunk driver. Now they have murdered someone, a pastor no less, and are sitting at home WITH pay. Sadly, Jonathan’s death will surely be in vain, because there will be no justice for what has happened. It will be written of as “Just Another Drug War Tragedy”.