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"The problem."
Francis W. Porretto
Date: Sat Apr 08 01:14:06 1989
Every pair of eyes, every mind that looks at "the problem" sees some-
thing different, and I think I have just come to understand why.
Some think "the problem" is that some people take drugs. Unless the
consumption of any psychotropic substance is also included in "the problem,"
I cannot see how this position can be defended.
Some think "the problem" is that some people commit crimes in order to
get the funds they need to buy the drugs they take. Unless these crimes are
somehow MORE HEINOUS than identical crimes committed for other reasons,
I cannot see how this position can be defended.
Some think "the problem" is that drug dealers frequently pander to the
underage and immature, preying on their lack of information about what is
being offered to them. Unless this variety of child abuse is different in
some fundamental way from all the other equally heinous and as-frequently-
lethal varieties of child abuse we know of (cf. Joel Steinberg and the many
"baby boilings" 1987 and 1988 have brought us), I cannot see how this posi-
+
Some think "the problem" is that taking drugs reduces a person's economic
output. Unless the nation is willing and ready to ban all vacations and ration
us all to three hours' sleep per night, I cannot see how this position can be
defended.
Some think "the problem" is that the drug user becomes a burden to the
rest of us in an unfair manner. Unless someone can present a coherent explan-
ation of how allowing drug abusers to poison themselves burdens the rest of
us beyond the manner in which allowing ALCOHOL abusers to poison themselves
does so, I cannot see how this position can be defended.
Some think "the problem" is that recourse to drugs shows a lack of respect
for authority. Unless someone (not KKK) can present a sound case for jailing
ME -- I have NO respect for authority and will admit it freely to anyone who
asks -- I cannot see how this position can be defended.
What all this parallel structure demonstrates, other than that I remember
what I learned in 11th grade English, is that each person's view of "the prob-
lem" is really a reflection of something ELSE, not intrinsic to drug abuse,
that he dislikes. Sometimes it's just a matter of not being comfortable with
the divergent styles and preferences of others. Sometimes it's a fear of the
violence that drug ILLEGALITY has spawned. The act of taking drugs is itself
+
Some think "the problem" is that the drug user becomes a burden to the
rest of us in an unfair manner. Unless someone can present a coherent explan-
ation of how allowing drug abusers to poison themselves burdens the rest of
us beyond the manner in which allowing ALCOHOL abusers to poison themselves
does so, I cannot see how this position can be defended.
Some think "the problem" is that recourse to drugs shows a lack of respect
for authority. Unless someone (not KKK) can present a sound case for jailing
ME -- I have NO respect for authority and will admit it freely to anyone who
asks -- I cannot see how this position can be defended.
What all this parallel structure demonstrates, other than that I remember
what I learned in 11th grade English, is that each person's view of "the prob-
lem" is really a reflection of something ELSE, not intrinsic to drug abuse,
that he dislikes. Sometimes it's just a matter of not being comfortable with
the divergent styles and preferences of others. Sometimes it's a fear of the
violence that drug ILLEGALITY has spawned. The act of taking drugs is itself
not involved in any of these things.
-- Fran Porretto #9 --
+
Why drugs were outlawed.
Francis W. Porretto #9
Date: Sat Apr 08 23:42:56 1989
Rusty, the answer will amaze you. It certainly amazed me when I first
confronted it. And it took quite awhile before I was willing to believe it,
so don't feel too bad if you react with incredulity.
The late 19th century saw a fantastic surge of Oriental immigrants to
the U.S. Building the railroads absorbed these people for some time, but
there came a time when they began to move into "normal" commercial endeavors
in large numbers. This distressed many other merchants and workers, who were
unready for the competition and unwilling to put up with it.
Opium was long a feature of Oriental culture, and the use of it came here
with those immigrants. It marked them distinctively, even beyond their racial
differences from other North Americans. Those who wanted the yellow man out
of North America thought they were being clever when they decided to attack
his leisure time activities as a way to make him uncomfortable enough to go.
Senator John Harrison was from California, the state which had absorbed
the largest absolute number of Chinese and Polynesian immigrants. He was won
to spearhead the drive to outlaw the opiates, for which reason the original +
federal anti-narcotics law is called the Harrison Narcotics Control Act.
Since this took place at the same time as alcohol Prohibition, the Cosa
Nostra and other underworld organizations decided to exploit the easier, ready-
made market for liquor in preference to the undeveloped market for narcotics
(which at that time had only attracted about 110,000 users). After the repeal
of Prohibition, the mobs turned their attention to narcotics, with results
we are all suffering today.
In short: racism was the original motivation, just as it was with gun
control. (Anyone here remember the phrase "Niggertown Saturday Night" -- ?)
After the problem CREATED by these laws had reached a certain size, very few
people could trace back the origin of the laws nor analyze out why they had
had those results. They knew what they disliked, but not why it had sprung at
them out of nowhere in so short a span of time.
The market for cocaine was created in a similar fashion, but the story
is longer, less clear, and some details are disagreed over by the historians.
I'm doing research on this right now, and I may have more to tell at a later
date. Stay tuned!
-- Fran Porretto #9 --