The American Spectator

Eric Dondero| 7.29.09 @ 6:45PM

You seem to be caught up in the utilitarian argument against drug legalization. Even if what you say is true, who cares?

It's the moral argument that overrides your prohibitionist attitude; essentially what right does the government have to tell us how to live our lives, particularly what we can eat, drink, and smoke, so long as we are not violating the rights of others?

Jim| 7.29.09 @ 7:32PM

I don't think Brian realizes it, but he's just made a powerful argument in favor of marijuana legalization. If the biggest problem with marijuana use is that it fuels violence across the border (and, uh, threatens to make the Southwest "descend into chaos"), then legalization seems to be precisely the solution: if it were to become legal to cultivate and grow marijuana in the U.S., no one would have any reason to smuggle the stuff up from Mexico. The best way to make sure those dirty hippies grow their own crops is to ... make it legal for them to grow their own crops.

But of course, Brian isn't interested in a sober discussion of public policy. He just doesn't like those pot smokers in their Che Guevara t-shirts.

Scott| 7.29.09 @ 8:44PM

Agent Rosas was murdered next to the border wall. Clearly, the wall did not protect him, just as it does not protect the rest of us. The border wall that is due south of Phoenix is apparently not preventing kidnappings there. We have already wasted $3.1 billion on walls that do not work. Time to quit pumping taxpayer money into an utterly false sense of security.

Ricardo de la Torre| 7.29.09 @ 9:46PM

That 700 miles of fence that Brian mentioned was mandated to be double layered, like the one near San Diego, which is really effective.
The 661 miles that have been built is mostly single layer, of various configuration, and not worth much in the way of stemming illegal crossing.
Some of it is virtually worthless but Giffords and a host of other members of the Halls of Congress don't want to build an effective wall.
And Scott, there is not much in the way of a wall in the area where Rosas was murdered.

Ricardo de la Torre| 7.29.09 @ 11:21PM

Brian didn't seem to do a lot of research on this article.
Not only does he not know much about our border fence, he doesn't know that there is no "U.S. Customs and Border Patrol", there is U.S. Customs and there is U.S. Border Patrol.
Rosas was a Border Patrol agent, pure and simple.

NOBAMA| 7.29.09 @ 11:23PM

You're dead wrong, Scott; and you're obviously not from SoCal or you'd know the wall on our border with Mexico has deterred many thousands of illegal aliens and drug/human traffickers from entering our state.

Why do you think Arizona and Texas have had a spike in the number of problems with illegals recently?

You are ignorant, so please shut up.

G. A. Kevis| 7.30.09 @ 9:23AM

Remember all:

4 states - Calif, New Mex, Ariz, Tex - facilitated
the gorge of drugs saturating the USA afore and
now.

Footnote: GWB was governor of TX during
the 'early years' of drug infiltration into this
country.

Hold all 4 'governors' accountable for this
plague upon America.

Aaron| 7.30.09 @ 9:30AM

Its very easy to quote the simple facts that MSM likes to throw out to over simplify things. The reality is that the boarder fence has been politicized. What has been built, most of that is not completed to the intended standards.

Posting an argument in favor of legalized mary jane so that the "cival war in Mexico" can be stopped? WTF? Clearly either I have a little vodka left in my system from last night or maybe a need to add a little cause maybe I'm not reading clearly.

As an American I'm all about the common defence, all for a border fence, all for stopping drug trafficking. I also believe its in our best interest to give Mexico a hand up to end corruption and bring them into first world status. However, Mr. O'Connell You trashed your whole piece by using it as a sneak attack for drug legalization, or at the very least to insinuate that we should turn a blind eye to people who cultivate their own crop.

Bill Harris| 7.30.09 @ 11:18AM

Debaters debate the two wars as if Nixon’s civil war on Woodstock Nation didn’t yet run amok. One need not travel to China to find indigenous cultures lacking human rights or to Cuba for political prisoners. America leads the world in percentile behind bars, thanks to ongoing persecution of hippies, radicals, and non-whites under banner of the war on drugs. If we are all about spreading liberty abroad, then why mix the message at home? Peace on the home front would enhance credibility.

The witch-hunt doctor’s Rx for prison fodder costs dearly, as lives are flushed down expensive tubes. My shaman’s second opinion is that psychoactive plants are God’s gift. As God witnesses (Gen.1:12), its all good. The administration claims it wants to reduce demand for cartel product, but extraditing Marc Emery increases demand. His seeds enable American farmers to steal cartel customers with better product at lower price.

The constitutionality of the CSA (Controlled Substances Act of 1970) is derived from an interstate commerce clause. This clause is invoked to authorize funding outlaws, endangering homeland security, avoiding tax revenue, and throwing good money after bad. Official policy is to eradicate, not tax, the number-one cash crop in the land. America rejected prohibition, but its back. Apparently, SWAT teams don’t need no stinking amendment.

Nixon promised the Schafer Commission would support the criminalization of his enemies, but it didn’t. No matter, the witch-hunt was on. No amendments can assure due process under an anti-science law without due process itself. Psychology hailed the breakthrough potential of LSD, until the CSA halted all research. Marijuana has no medical use, period.

The RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993) allows Native American Church members to eat peyote, which functions like LSD. A specific church membership should not be prerequisite for Americans to obtain their birthright freedom of religion. Denial of entheogen sacrament to any American, for mediation of communion with his or her maker, precludes the free exercise of religious liberty.

Freedom of speech presupposes freedom of thought. The Constitution doesn’t enumerate any governmental power to embargo diverse states of mind. How and when did government usurp this power to coerce conformity? The Puritans came here to escape coerced conformity. Legislators who would limit cognitive liberty lack jurisdiction.

Common-law must hold that adults own their bodies. Socrates said to know your self. Statutes should not presume to thwart the intelligent design that molecular keys unlock spiritual doors. Persons who appreciate their own free choice of path in life should tolerate self-exploration for seekers. Americans’ right to the pursuit of happiness is supposed to be inalienable.

Simple majorities in each house could put repeal of the CSA on the president’s desk. The books have ample law on them without the CSA. The usual caveats remain in effect. You are liable for damages when you screw up. Strong medicine requires prescription. Employees can be fired for poor job performance. No harm, no foul; and no excuse, either. Replace the war on drugs with a frugal, constitutional, science-based drugs policy.

Jimi| 7.30.09 @ 12:44PM

That so called border fence is mostly just old railroad rails welded up into a so called "vehicle barrier". The spacing is so wide that smugglers just use a ramp and any truck less than 8 feet wide (all of them) can drive over in 30 seconds. Pedestrians just walk over it. It was designed to fail just like the 80 million wasted on those disfunctional Boeing sensor towers.

This is just a smoke and mirrors dog and pony show to give the appearance of doing something while the smuggling goes on as usual, just the way the Feds want it. Expect no change except for the demographics of the nation.

Bobby| 7.30.09 @ 4:06PM

Jimi is completely correct. Almost everything that is referred to as the fence is a joke. An abolute joke. It couldn't keep out a 100ft. crane in most places. This is done by design. Americans, who are always and forever preoccupied with everything but , well, their nation, don't get any of what's happening to them AND I'm coming to the conclusion that they don't even care as well. They don't care about their families friends or even themselves. The North American Union that so many say is a conspiracy,is happening right before their eyes. Huh.!! Yeah, that's right. What do you call an administration that is planning amnesty and is, like Jimi says, essentially leaving the borders open. What do you call it, if not the plan to continually connect Narco State Mexico, with the United States of America? Spread the word about the treason, and fire, recall, vote out , every single public official that is destroying your nation with illegal immigration.

madMommy| 7.30.09 @ 4:06PM

Any wall is better than no wall. Two walls are better than one wall. But it is the incentive that needs rebuilding. There is no incentive to stay in Mexico who offers nothing for their poverty stricken masses.

Sanctuary city policies make the walls seem ineffective because the illegal immigrants will go over every wall to get free services from our states.

We encourage their illegal entry when we award their illegal behavior with every free service the taxpayers offer for our poor citizens. You just need to be poor to get them.

Come to California where all you need to do is have an anchor baby and get on the gravy train for life. We offer free housing, food, education and healthcare.

The land of the free, if you're brave enough to break the law to get here.

The Redskin Redneck| 7.30.09 @ 4:39PM

mad Mommy, says "The land of the free, if you're brave enough to break the law to get here."

AND THEY ARE. BRAVE ENOUGH ,DISRESPECTFULL ENOUGH, CRIMINAL ENOUGH AND ARROGANT ENOUGH. And imagine what goes on once they are established here, knowing that criminality and disrespect works????

Nobama| 7.30.09 @ 7:27PM

What does it say about us as a nation that we don't give enough of a damn about our beautiful country to defend it against invaders of all kinds?

My beloved state, California, used to be a beautiful place to live--but no more. It looks like a third world squalid dump and it breaks my heart. Traitors in both political parties have betrayed us.

Brian Kerr| 7.30.09 @ 10:39PM

The argument abut Cannabis smokers filling the pockets of organized crime is a false one.

I could argue that every time I you fill up your car you are supporting terrorist countries like Saudi Arabia or Libya, Iran etc.

Jeremiah| 7.31.09 @ 2:55AM

Yeah, but those three violent countries don't comprise our southern border.

Solicitors in Wakefield| 8.7.09 @ 6:26AM

The only thing that will come of making Cannabis legal is the fact they'll be more teen wasters messing up there lives by taking exams high as a kite... Smuggling will still go on as growing an easily accuired substance that does take a lot of care to grow, would just be a waste of time... We should go after the ring leaders of these smuggling gangs and take em down by force... No matter what though smuggling will always happen no matter what we do, they will find ways round it!