This comment strikes me as an example of race reductionism that does more harm than good. The war on drugs unquestionably has a racist component and racism cont

This comment strikes me as an example of race reductionism that does more harm than good. The war on drugs unquestionably has a racist component and racism contributed to its origins, but it's not solely an issue of race and affects more than just minorities. Thinking of it being as "about racism" makes collaboration with natural allies more difficult. In this case those natural allies include the white working class, which suffers greatly from drug addiction, as well as doctors and other health care workers who value the integrity of their profession and believe drug policy should be focused on improving outcomes for drug users. Social action in America has fundamentally always been about compromise. Race, class and gender reductionism discourage it. It's both possible and productive to say you empathize with the problems someone else faces, your set of problems overlaps, and the two of you can cooperate without debating whose problems are more significant.