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No need to hypothesize. The rampup of the drug war under Nixon was largely to attack blacks, hippies (antiwar), and other counterculture figures. [0] "We cou
by existencebox 8y ago
No need to hypothesize. The rampup of the drug war under Nixon was largely to attack blacks, hippies (antiwar), and other counterculture figures. [0]
"We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did." (John Ehrlichman, Nixon's domestic policy chief)
In the interim, it became a wedge issue and via "tough on crime", an extension of certain party platforms, (also in that it has effectively become the status quo for some population segments) and I think persists largely as some combination of the above.
[0] https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/23/politics/john-ehrlichman-richard-nixon-drug-war-blacks-hippie/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/23/politics/john-ehrlichman-rich...
- mc32 8y ago>tough on crime" Yeah, Clinton and her “superpredators”. Decades later she follows thst gem up with “basket of deplorables”. Politicians will politick.
- andrewhn 8y agoBeing that I dont trust CNN, do you have any other first hand sources, a video or a recording of this interview? Its my understanding that Ehrlichman never actually said this.
- existencebox 8y agoI don't feel like you gave the article due diligence; dislike of CNN aside, as you'd see that they are very open about the quote being contested (No surprise, given the sensitivity), but given the fact that Nixon contested pretty much all the things that we DO have on tape of him saying, (Some of which is in this exact vein, e.g. [1]) and that the end result of their policies WAS exactly as the quote describes, I find your disbelief somewhat surprising. (ESPECIALLY given Ehrlichman's role in watergate) Nonwithstanding, I'm pretty sure the original source was via Dan Baum here [0], but given the preponderance of evidence towards an occams razor interpretation of Nixon's policy and the lack of any meaningful evidence to the contrary, it seems extremely reasonable to accept this as legitimate. [0]http://www.antoniocasella.eu/archila/DanBaum_2016.pdf http://www.antoniocasella.eu/archila/DanBaum_2016.pdf [1]http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/press_box/2010/12/nixons_jewish_problem.html http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/press_box/20... “going after all these Jews. Just find one that is a Jew, will you.”
- throwaway-hn123 8y agoHey, feel free to go fuck yourself. Ignorant racist troll.
- wyoh 8y agoThat doesn't explain why it is banned in most countries around the world that didn't have Nixon nor blacks.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- erikpukinskis 8y agoIt’s an interesting point. I’d be interested to know the history of cannabis prohibition in Europe and Central America.