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The misguided war on drugs was first and foremost a sincere attempt to curtail the prevalence of drugs. That the effect of this so-called "war" has disproportio

The misguided war on drugs was first and foremost a sincere attempt to curtail the prevalence of drugs. That the effect of this so-called "war" has disproportionately fallen on racial minorities is due to broad systemic racism, but it was not the intent or purpose of the initial declaration of "war."

DonHopkins 4y ago
Are you sincerely calling the War on Drugs sincerely motivated? So you admit there is broad systemic racism, but insist it had absolutely no effect on the motivations of the people who started and supported the War on Drugs, and that it's unfair to call Nixon and Reagan racist, huh? Then address my response to rayiner above, quoting their very own words recorded on tape, and John Ehrlichman's admission. And don't lie through your teeth. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33121939 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33121939
- pwinnski 4y ago
  Please, calm down! Don't call me a liar. I don't need to prove my anti-racist bona fides to you or anyone else. As should be obvious from my comment, I am very much against the so-called war on drugs, and thinks it's awful in many ways, including in racist ways. However, I also don't think it would have gotten the support it did in early days unless many people, even the majority of people involved, had not felt that they were actually addressing a real problem with the sale and use of drugs. In addition, I don't think it's helpful to describe it in terms that put everybody into one of two buckets, where the only two choices are "be okay with any and all drugs" and "racist." That drug policy in the US is horrifically racist, and has been since even before the so-called "war on drugs" began is clear. But the way out is not to pretend that the only basis for the policy from anyone, ever, is racism. If you want to feel morally superior enough to call people you don't know on the internet liars, then go ahead. But you will probably fail to convince anyone not already convinced.

DonHopkins 4y ago

Are you sincerely calling the War on Drugs sincerely motivated? So you admit there is broad systemic racism, but insist it had absolutely no effect on the motivations of the people who started and supported the War on Drugs, and that it's unfair to call Nixon and Reagan racist, huh? Then address my response to rayiner above, quoting their very own words recorded on tape, and John Ehrlichman's admission. And don't lie through your teeth. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33121939 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33121939

pwinnski 4y ago
Please, calm down! Don't call me a liar. I don't need to prove my anti-racist bona fides to you or anyone else. As should be obvious from my comment, I am very much against the so-called war on drugs, and thinks it's awful in many ways, including in racist ways. However, I also don't think it would have gotten the support it did in early days unless many people, even the majority of people involved, had not felt that they were actually addressing a real problem with the sale and use of drugs. In addition, I don't think it's helpful to describe it in terms that put everybody into one of two buckets, where the only two choices are "be okay with any and all drugs" and "racist." That drug policy in the US is horrifically racist, and has been since even before the so-called "war on drugs" began is clear. But the way out is not to pretend that the only basis for the policy from anyone, ever, is racism. If you want to feel morally superior enough to call people you don't know on the internet liars, then go ahead. But you will probably fail to convince anyone not already convinced.