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The criminal activity was primarily selling recreational drugs whose legality has nothing to do with morals and everything to do with the profitability of compe
by betterunix 13y ago
The criminal activity was primarily selling recreational drugs whose legality has nothing to do with morals and everything to do with the profitability of competing enterprises. The broader picture here is that the profitability of SR was the result of legitimate demand for certain products. We are not talking about racketeering here. We are not talking about robbery, kidnapping, or fraud. We are talking about victimless crimes involving the sale of goods that are highly demanded.
DPR himself may have been a mean guy, assuming there is anything to this alleged murder-for-hire plot. The reality of the situation, however, is that a much greater harm has been done to society by drug prohibition itself. Millions of people incarcerated, millions of people exposed to drugs of unknown quality, and a widespread trend of soldiers attacking civilian homes in the name of the drug war. The DEA has the power to simply declare drugs to be illegal, then arrest people who possess them. The DEA is not only a police force, but also a military force (even receiving help from NORAD and the NSA) and an intelligence agency. People in foreign lands and here in the United States are being killed by our government in the name of this prohibition.
Do not think for a moment that the law is some kind of moral compass. Drug laws have a sordid history of racism, corporate hand-outs, and widespread corruption.
- dbags 13y agoNot talking about fraud? Hacking tools, identity theft tools, and false id kids were also sold on SR. This was definitely a marketplace for fraud. But hey, no need for honesty to enter the debate. Not when it undermines betterunix's precious libertarian religion. The libertarian religion is so strong that the Libertarians on this site are, predictably, not just defending SR. They're lying about what was on it, defending the hiring of hitmen, and generally making clear that Libertarianism is solely about self-interest and has ZERO underlying ethical frameworks.
- frozenport 13y agoI consider drug use eligitate demand, and I have no doubt the world would be better place without them. The stuff he was peddling will get you hooked fast.
- peterpathname 13y agounlike tobacco: hence its (legitimate?) status.
- bayesianhorse 13y agoPlease compare the effects of prolonged use of crystal meth or heroin to prolonged use of nicotine...
- betterunix 13y agoYes, and while we are at it, let's compare the effects of pharmaceutical methamphetamine and pharmaceutical opiates. The unregulated production process surrounding black market drugs causes quite a lot of damage, and that damage could be eliminated by legalization and regulation.
- frozenport 13y agoLets ask the experts: http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194494 http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194494 1. Dosage are 30x smaller 2. Users can tell the difference I have no doubt in my mind that meth ruins lives.
- bayesianhorse 13y agoThere are some drugs that practically can't be used recreationally without major damage to the user. Mostly these are highly addictive and lead to self-neglect and self-destructive behavior, very unlike nicotine and even alcohol. Legalization can't change this. What it might change is a shift towards less dangerous drugs to mob up the recreational drug market. SR however is not even slightly going in this direction, so the whole objection to the criminal nature of silk road is baseless.