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| High Dudgeon |
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Posted by FoM on April 05, 2002 at 14:39:56 PT By Jacob Sullum Source: Reason Magazine 
It was bound to happen sooner or later. Drug warriors have discovered the Internet. In a report that is generating alarm among drug policy reformers, the Justice Department's National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) explains that the Internet, "variously referred to as the National Information Infrastructure or the information superhighway," has "revolutionized communications worldwide." Apparently it "serves today as the nation's primary medium for the exchange of news, mail, and general information." This Internet thingie "is at once a world-wide broadcasting capability, a mechanism for information dissemination, and a medium for collaboration and interaction between individuals and their computers without regard to geographic location." That may sound pretty cool, but the government is worried that some drivers on the information superhighway may be under the influence of unconventional ideas about drugs. The NDIC report focuses on the "Threat to America's Youth" posed by these deviants, who include "drug offenders," "drug-culture advocates," "advocates of an expanded freedom of expression," "anarchist individuals and groups," and "other lawbreakers" (such as "pornographers and pedophiles"). Focuses may be too strong a word. The report is maddeningly vague about whom, exactly, the NDIC has in mind. Are organizations that provide honest drug information, such as the Alchemind Society or the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a Threat to America's Youth? What about drug policy reform groups such as the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or subversive publications such as High Times (or Reason, for that matter)? The NDIC concedes that actual drug dealing is exceedingly rare online, so the Threat consists mainly of inconvenient facts and dissenting speech. Fortunately, the NDIC has discovered the First Amendment as well as the Internet. In a section on "Challenges Facing Policymakers and Law Enforcement," it explains there is precious little the government can do about people who refuse to join the crusade for a drug-free America, even if they use the National Information Infrastructure to spread their heresies. Jacob Sullum is senior editor of Reason. His book on the morality of drug use is scheduled to be published next winter by Tarcher/Putnam. Source: Reason Magazine (US) MAPS -- http://www.maps.org NORML -- http://www.norml.org/ Alchemind Society -- http://www.alchemind.org High Times Magazine -- http://www.hightimes.com DOJ's Dot-Narc Rave Strategy -- http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12215.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #7 posted by Lehder on April 06, 2002 at 08:11:53 PT |
| In a section on "Challenges Facing
Policymakers and Law Enforcement," it explains there is precious little the government can
do about people who refuse to join the crusade for a drug-free America.... Yet there is an answer, my friend: Police have arrested 354 activists as they organized protests against disputed presidential elections, in what critics say is the latest example of President Robert Mugabe's efforts to turn Zimbabwe into a police state....The activists jailed Thursday were arrested under the sweeping Public Order and Security Act, passed by ruling party lawmakers in January, which requires police approval for all gatherings of more than three people that are seen as political in nature. Amnesty International condemned the arrests, accusing the ruling party of a campaign of "reprisal attacks" against opposition supporters. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020405/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe_crackdown_9 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by Patrick on April 05, 2002 at 18:45:58 PT |
| And now the antis want to equate cannabis use with… "…Advocates of an expanded freedom of expression," and" other lawbreakers" (such as "pornographers and pedophiles")." Need I say much more about where this is going? 9/11 was a tragic event that will go down in history as the start of WW III. They keep giving us hints at who the hunted down enemy will be. I am just shocked that it includes advocates of freedom. All under the guise of defending freedom itself. Then again the beef on cannabis is that they are protecting me from myself. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by mayan on April 05, 2002 at 17:52:19 PT |
| Mike Rupperts site, http://www.copvcia.com , has been hacked down again! There are mirror sites up but not with the Vreeland interview. Here it is: http://rense.com/general21/know.htm [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by mayan on April 05, 2002 at 17:26:35 PT |
| The NDIC will just have to "Endure Freedom". Sorry antis. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Toker00 on April 05, 2002 at 16:59:17 PT |
| Everything that is happening on the internet, happened in life before, and will happen, after. Are they just now realizing that people do these things, at all? And we thought the government was way behind the people. They are way behind reality. Peace. Realize, then Legalize. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on April 05, 2002 at 15:01:40 PT |
| I'm going to find one of those American Revolution historical monuments and give a moment of silence to the people who gave up their lives for our freedom. [ Post Comment ] |
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