cannabisnews.com: Drug Czar Accused of Supporting Terror





Drug Czar Accused of Supporting Terror
Posted by FoM on February 26, 2002 at 06:39:19 PT
By  Jon Dougherty
Source: WorldNetDaily
A full-page ad appearing in two major newspapers and sponsored by the Libertarian Party accuses the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy of supporting terrorism by fighting its "war on drugs." According to party spokesman George Getz, the ad – which is scheduled to appear in today's editions of USA Today and The Washington Times – "is a parody of the ads placed in 293 papers" beginning last month by the drug control policy office. 
The agency's ads – a pair of which were also aired during January's Super Bowl game at a cost to taxpayers of $3.4 million – seek to paint drug users as supporters of terrorists who market illegal drugs to raise money. One ad pretended to show terrorists buying weapons and asked viewers: "Where do terrorists get their money? If you buy drugs, some of it might come from you." In the second televised ad, young people made matter-of-fact statements like, "I helped kill a judge." One of the drug control office's newspaper ads said: "'Last week I washed my car, hung out with a few friends and helped murder a family in Colombia.' … Drug money helps support terror. Buy drugs and you could be supporting it, too." The ads drew criticism from the Libertarian Party, which has a long history of opposing the federal government's so-called "drug war." "For the Office of National Drug Control Policy to claim that drug users are to blame for financing terrorists is like a maniac who kills his parents and then throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan," said the party in a statement following the airing of the Super Bowl ads. In response, Getz said, the Libertarian Party developed its own drug-related ad, mockingly accusing the drug control office of also contributing to the financing of terrorists. The LP ad features a full-length photo of Bush administration drug czar John Walters, with the following caption: "This week, I had lunch with the president, testified before Congress and helped funnel $40 million in illegal drug money to groups like the Taliban. … The war on drugs boosts the price of illegal drugs by as much as 17,000 percent – funneling huge profits to terrorist organizations. If you support the war on drugs or vote for the politicians who wage it, you're helping support terrorism." Following the ad, the party gives a website address – http://www.lp.org/drugwar – for those who want more information. Getz said the ads cost $71,297 and were paid for with donations from party members. The Office of National Drug Control Policy was contacted for comment but did not immediately return phone calls. "The ONDCP's strategy is clear: It's trying to take the Sept. 11-inspired hatred of terrorists and use it to bolster the failing war on drugs," said Ron Crickenberger, the party's political director, in an e-mail to members. "And, by implication, it's suggesting that if you oppose the war on drugs, you help terrorists. "Well, we hate terrorists, too. In fact, we hate them so much we'd like to squeeze their funding down to almost ZERO," Crickenberger said. "We'd like to see the $40 million the U.S. government says the Taliban raised from heroin dwindle down to a few pennies. We'd like to see the $300 million that Colombian rebels raised from cocaine shrink down to a handful of pesos." The party believes legalizing some drugs would cause prices to fall. "Can you imagine how destitute terrorists would be if marijuana sold for the same price as lettuce? If poppies were worth the same as tulips? And if cocaine-producing coca plants were no more valuable than Brussels sprouts?" Crickenberger said. Jon E. Dougherty is a staff reporter and columnist for WorldNetDaily, and author of the special report, "Election 2000: How the Military Vote Was Suppressed." Note: Libertarian Party ad parodies feds' Super Bowl commercials. Source: WorldNetDaily (US Web)Author: Jon Dougherty Published: February 26, 2002Copyright: 2002 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.Contact: letters worldnetdaily.comWebsite: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Libertarian Party - Drug Warhttp://www.lp.org/drugwarNew Ads Hint at Change in War on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12062.shtmlBush's $19 Billion Antidrug Plan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11997.shtmlNew Low in the War on Drugs - A. Huffingtonhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11943.shtml 
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Comment #9 posted by Dan B on February 26, 2002 at 18:15:32 PT:
An Update
Just to fill everyone in on the current results of the WND "Should all drugs be made legal" poll, right now about 48% say "yes" (in various ways), 52% say "no."Think about that. This question does not ask whether cannabis alone should be made legal, and it doesn't ask if we should simply stop jailing people for using currently illegal drugs. It flat-out asks if all currently illegal drugs should be made legal, and 48% say that's a good idea.And this on World Net Daily, a notoriously conservative web site.So don't ever say that what we do here (and elsewhere with regard to changing drug policy) isn't effective. Dan B
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Comment #8 posted by idbsne1 on February 26, 2002 at 16:09:18 PT
goneposthole....
Especially when it's the truth.idbsne1
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on February 26, 2002 at 11:03:32 PT
Bill Maher
On Politically Incorrect last night Bill Maher went orbital about the busts of the medical marijuana clubs! It was so good to see him getting mad at our issues again. I don't agree with him on everything but I sure do as far as the drug war goes! Thanks ekim I'm sorry I missed it but I haven't been able to stand watching O'Reilly since he wasn't nice about the bet with Ethan Nadelmann.
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Comment #6 posted by goneposthole on February 26, 2002 at 10:41:49 PT
 A mighty sword
the printed word
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Comment #5 posted by ekim on February 26, 2002 at 10:18:43 PT:
anyone see O'rilliey last night with Walters
Bill was allover Walters said he should bomb the poppys in Afg. said we shoudl tighten up the borders. Then he started to talk about Canada and its borders and said Iam not interested in the pot stuff. Man I did a double take does Bill not know that the whole drug war stand on the "Pot Stuff" I would like to see the transcript of the show. -----Another thing today on C-Span a Woman was on talking about Enron and her story in Vanity Fair. A caller called in to say that Enron spent one trillion on MTBE a gas additive. People that have read my posts know I am a big supporter of Ethanol. Well the caller said that MTBE has contaminated ground water, and has affected the weather. The caller said that Dan Glickman head of the Ag. Dept. was going to say something about it affecting the farmers crops. I had not heard that before. But it is true that most States are moving to ban all MTBE use. www.ethanol-gec.org will get you to Ethanol Alert the Ne. energy department news letter. mike
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on February 26, 2002 at 10:15:12 PT
I don't know about all drugs...
(And here are the ads, good job, who ever organized it. Excelent)
Legalize all drugs? I don't think we should cage people that use drugs...I do know cannabis is a lot of things, but it is not a drug. Does it contain chemicals considered drugs? First it is a plant. And then does that equate to other plants that are contravercial? Cocoa, Poppies etc? Kaney bosm was used in the holy anointing oil. It is considered a holy plant in many regards. Drugs do not actually do what cannabis does.
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Comment #3 posted by Robbie on February 26, 2002 at 09:44:25 PT
ummmm...
In response, Getz said, the Libertarian Party developed its own drug-related ad, mockingly accusing the drug control office of also contributing to the financing of terrorists.There's nothing mocking about the ad. They are simply calling John Walters a terrorist.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on February 26, 2002 at 06:54:26 PT
Should All Drugs Be Legalized? - WND Poll
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/polls/
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Comment #1 posted by Doc-Hawk on February 26, 2002 at 06:46:10 PT:
More Ads
The Drug Policy Alliance is printing another ad in the Roll Call on Feb 28. The story is at: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/pr-february25-02x.html
    and the ad can be viewed at http://www.theantidrugwar.com/ .Time to warm up the letter writing pens and thank USA Today, the Washington Times and, on Thursday, Roll Call.
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