cannabisnews.com: An Enforcer Who Sees The Human Side of Drug Battle An Enforcer Who Sees The Human Side of Drug Battle Posted by FoM on September 02, 2001 at 20:35:30 PT By Lizette Alvarez Source: New York Times It was an invitation that Asa Hutchinson could not refuse: "I want you to go to a rave with me, Dad." Mr. Hutchinson's initial reaction was no surprise for a congressman who had just been nominated to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. "It's a bad idea," he told Seth, his 18- year-old son, to go to a rave, a huge, all-night party fueled by earsplitting, hard techno music and, often, club drugs like Ecstasy and methamphetamines. But Seth persisted, arguing that not all ravegoers are drug users, and Mr. Hutchinson, sensing a father-son moment and an interesting learning experience, relented. "It's a parent-son thing for me at this point," said Mr. Hutchinson, 50, whose vibe is more way more crisp and clean-cut than grunge and hipster-cool.Before long, his son had posted his father's appearance on the rave's Web site, and the rave's promoter had asked to meet the congressman. Hours before he was set to go, the drug agency got wind of it, tracked him down and waved him off."Not a good idea," Mr. Hutchinson said he was told. "The promoter was going to get arrested that night for distributing 1,000 pills of Ecstasy."Talk about an auspicious start at the Drug Enforcement Administration.As its new director, Mr. Hutchinson hopes to make the fight against club drugs one of his priorities. Club drugs, he said, are more difficult to intercept than some other drugs because they come in pill form and are easier to conceal.It was just three months ago that the former Arkansas congressman, who is respected and lauded by both Republicans and Democrats, got a call from the White House, asking if he was interested in the job. A former United States attorney in Arkansas who had developed some expertise on drug issues, Mr. Hutchinson said the thought had not crossed his mind, and while he believed in the mission, he was not sure he wanted to give up his House seat."I need a call from the president," he told the White House adviser. When it came, he said yes to President Bush on the phone. "I'm old- fashioned that way," Mr. Hutchinson added. "I don't believe you turn the president down."Born in Bentonville, Ark., Mr. Hutchinson grew up on a farm, one of six siblings. His father and mother started a local Christian radio station and the Benton County Christian School, and Mr. Hutchinson attended Bob Jones University. Mr. Hutchinson, who is easygoing and unshakable, also graduated from the University of Arkansas Law School. He is married to Susan Burrell and has four children and one grandchild, Asa IV.Mr. Hutchinson made his most notable mark in the House as one of the impeachment managers who prosecuted President Bill Clinton in his 1999 Senate trial. His performance was viewed by lawmakers in both parties as thorough and deliberative without seeming overly partisan. The former president was not the first Clinton Mr. Hutchinson had prosecuted. In 1984, he sent Mr. Clinton's half-brother, Roger Clinton, to prison on cocaine charges.Mr. Hutchinson glided through his Senate confirmation hearing. His brother, Senator Tim Hutchinson, introduced him and said kind things, as expected. But his foe during the impeachment proceedings, Representative John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, one of Mr. Clinton's chief defenders, also showed up to praise him. And Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Mr. Hutchinson a man of "integrity and intelligence.""It was one of the most gratifying things that happened to me in Congress," Mr. Hutchinson said of the cascade of compliments.But his new job ranks high in the thankless and difficult category. It might remind some of the portrayal in the movie "Traffic" of a tormented, but fictional, White House drug adviser. (Mr. Hutchinson's job is part of the Justice Department.)What Mr. Hutchinson hopes to bring to the job, which he started this month, is a sense that drug trafficking and drug use are about real people and complex, everyday situations, he said. He knows this firsthand. A nephew committed suicide at 16 after being addicted to drugs. His parents had sent him to rehabilitation several times, but the problems persisted."It's extraordinary the battles people face when it comes to substance abuse and addiction," Mr. Hutchinson said.Although he does not play down the law enforcement side of his job, which he calls essential in deterring drug dealing and drug use, he is just as quick to underscore the need for drug education and rehabilitation, especially for nonviolent offenders. "You're not going to arrest your way out of this problem," he said. "The risk itself is not enough."And it is especially important in this job, he said, "to see the human side of it and for the public to understand that you see the human side of it."As for the drug agency's international presence, Mr. Hutchinson said that fighting drugs abroad, in places like Colombia, Mexico and the Netherlands, was a crucial piece of the puzzle.While the drug agency often gets a bad rap, Mr. Hutchinson said his predecessors and their drug policies had not failed. Drug use is down, despite a recent upward spike."It's difficult because we have changing leaders, and they change focus," he acknowledged. "Consistency is lacking. That's the biggest thing to keep America engaged."Source: New York Times (NY)Author: Lizette AlvarezPublished: September 3, 2001Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company Contact: letters nytimes.com Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Forum: http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/ Related Articles:Is Asa Hutchinson Qualified To Run DEA?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10770.shtmlDEA Head Says No to Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10674.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Asa Hutchinsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Hutchinson Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by sam adams on September 03, 2001 at 06:47:27 PT right on you go, GCW! You're probably the only one of us who is speaking in a language Assa understands. The drug war will end when the clergy steps forward together to recognize and indict the terrible human rights mess. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by The GCW on September 03, 2001 at 06:18:20 PT The ONE who can make a pig sing. Winston Smith and every one on the Road to Find out..(including us).This is a healthy bunch of toungue BUT the http://www.hickoryvalley.org/sermons/John%2014.htm Titled: The "Advantage" of the Holy Spirit By Duke Stone, is worth stopping what your doing for a few minutes to examine this!I am much more serious than a heart attack, I am as serious as what comes after the heart attack.There is no need to fake it. The Holy Spirit is in Fact The Holy Spirit of Truth. Through the Holy Spirit of Truth, I can take you to Him and bring Him to you. You can also see that when we judge that of others, that as it says in the manual, that judgment will be turned on to you, so it may be well to accept that the relationship man can have is not faked, yet you have created a barrier with the concept of faking it based on your own innerness directed toward your self, which is yourself where the actual wound causes the hurt or in fact failure. The failure to fix that will hinder your relationship with God through the Holy Spirit of Truth, for you have claimed others contain the fake, yet it is within you that the fake manifests. I can take you to Him and Him to you and you can then take your self back again. #1. Prey, and while praying (with out faking it), ask God, through Jesus Christ to forgive you for your sins (clean your robe), for he will face you full on.#2. Spend some time with Him, your Father, for He so cherishes this so much.#3. Ask your Father to show you the Truth on this issue of killing, caging, of your brother and neighbor for accepting cannabis.#4. Give it a few minutes.I testify that as promised in the Bible, what has come to me will come to you as well as anyone who really wishes to walk with God. TRANSFORM FROM BELIEVING IN GOD TO KNOWING GOD. The Holy Spirit given to us by God, through Christ, is capable of your selves having a better relationship with Christ God, than what the 12 disciples had in physical form. Any one faking it should consider the awesome beautiful comfort of knowing the Holy Spirit of Truth. This is in John Chapters, 14, 15 & 16. A year ago I read this page, and it really helped put this into perspective. http://www.hickoryvalley.org/sermons/John%2014.htm Titled: The "Advantage" of the Holy Spirit By Duke Stone.If anyone believes in God, and wants to go quickly to knowing God, this will help you see where your headed.-The Jamaican Christians Rastas et al. have plenty of input, that takes you to the God awesome realm, that I am including.#1. Prohibition & The Bible (8 in specific), - http://www.olywa.net/when/bible08.html which significantly quotes: A logical reason for the Lord to have given it psychoactive qualities, is that it makes one feel closer to God. It is an aid to communication with the Lord. The reason that people like to be "high" because it feels good to be closer to God. Most are not be aware however, that God is trying to communicate with them however, and just enjoy the high.#2. Ganja The Herb of Inspiration, http://users.hartwick.edu/~chauftyj/ganja.htm , which significantly quotes: The smoking of the herb offers a key to a new understanding of self and of self as God. This altered consciousness is the only time in which man can experience himself as a God, and he treats others as if he were a God. In this way, he lets his light shine which aids in creating a God-like culture with cosmic unity that the Rastafarians strive to achieve. Only with the herb can one easily deal with the dismal state that exists in the oppressive society of Babylon. For if anyone enjoys using cannabis, try it with God, and enjoyment of cannabis goes uphill to even please our Father. I testify that a man can use cannabis & have a relaitonship with God through the Holy Spirit of Truth of Christ God. Winston Smith, reach out, for there is so much more. Kaneh bosm, food and medicine are a few of the references we have for cannabis, in the Bible, but it never refers to cannabis as drug. Medicine and drug may but may not be the same. Drug today is a dirty word with evil implications, medicine, all of it is of the Lord. The neutral words drug and medicine now have stigma attached, that is drug / evil / bad, medicine / Godly / good. Not that I would routinely refuse drugs as medically needed, but with an open mind and a narrow path, we shall see all truth on our road to find out and know God. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by The GCW on September 03, 2001 at 04:44:15 PT Seperated from God by oath. Never try to teach a pig to sing.It only wastes your time and it annoys the Pig.If a good Christian man, walking with God, gives up placing God 1st, to take & uphold the laws of man instead of upholding the laws of God 1st, he has fallen.He has fallen away from the faith. He now places mans laws 1st, by oath, placing Gods laws less. We can try to help him, but he is a free agent and likely has a hardened heart. God is his only chance, and God will let him know one way or the other. If God can create a creature to suck the oxygen out of water for its existance, then God can make a pig sing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Mothra_Megalon on September 03, 2001 at 03:53:31 PT ignored? jacksplace58.I dont think everyone ignored the first part of this article,I think everyone was busy talking about other stuff,and I think your observations were great. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by jacksplace58 on September 03, 2001 at 03:40:17 PT whats up? Why has everyone ignored the first part of the article/ As soon as Asa found out there was going to be a bust he should have made it a point to be there to see just how his black faced commandos perform their duties. Instead he listens to his soon to be subordinates and doesn't show, why? Afraid to see just how the DEA does a bust and run? Did the raid actually take place? Were the agents afraid they would have to bust Asa and his boy for illegal drugs? If that was the case then whoever called was obstructing justice and should be in jail like any other citizen. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by aocp on September 03, 2001 at 01:36:37 PT Chills my bones ...to hear this sort of thing:"You're not going to arrest your way out of this problem," he said. "The risk itself is not enough."First of all, watch him try. I don't trust this guy any more than i could pack and smoke him. Even worse, why do consenting adults require this sort of parental guidance at all? You saw the great results you got with your poor nephew and that was in "treatment".I would think that "the risk itself" of drug abuse would be one of the best teachers, but hey, i only live in the real world. Not some anti pipe dream. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by SirReal on September 03, 2001 at 00:35:59 PT Asa-Linger Now all Asa's gotta do is comlete the job and walk off like Mr Douglas did in "Traffic" [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by SirReal on September 03, 2001 at 00:34:03 PT Asa-linger Now all Asa has to do is complete the analogy and walk off the job, as did Mr Douglas did in "Traffic" [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by SirReal on September 03, 2001 at 00:31:12 PT riiiigghhhtt riiigghhhhtttt [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Lehder on September 02, 2001 at 22:14:28 PT another rehabilitated drug user A nephew committed suicide at 16 after being addicted to drugs. His parents had sent him to rehabilitation several times, but the problems persisted.What were the effects on this boy of repeated bouts with coerced "rehabilitation"? Far worse than those of any drug he was taking, I'd bet. What did he have to say about his drugs? What did he have to say about rehabilitation? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 02, 2001 at 22:10:18 PT Monday at 10:30 p.m. - William F. Buckley Hi Everyone,I just saw that William F. Buckley will be on Greenfield at Large tomorrow night ( Monday the 3rd ). He will be talking about the drug war. That's all I know so far but will check the web site tomorrow for hopefully more details.'Greenfield At Large'Weeknights at 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. ET on CNN.Monday - William F. Buckleyhttp://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/greenfield/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Rambler on September 02, 2001 at 21:53:24 PT fantastic! Yes Robbie,the same line caught my eye;"..."to see the human side of it and for the public to understand that you see the human side of it." Evidently,Mr. Hutchinson is so deeply saturated in the role of being a career politician,that he has lost sight of the fact that making the public to understand that you see the human side of it,is not something that he should be saying to "the public".Why would the public be concerned about Mr Hutchinsons political image?Are we to think that faking out the public into thinking he sees the "human side",is an important issue? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by sam adams on September 02, 2001 at 21:31:08 PT The NY Prohibition Times What a disgustingly suck-up article. It's so funny, you KNOW Assa's son regularly does drugs!! Imagine the angst of being a teenager in a radical bible-belt Christian home. I'd like to see how the DEA plans to fight drugs in the Netherlands - they're going to get a big "F-you" from the EU.Great rhetoric coming out of the Big Three drug warriors these days....they want to continue the massive expeditures in law enforcement, and spend even MORE of our money on treatment. No wonder all the Congressmen kissed his ass in the hearings, they're just like big fat pigs rushing to the trough to bring in more $$$ for the home state, to hire some more DA's and cops to build up their patronage machines......ugh, are we ready to move to Canada yet folks? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Robbie on September 02, 2001 at 21:19:19 PT Someone get that man a vibe! said Mr. Hutchinson, 50, whose vibe is...This guy thinks Starsky has a vibe? What's he been smokin'?And it is especially important in this job, he said, "to see the human side of it and for the public to understand that you see the human side of it."And, most importantly, that the public doesn't see that you are bending them over, and that you're thrusting evenly and consistently...so they'll like it better. (sorry for the visual)"It's difficult because we have changing leaders, and they change focus," he acknowledged. "Consistency is lacking. That's the biggest thing to keep America engaged."Carter was all about changing things until pressured to do otherwise. Then we had Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and now we have Bush the Also... Maybe I was too stoned, but did anybody see any shift in focus?Oh! That's right -- if a Democrat is a drug-warrior, then he doesn't fight hard enough. Thanks Assa. Now I understand. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment