cannabisnews.com: Drugging The Mafia Drugging The Mafia Posted by CN Staff on August 02, 2002 at 09:15:57 PT By Joel Miller Source: WorldNetDaily Interviewing DEA head Asa Hutchinson for his Tuesday night ABC Special "War on Drugs: A War on Ourselves," John Stossel pointed out that if drugs were legal, crime would ratchet down because people wouldn't have to steal or harm others to get their fix. Legal drugs would also remove organized criminals from the trade. "After Prohibition ended, did … organized crime go out?" Hutchinson asked. "No, organized crime continued." So what happened? "They shifted. They moved to other elements of crime." Yes, they did. And if you've ever seen "The Godfather," you know to where. Ever since the Harrison Act in 1914, narcotics have been illegal in the U.S., and criminals have sold them. Six years after its passage Dr. Charles E. Terry lamented the law's key oversight: "We had counted without the peddler. We had not realized the moment restrictive legislation made these drugs difficult to secure legitimately, the drugs would also be made profitable to illicit traffickers." Early on, organized crime shied away from dealing drugs; with booze verboten in the 1920s, mafiosi moved crates of beer and gin – or better stuff if you could afford it. They also dabbled in prostitution and gambling. Drug running was left for crooks on the lower rungs. But not for long. After the Noble Experiment proved so ignoble and was scrapped, the gangsters needed a new source of revenue. Trouble was, the world was distracted by a Great Depression and rumblings in Germany. By the time the war in Europe was raging, attentions were diverted from vice and focused on victory. To aid in the war effort, mobsters were recruited by the U.S. government in two areas. At home, they watched the docks to prevent sabotage and spying by Nazi sympathizers and agents, and abroad they helped organize the invasion of Sicily by uniting the Mafia families of Italy to aid in the fight. Lucky Luciano was one of the homebodies. During the war, his men patrolled the docks and clubbed a few Nazis. The payoff for Luciano was a commuted 50-year sentence. The only hitch was his exile. With the whiskbroom-mustachioed monster dead and our boys coming home, Lucky Luciano was deported to Italy in what proved a very dumb move on the part of the U.S. government. Once in Italy, Luciano teamed up with a clutch of Corsican mobsters with heroin refiners in tow. Aided by his connections in America and Europe, Luciano began creating a massive international dope ring. "It was the start," said opium historian Martin Booth, "of the notorious French Connection. …" The French city of Marseilles had served since just after the First World War as one of Europe's main transportation hubs for heroin. By the time Luciano and Co. got the engine roaring, however, the smack was really sailing out the doors. "This organization was to traffic 95 percent of the world's heroin for the next 20 years," writes Dominic Streatfeild in his new book, "Cocaine." Luciano's partner in all of this, Meyer Lansky, set up shop in pre-commie Cuba – the ideal place from which to ship drugs to the very nearby U.S. And the shipments weren't just heroin. Close to South America, Lansky began dealing in cocaine, which during the '50s and '60s was a very lucrative drug due to its scarcity in the U.S. His efforts paved the way for the coke boom of the '70s and '80s – he showed his partners, the Colombians, just how much money could be made with an illicit product and a hungry market. George Will tells the story of a 1969 encounter between Pat Moynihan and George Shultz that makes the point perfectly. Moynihan was Nixon's domestic policy adviser and had just returned from urging French officials to forcibly disconnect the French Connection. Shultz, on the other hand, was "from the University of Chicago, home of flinty realism about the power of strong appetites to create markets in spite of disapproval of governments." Exuberant about his achievement, Moynihan told Shultz of the trip to France, vainly hoping for some mutual good vibes: "Good," said Shultz with deflating dryness. "No, really," said Moynihan, "this is a big event." "Good," said Shultz, again not interrupting his paperwork to feign excitement. "I suppose," ventured Moynihan, "you think that so long as there is a demand for drugs, there will continue to be a supply." "You know," Shultz replied, "there's hope for you yet." Unfortunately, there seems little hope for Asa Hutchinson. He is exactly right: Organized crime did not "go out" after Prohibition ended. It just moved to another prohibited product – one Hutchinson wants to keep illegal – and crime and violence kept moving. Distracted by the Great Depression and WWII, crime from illegal drug trafficking was nowhere near as bad as that of the war on alcohol. But by the 1960s, violent crime was up like a rocket. While crime in the U.S. has been falling for a decade, the reality is that the rates are still propped up by the illicit drug trade, a trade made violent by its illegal status and the type of people who prosper in prohibited trades – nasty men like Lucky Luciano. Despite this in-your-face reality, Hutchinson still holds out hope. "You do not win in these efforts by giving in," he told Stossel. Nor do you win by pursuing a policy that is better suited to exacerbate the problem than solve it. Joel Miller is the book editor for WorldNetDaily. Additionally, his own publishing company, Oakdown, recently published "God Gave Wine" by Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. Source: WorldNetDaily (US Web)Author: Joel MillerPublished: August 2, 2002Copyright: 2002 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.Contact: letters worldnetdaily.comWebsite: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/Related Articles & Web Site:CRRH Video Link - John Stosselhttp://www.crrh.org/hemptv/news_ABCnewsJ.htmlJohn Stossel Takes on the Drug Warhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13579.shtmlJust Say No: Government’s War on Drugs Failshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13578.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #17 posted by FoM on August 02, 2002 at 19:17:22 PT Please Don't Miss This Moving TV Commercial http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread13614.shtml#3http://www.randforcongress.com/August 2, 2002FIRST TELEVISION COMMERCIALCarole Ann's first TV commercial, attacking Bob Barr on the issue of medical marijuana, is ready to begin airing. You can view it here:http://www.randforcongress.com/video/rand1.rm Cheryl Heart [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by p4me on August 02, 2002 at 17:52:04 PT Thank you John Stossel John Stossel did a piece once called "John Stossel Goes to Washington" where he said it cost $40,000 to get $10,000 dollars to those who need.There are truths that need to be told and this link should be a bumberstickers. What will happen when cell phones scan bumperstickers. No more need for a painted slogan. "Stossel tells the truth" shows up on your cell phone and you listen to a reading of new truth shaming the fascist.It is us peasants that out number them 3 to 1 and we are coming over the walls of the tyrants that rape the planet and the people. We are going to shout Universal Health Care. We are going to talk about the Senate approving purchases from Canada at descent prices and break the rape of people over a few chemicals. Some medicine can be grown for the peasants that might otherwise suffer. Most Fascist Republicals look down on peasant medicine. 3 to 1- that is the pragmatist against all on the other side of the stone wall. We are having video problems right now, but after Christmas we will begin a renewed effort at spreading truth with video. Wethepeople outnumber them 3 to 1 and they are supprised we attack and want their heads for their inhuman treatment of the people. They once called my a bean counter. Well let me tell you about counting pills. Let us talk about aspirine that you could buy a bottle of 500 of at the next sale. No to scary. How about a sulfer compound that I should take for ulcerous colitus. I say a batch that weighs 1 pound cost with all the sanitation standards and safety standards and lobbying and all say cost $50. Feel free to add official numbers doughnut man if you ever want to do public service work. A gram a pill and a pill a day would mean that $50 should last me 454 days using my marijuana Math. Even if I could buy pills and use at that rate even if they had a 50 cent sale would be 3 months instead of 15 months and I really doubt sulfur with something else real common is $50 a pound.Have you ever thought how much trash you create during a lifetime including a gallon of pee a day and the doodee and the percentage of the cars you wore out and the gas you burned it would be a big pile. Now consider how many pounds of medicine you will take in a lifetime and throw a guess at its cost. Now how much will a refill cost you?I want to put up a link to Cspan. I was ever so lucky to Senator Hollings of South Carolina give his "The fix is on" hammer to the fascist. That is some valuable footage that Cspan has and I hope that it has audience on the web. Broadband is wonderful stuff. http://www.c-span.org/watch/cspan_rm.asp1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by el_toonces on August 02, 2002 at 17:24:42 PT: Letter to ABC For what it's worth, here's my note to ABC News Pres. Westin:July 31, 2002Mr. David Westin President, ABC News 47 W. 66th Street New York NY 10023 RE: John Stossel special - War on Drugs: War on OurselvesDear Mr. Westin: Thank you and your network for airing the recent John Stossel special "War on Drugs: War on Ourselves." While I was aware of a lot of the problems with drug prohibition pointed out by the program, I thought your crew did a fantastic job of putting the pieces together in way that really struck home with me. Never I have seen the "War on Drugs" as the folly it appeared to be on that program — and, in fact it is such folly and empty rhetoric. I commend Mr. Stossel, and you, for putting the pieces of the mosaic together so well and for not just accepting the government sponsored "cultural norms" about drugs and economics. It became apparent to me after viewing the show that the more effort that goes into this silly war, the worse the problem will get. The show's focus on economic principles was very helpful to me, and I hope, many other viewers. Thanks again for airing such an honest, refreshing program. The ABC folks made me feel very proud to live a society with free speech the other night. Sincerely yours, Michael SegestaMS:kmsPS -- DarkStar -- I perhaps can help with RealPlayer, but have no way to get in touch with you....I don't have a Hubble scope:) [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by i420 on August 02, 2002 at 15:39:12 PT Lies Lies Lies People like Bob should be shot on sight. Hitler would be oh so proud of these white trash prohibitionist [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on August 02, 2002 at 14:14:46 PT Dark Star I can't help you but maybe someone else can. I've had problems with one from Pot TV but the CRRH worked fine. I tried 2 times with the one from Pot TV and it caused an error which closed the page down and said to restart the computer so I did. I don't understand video. It's new to me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Dark Star on August 02, 2002 at 14:10:54 PT Help with RealPlayer Can anyone help me? I cannot use RealPlayer at work, and everytime I have ever downloaded components to my home system, it has tried to take over the computer and eliminate all A-V programs, no matter how much I check the boxes and try to rain it in. I would like to see these files some other way. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on August 02, 2002 at 13:51:39 PT kapt and p4me I agree kapt and thank you p4me. I'm glad it is available. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by kaptinemo on August 02, 2002 at 13:39:17 PT: As they used to tell me on the gunnery range... Target in proximity; FIRE FOR EFFECT!Bob, old son, start brushing off that resume; you're gonna need it. That is the best confrontational commercial I have ever seen. Concise, to the point...and very hard hitting. I does by proxy what no anti has los cojones to do; face the people they've hurt so much. This is the sort of thing that makes antis break out in cold sweat, despite their public bravado. More! More! More! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by p4me on August 02, 2002 at 13:39:09 PT High and good Friday I think we really have them now. The weapons of mass informing is the John Stossel truth of the war against ourselves. It is the moralist against the pragmatist. The more people get on the web and the better we become at spreading information, the better the chance at a better way, which is of course legalisation with an s. Thanks FoM, for finding the link to the Stossel hammer of enlightenment: http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/news_ABCnewsJ.htmlI want to say they arrested Colin Davies Sr. for perjury and now they have turned around and charges Colin with the perjury and fancy legal deriviatives in an effort to see they stay in jail for a long time. They are making asses out of themselves for this effort to kill a heroes freedom and get off and knowing he physically suffers because of there actions. Anyone else with the red ink punishing and overcrowded jails and all they might get house arrest. Colin gets jail for being a hero and having a heart and the Crown gets one more chance to spend one person's college education to rob one man of freedom and medicine.When UK gets there MMJ laws together and Colin or some other spinal cord victim lights up on the stand after coming directly from jail and fires one up for example, everyone that here's accounts of the embarrassment will see how cruel and senseless it all has been.How many people do you know that have been recommended for knighthood. Ususally they choose someone famous to bring glory to the Queen. Forget about the glory of the people and the people that hero for them. I will not forget Colin's story and a story recorded is a story forever. There will be a movie so even the cave dwellers will eventually hear.I do not feel sorry for Colin or his dad. The prisons can hold so many and the government's desire for credit will beg restraint of expense. The common man was always just "cannon fodder" once the cannons shot bombs as large as the weakened trench soldier in WW1. We have a war for freedom against our own governments and Colin and his dad are our "cannon fodder" and our living heroes for the people.So today Colin and his dad fight sucking out the last vestages of venom of the moralist and the criminal justice forces that want to send their children to college fighting crime. Well we the people will eliminate some unjust marijuana laws and that will help with your crime and budget and pragmatism will prevail.And I will tell you who will settle it- mom. My prediction is there is going to be a big outcry in the US over milk. Last night there was a special on the big increase in autism and logic says there has to be a reason. Men in this country are growing breast and the story of the poor cows tells it all. Cows that should live 20 to 25 years now only live 4 or 5 as the moneymen have a certain chemical they like to use to increase production as by as much as 25%. It is going to make the radar screen because moma will be not like pappa having prettier breast than her. And momma will say forget about the marijuana stuff, we know you don't care about Wethepeople. Now stop the bullshit and fix the milk. Like in the War of the Worlds when no one knew how to defeat the Martians, the movie ends with the answer of germs.Now I don't believe anyone every doubted that it would be over when moms started speaking. Milk with Posilac should now be a schedule 1 narcotic as it is definitely more dangerous than marijuana. The greedy BAHstards should have never messed with the milk. Mom is going to let you have it.1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by E_Johnson on August 02, 2002 at 13:28:51 PT Goodbye Bob That's a powerful ad. How are they going to attack that? Well he did one good thing which was to team up with Tammy Baldwin to lead the House assault against the Feinstein-Hatch anti-meth bill that had provisions that could have put FoM and myself and other marijuana webmasters into prison for a year.I think he was worried that pro-NRA webmasters would be the next group pushed down that slippery slope. I think the NRA lit a fire under him on that one.Hmmm oh man I guess I owe the NRA one, oh dear. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by TroutMask on August 02, 2002 at 13:17:50 PT Join the "debate" FYI, they're still duking it out over at the ABC discussions:http://boards.abcnews.go.com/cgi/abcnews/request.dll?LIST&room=stossel-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on August 02, 2002 at 13:16:31 PT: We've been saying all this for years... The Mafia in bed with the Navy in WW2. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller doesn't mention the CIA in bed with Hmong opium growers and Vietnamese and Chinese traffickers during (and after!) Viet Nam. Or the CIA in bed with Contra coke dealers during the US led attempt to topple the Ortega government or Nicaragua. Or the CIA in bed with the opium growing Northern Alliance in Afghanistan.There's no law against serial monogamy, but this is ridiculous. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on August 02, 2002 at 13:12:10 PT the missing parts Dean noted, "While I believe there is a need for discussions in the public arena, I firmly and unequivocally believe that all illegal drugs must remain illegal, and there is no room for negotiation on that." [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on August 02, 2002 at 13:10:47 PT Pearls of wisdom "You do not win in these efforts by giving in," he told Stossel. Nor do you win by pursuing a policy that is better suited to exacerbate the problem than solve it. That's a classic.There's been several recently with all the Boys being on TV and all.Stossel's program prompted this frumpish reply form CADCA. In it General Dean noted:, If I was Bush, I'd keep Hutchinson and McCaffery hidden with Cheney. CADCA reply to ABC re: Stossel [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 02, 2002 at 12:53:36 PT Check Out This TV Commercial http://www.randforcongress.com/August 2, 2002FIRST TELEVISION COMMERCIALCarole Ann's first TV commercial, attacking Bob Barr on the issue of medical marijuana, is ready to begin airing. You can view it here:http://www.randforcongress.com/video/rand1.rm [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 02, 2002 at 12:43:24 PT VitaminT Good job! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by VitaminT on August 02, 2002 at 12:31:20 PT Here's my letter to ABC News David Westin, President, ABC News 47 W 66th St. New York, NY 10023Dear Mr. Westin, I want to say Thank You for airing John Stossel's outstanding ABC News Special, "The War on Drugs: A War on Ourselves." In my opinion, a National Drug Policy debate is long overdue! The problem we face is the fact that ANY debate is a threat to Prohibition orthodoxy. Hard core believers in this failed policy are loathe to give it up under any circumstances. Mr. Stossel's program has done a good job of spurring healthy debate. However, once is not enough! there are no fewer than a dozen essential issues within the overall Drug Policy dialogue which demand a higher profile in the media. "The War on Drugs: A War on Ourselves" introduces many of these issues but could not, in the space of one hour, reach all of the salient points that need to be told. I want to encourage you to run this Special again and consider expanding the scope of the task to bring even greater depth of coverage. For example: The Bush Administration, since 9/11, has asserted that drug users are supporting terrorism. I believe that such a statement is a foolish mistake! The drug policy reform movement has long pointed out the undeniable link between Prohibition and Organized Crime and now, by extension, Terrorists! In a grim sense, September 11th is a case of "chickens coming home to roost." Our foolish drug policy is like handing a big club to a bad man and daring him to hit you with it. But the administration would rather scapegoat the hapless and the addicted, unfortunately standard operating procedure for power politicians needing to deflect attention from their own ineptitude. Prohibition provides a protected economic engine capable of driving the nefarious activities of anyone ruthless enough to control it. Capone, Escobar, and Ben Laden are a few prominent examples. They saw the power of prohibited drugs and seized the opportunity to capitalize, each of these men is famous for it!In closing let me again say Thanks to you and to Mr. Stossel and to the whole ABC News editorial staff! You’re making it difficult for me to criticize the corporate media – and that’s a very good thing! I'll be watching for more such excellent programming on issues relating to drug policy and other important topics.Sincerely, [ Post Comment ] Post Comment