cannabisnews.com: Is Mayor Naive about Drugs? Is Mayor Naive about Drugs? Posted by FoM on January 28, 2001 at 08:42:17 PT By Peter Ruplinger Source: Deseret News There are several aspects that deeply concern me regarding Mayor Rocky Anderson's approach to the war on drugs. He appears to be either incredibly naive or has likely joined forces with the enemy. There are no nonviolent drug offenders. Everyone who uses drugs is supporting a diabolic enemy that perpetuates shattered hopes, violence, child abuse and murder. The occasional drug user is just as guilty for last week's brutal and tragic murder of a pizza delivery boy as the addict who stabbed him in the stomach and left him to bleed to death for a mere $19 in change. To say that there are nonviolent drug users is just as ludicrous as to say that there are nonviolent Klansmen. It is likewise ludicrous for Anderson to talk about easy sentences for first-time offenders. If Anderson is so naive as to equate first-time arrests with first-time offenders, he should step down. As in all crimes, first arrests are usually the consequence of numerous violations. Furthermore, with plea bargaining, drug offenders are predictably sentenced for violations much less than crimes actually committed. If Anderson wanted to win the war on drugs, his first step would be to look at countries where drugs are less a problem. Lenient nations, such as Switzerland, have failed miserably. Countries with strict enforcement, such as Argentina and the Dominican Republic, have succeeded notably. Japan, which suffered a rash of drug crimes in the past decade, is now instituting strict enforcement and tough penalties. It is interesting to note that those who share Anderson's feeble-minded ideas are typically middle-class or affluent drug users themselves. Those who have been seriously addicted, almost to the point of ruin, predictably support tough enforcement. Is Anderson naive or has he joined forces with the enemy?Peter RuplingerSandySource: Deseret News (UT) Author: Peter RuplingerPublished: Sunday, January 28, 2001Copyright: 2001 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: letters desnews.com Website: http://www.desnews.com/ CannabisNews Articles - Rocky Andersonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Rocky+Anderson Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by Dan B on January 29, 2001 at 20:50:40 PT: Great Point, Mungojelly . . . And add this to your well-made point about Klansmen: we don't arrest them simply for being a part of that group. In fact, police routinely provide security for their racist parades and rallies. Yet drug users--all varieties--are routinely arrested simply for being a part of a hated subgroup within the popular culture. Makes one think about the real priorities of our nation's law enforcement, doesn't it?Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by mungojelly on January 29, 2001 at 19:46:51 PT: innocent people killed I suppose us casual drug users are also responsible for all the innocent people shot by SWAT teams? "To say that there are nonviolent drug users is just as ludicrous as to say that there are nonviolent Klansmen." -- while I utterly disagree with the beliefs of the KKK, my disagreement does not blind me to reason. There are nonviolent Klansmen. In fact, most Klansmen are nonviolent. To suggest that all members of the KKK should be jailed because they have associated themselves with a distasteful and historically violent organization would be to promote the worst sort of fascism. This analogy between KKK members and drug users is wildly inaccurate, but also quite revealing. The implication is that violence will inevitably result if people are allowed to freely associate and express their ideas. I believe that just the opposite is true: violence flourishes in an atmosphere of dishonesty and repression. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Mr.2toes on January 28, 2001 at 22:09:03 PT wow The hipocrisy of this mans article is amazing, it call's illegal drugs basically...evil, but yet he owns a pharmaceutical company.I admire those country's that have become lenient, tolerent, or have legalized/decriminalized some drugs, you cannot hope to contain a man's lust's. the more you call something wrong the more attractive it is to young people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Dan B on January 28, 2001 at 17:04:30 PT: A Little Satire and Commentary The occasional drug user is just as guilty for last week's brutal and tragic murder of a pizza delivery boy as the addict who stabbed him in the stomach and left him to bleed to death for a mere $19 in change. To say that there are nonviolent drug users is just as ludicrous as to say that there are nonviolent Klansmen.The occasional alcohol comsumer is just as guilty for the rape, domestic violence, murder, and other violent crimes associated with alcohol consumption as the alcoholic who committed those crimes in an alcohol-induced rage (alcohol is the only drug known to induce violence on its own--that is, the violence associated with all other drugs is directly attributable to the fact that they are illegal). To say there are nonviolent alcohol users is just as ludicrous as to say that there are nonviolent CEOs of companies that supply "Reliable Machinery for Pharmaceutical Companies" (thanks, Frank S. World).See how ridiculous that looks? Ruplinger is a bigot. He hates people who choose to use non-government-sanctioned drugs. He and those like him are the reason why we have violence associated with non-alcohol drugs in this country. And when it comes time to try people for drug war crimes, I hope he has to answer for his hatred.In the Name of Peace AND Justice,Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by legalizeit on January 28, 2001 at 13:46:30 PT Just the tripe I'd expect from a Hatch sympathizer I have nothing against Mormons wanting to practice their religion, but when they cram their overzealous cosnervative views down the nation like Urine Hatch does, it makes me bitter.If this pin-head could back up even a tenth of what he spews with hard facts, he might have some credibility, but rabid prohib hype goes nowhere with me. It goes in one ear and oth the other, just like the xtians' gloom and doom nonsense. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Harvey Pendrake on January 28, 2001 at 12:48:38 PT This stuff again? >>There are no nonviolent drug offenders. Everyone who uses drugs is supporting a diabolic enemy that perpetuates shattered hopes, violence, child abuse and murder. Yep, we've all heard that before. But by that same tortured logic, everyone who buys a six-pack of beer is "supporting" hiway deaths, liver disease and...shattered hopes, violence, child abuse and murder! When you eat a twinkie are you supporting morbid obesity, heart disease and early death? Oh, and shattered hopes...I forgot about the shattered hopes.Mr. Ruplinger must lead an incredibly pure life. In his head. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on January 28, 2001 at 10:49:56 PT: His lies *are* his products. Everyone here has at some time heard the phrase, "intellectual captital". Well, believe it or not - despite the fact that their foaming ravings suggest the opposite - the antis *do* have such a thing. Although it is not anything new, in this particular instance, it is wholly-owned. Namely, their propaganda. They even *peddle* it, as a *commodity*, selling it to the USG as if it were ball bearings or petrol.Were Mr. Ruplinger subjected to the same 'truth in advertising' laws that any corporation would be in 'marketing' this bilge as fit for human consumption, he would be up on charges straightaway.But there's some good news in this: Ruplinger's subtle-as-a-sledgehammer attack upon Mayor Anderson - and every nonviolent drug user! - has temporarily blown the antis poorly fitting mask of fatherly benevelence covering a snarling jackal's face clean off. And shown the public a glimpse of a barely restrained, classicaly fulminating anti in fine form. The public is seeing the depths that the antis will go to perpetuate their empire. But, he has made the classic anti error: introduced information basically hurtful to *his own side*. How?First, by being so rabid in his denunciations, he has probably caused some people reading this who were neutral on the issue to start thinking about it. One of the biggest assets antis have is public apathy; if Joe Sixpack knew a 20th of what we do here, this DrugWar would have been burnt out and forgotten long ago. But now Joe Sixpack has had his eyes opened to the fact that not only is there an opposition to the DrugWar, but it is an *effective* opposition. Otherwise, why kick up all this fuss? Joe is bound to wonder why.Secondly, Mr. Ruplinger has invited scrutiny into his *own* stake in the DrugWar; as Frank has done, so will others. Anyone with half a cortex can see that there is a classic case of 'conflict of interest' taking place here...and the inevitable connections will be made. (That this guy heads a pharmaceutical equipment corporation is particularly damning, and I am sure that any reformer living in Utah will be quick to remind the public of this.)I hope that some one handy with pressure bandages and antibiotics assists Mr. Ruplinger; people who shoot themselves in the foot and then stick that foot in their mouths are in danger of both blood loss and septicemia. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on January 28, 2001 at 10:06:05 PT Thanks Frank Hi Frank,Good search results! Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Frank S. World on January 28, 2001 at 09:51:28 PT This could explain more... I did a search for Peter Ruplinger and found the following site for the Ruplinger Corporation, http://www.ruplinger.com/ a business located in Sandy Utah, that among it's products offers "Reliable Machinery for Pharmaceutical Companies".This could explain why he'd attack the competition. The page notes, "If you are not 100% satisfied with our products or services, please let me know. Peter Ruplinger"I am 0% satisfied with his arch-prohibitionist lies, that's for sure! The Ruplinger Corporation [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by DdC on January 28, 2001 at 09:35:16 PT Drug War Scam Eradicating 99.28% ROPE! How can these oil company pimps get a license to write in syndicated columns to flat out lie. Amazing what liars can get away with these days. But when General Electric owns CBS not much news is coming out nowadays. Just propaganda like this bozo's. BTW all the rhetoric does to white powder pharmaceutical junkies is spread AIDs and kill them on what a doctor would safely prescribe. Prohibitionist keeping hemp off the market and 270 million tons of chemicals on cotton and nukes and crude oil are poisoning people. Mostly frail seniors and babies. So now prohibitionist are truthfully just greedy BABYKILLERS!DdC99.28%http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=20.topicWoD is for the Birdshttp://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/29/29412.gif [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by observer on January 28, 2001 at 09:21:18 PT We Are Not Naive About Propaganda Quite a nasty little letter to the editor, no? Sadly, many people in the US have succumbed to years of anti-drug user hysteria and propaganda. Such people, full of righteous indignation for The Children, regurgitate the hate they have learned over the years. Peter Ruplinger's letter to the Deseret News is an example of that.Let's quickly run down the trusty list of prohibition propaganda themes, and see how many we can spot. (list of prohibition propaganda themes taken directly from "Themes in Chemical Prohibition" NIDA, 1979 http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ticp.html )1. The drug is associated with a hated subgroup of the society or a foreign enemy. ''feeble-minded ideas are typically middle-class or affluent drug users themselves.'' The drug is identified as solely responsible for many problems in the culture, i.e., crime, violence, and insanity. ''There are no nonviolent drug offenders. Everyone who uses drugs is supporting a diabolic enemy that perpetuates shattered hopes, violence, child abuse and murder. The occasional drug user is just as guilty for last week's brutal and tragic murder of a pizza delivery boy as the addict who stabbed him in the stomach and left him to bleed to death for a mere $19 in change. To say that there are nonviolent drug users is just as ludicrous as to say that there are nonviolent Klansmen.'' . . . . As in all crimes, first arrests are usually the consequence of numerous violations. Furthermore, with plea bargaining, drug offenders are predictably sentenced for violations much less than crimes actually committed. The survival of the culture is pictured as being dependent on the prohibition of the drug. ''If Anderson wanted to win the war on drugs, his first step would be to look at countries where drugs are less a problem. Lenient nations, such as Switzerland, have failed miserably. '' The concept of "controlled" usage is destroyed and replaced by a "domino theory" of chemical progression. [no mention of 'gateway', etc.] The drug is associated with the corruption of young children, particularly their sexual corruption. ''child abuse ... murder of a pizza delivery boy '' Both the user and supplier of the drug are defined as fiends, always in search of new victims; usage of the drug is considered "contagious." ''Everyone who uses drugs is supporting a diabolic enemy that perpetuates shattered hopes, violence, child abuse and murder. '' Policy options are presented as total prohibition or total access. ''Countries with strict enforcement, such as Argentina and the Dominican Republic, have succeeded notably. Japan, which suffered a rash of drug crimes in the past decade, is now instituting strict enforcement and tough penalties.'' Anyone questioning any of the above assumptions is bitterly attacked and characterized as part of the problem that needs to be eliminated. ''There are several aspects that deeply concern me regarding Mayor Rocky Anderson's approach to the war on drugs. He appears to be either incredibly naive or has likely joined forces with the enemy. . . . .It is likewise ludicrous for Anderson to talk about easy sentences for first-time offenders. If Anderson is so naive as to equate first-time arrests with first-time offenders, he should step down. . . . It is interesting to note that those who share Anderson's feeble-minded ideas are typically middle-class or affluent drug users themselves. Those who have been seriously addicted, almost to the point of ruin, predictably support tough enforcement. Is Anderson naive or has he joined forces with the enemy?'' drug war propaganda themes (the 1979 NIDA paper) [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: