http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2012/05/obama-evolution-and-same-sex-marriage.html
Now that Obama has "evolved" on same-sex marriage, there is another issue that Obama has to start evolving on, something that Obama has disappointed many liberals and libertarians on.
That issue is the militaristic drug policy. Ever since Richard Nixon declared the "War on Drugs", every president tried to portray themselves as "tough guys" by putting stricter punishment on drug violations and allowing for more militaristic raids on suspected drug pushers/users/etc.
For too long, these raids allowed for abusive cops to go crazy. And in too many cases, they raided the wrong house, but it's too late! Those who get raided are either dead, severely injured or severely traumatized.
This has also encouraged cops to be an occupying force in many Latino and African-American communities. But even the European-Americans aren't immune, especially those who are into the punk rock or rave scenes that are targeted by SWAT teams.
And it's not like those raids are reducing crime either. In fact, just like how alcohol prohibition had encouraged Irish, Italian and Jewish mafias to run rampant, the drug prohibition are causing black market turf wars in African-American and Latino communities. And it has poisoned much of Latin America. The Mexican mafias aren't shooting each other over tacos and burritos because those things are in the legal market. The mafias fight over illegal markets.
Portugal, Netherlands and other European countries have a more lenient policy on drug issues, and they don't have mafia wars like the countries in the Americas.
And now Latin American leaders are noticing that the European approach is better than the American approach to drug policy. They are discussing having a less militaristic drug policy.
Meanwhile, in the US, Barack Obama promised to not have the DEA raid farms and clinics associated with medical marijuana in states that allow them. But Obama has broken that promise, and the DEA raids continue.
This has pissed off many liberals and libertarians, especially since Obama admitted to smoking a joint when he was younger. Lucky he didn't get caught, otherwise, he would've been either on probation or in jail, making him less likely to have become president.
photo from
young Obama smoking a blunt
Last year, Obama wass probably nervous that favoring a more lenient drug policy might alienate older voters in Ohio and Iowa.
But now that Obama got re-elected, Obama can put caution on the side and do something brave and right for once.
He could end the federal government's militaristic policy on marijuana.
The militaristic drug policy isn't helping. The younger generation understands that! They have evolved.
Unlike Obama, I have never smoked anything in my life. But I know when things aren't working. It's time for Obama to evolve and start having a less militaristic drug policy!
