Drug Cartels Growing Cannabis in North Texas

War on Drugs

An article in yesterday’s Forth Worth Star-Telegram highlights the ineffectiveness of the government’s failed “drug war” polices.

“Mexico’s nimble drug cartels are leapfrogging tightened border security and establishing sophisticated marijuana-growing operations in North Texas and Oklahoma, law enforcement officials say. This month alone, sheriff’s departments in Texas’ Ellis and Navarro counties found three irrigated, fertilized and manicured pot-growing operations near Ennis and Corsicana.

More than 16,000 plants have been uprooted from the sites, said Duane Steen, an assistant commander of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Narcotic Service in Austin.

Last year, a 12,000-plant operation found in Ellis County was the first sign that Mexican drug cartels have branched out from smuggling marijuana to cultivating it in Texas, Steen said.”

As drug gang violence in Mexico and along its border with the US increases, now would be a great time to reassess our nation’s drug polices.

Legalization of drugs would put an end to drug related violence spreading across Mexico and the US. Drug violence occurs due to the very fact that it is illegal.

Alcohol is a perfect example of how prohibition can create an atmosphere of underground  markets and violence. Once alcohol was legal and regulated, criminal distribution became nearly nonexistent. Gang violence due to alcohol competition dropped to zero.

Decriminalization of drugs would also lighten the burden of our prison systems. According to the American Corrections Association, the average daily cost per state prison inmate per day in the US is $67.55. State prisons held 253,300 inmates for drug offenses in 2005. That means states spent approximately $17,110,415 per day to imprison drug offenders, or $6,245,301,475 per year. Nearly 20% of prisoners are imprisoned due to nonviolent drug related offenses.

RELATED: I suggest reading former Baltimore cops Peter Moskos and Stanford Franklin’s August 17th article in the Washington Post, It’s Time to Legalize Drugs.

Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The Separation of Marriage and State

Government marriage?

California’s vote in favor of Proposition 8 in November limited “marriage” to one man and one woman. Many who opposed this proposition were angry at certain demographics after its passing. Religious groups and blacks, who were overwhelmingly in favor of this initiative, received the brunt of the blame. However, they failed to look at who was the most to blame; the State of California.

Why is it the the state is in the business of marriage to begin with? Giving the government the authority to “marry” people only promotes limiting marriage. If one powerful group dislikes gay marriage, all they have to do to outlaw it is lobby their representative, or in this case, vote overwhelmingly as a block. However, if the government stayed out of the business of marriage and solely let religious/private organizations perform such functions, there would be less limitation. If you’re straight and your church performs marriages between a man and a woman, then get married there. If you’re gay and your church performs marriages for men or women, then so be it.

The only valid function the state government has in marriage is the civil union aspect between consenting adults. The state must uphold the legal contract made between the consenting parties. If Bob and Jim are married through their church, and have a civil union contract through the state, the state must protect that contract and enforce it if it is broken. If Bob dies, Jim will have a contract stating that Bob’s possessions are to be given to Jim; and vice-versa. If Emily is unconscious in the hospital and must receive medical care, Jane can authorize its use via their civil union contract with the state.

Penn Jillette said it best on Tuesday:

“I’m totally against straight marriage — even though I’m married. I don’t think heterosexual marriage is any of the government’s business. I think you make any contract you want, you know, if you want to marry several women, several men, you want to marry another man, another woman, anything — make a contract, make a civil union and get the government out of the business of who we have sex with.”

This post was based on the Campaign for Liberty’s article, The Separation of Marriage and State.