| Last summer we saw grizzly images of murders | | | | people are living the good life, have jobs and |
| in Mexican boarder towns, as drug lords rule | | | | homes, or maybe a boat, it is the dream come |
| despite the efforts of local police, killing at will with | | | | true. A couple buys a lake home and tells anyone |
| no regard for human life. Their business is selling | | | | who will listen that they live on a lake, yet their |
| drugs and when law enforcement, or regular | | | | teenage child mindlessly engages in reckless |
| people get in the way, death follows. If a drug | | | | behavior made worse by the fact that there is |
| deal goes bad, people die. The business of drugs is | | | | ample money to buy a good time. Their child isn't |
| death. | | | | a "druggie" and certainly the good people don't |
| America has had its "War on Drugs" since the | | | | become addicts, commit crimes and choke on |
| 1960's and always the focus of the conversation | | | | their own vomit. They brush the dirt under the |
| is on law enforcement. Drugs are illegal, so police | | | | rug so the world doesn't see, but the problem |
| have to intercede and stop the drug dealing. | | | | perpetuates and even grows because it can feed |
| Courts have to uphold the law. Drug dealers have | | | | on excess cash. |
| to go to jail. We need more prisons, because | | | | There have been efforts to curb the growing |
| there are so many people who will risk everything | | | | illegal drug trade. Programs like D.A.R.E. (Drug |
| for a quick buck. | | | | Abuse Resistance Education) are designed to |
| But there is another side to the "war" out there | | | | reach kids at an early age and give them solid |
| that we do not necessarily want to look at, | | | | information. The program is fine, mainly because |
| because it requires us to step out of the | | | | anything that teaches kids proper decision making |
| shadows and into the light. Those monsters who | | | | and how to avoid the pitfalls of drug addiction is |
| produce the drugs, distribute them and profit | | | | on the good side of the ledger. However, if |
| from their sale are just one side of the equation. | | | | parents are not engaged, if parents are alcoholics |
| If the "good people" who have jobs, live in the | | | | and drug users, there's only so much that D.A.R.E. |
| suburbs and drive SUV's didn't have an appetite | | | | can do. Still, the earlier a child understands the |
| for illegal drugs, there would be no drug lords. | | | | better, but the message has to stick and has to |
| It's not just the minorities in urban areas, the inner | | | | be delivered properly, not rammed down their |
| city people, or the folks who are down on their | | | | throat and the program does well in that area. |
| luck. It's the prosperous, middle class, | | | | To a certain extent you can change somebody's |
| well-educated people who have a shiny veneer, | | | | behavior through laws. We can make tougher |
| but who inside lack the moral fiber and personal | | | | drug dealing laws, call for longer prison terms, and |
| integrity to admit that they are equally culpable in | | | | climb up on our political soapbox and demagogue |
| this war and are just as guilty as the guy who | | | | the issue to death. We spend billions for more |
| sold the drugs, the guy who smuggled them | | | | police and more jail cells. The problem isn't solved, |
| across the boarder and the guy who directs the | | | | but when we get "tough on crime" we feel better |
| deadly empire. | | | | about ourselves. |
| The crumbling of American society, the | | | | The problem will never go away entirely, because |
| destruction of traditional family life, the lack of | | | | human nature hasn't changed since the dawn of |
| any kind of values other than success and fame, | | | | history. If you know a problem is coming, |
| are all to blame. We have chosen to go down | | | | however, and anticipate the event, it makes |
| that path. Last year in the Milwaukee area a | | | | defense a lot easier. Don't assume that Little |
| teenage girl died of an overdose. It got attention | | | | Johnny and Little Jane are not going to get into |
| because she was pretty and white. She was the | | | | trouble by experimenting with drugs. Don't |
| victim. It was a tragedy because a young life | | | | arrogantly dismiss the idea that your child can get |
| came to an end for a meaningless reason. | | | | into harm's way and blindly tell the world that |
| But don't tell me she was a victim. She made a | | | | your son or daughter isn't "one of those kids" |
| bad decision, but she chose to take the drugs. | | | | while they sneak off unbeknown to you and |
| The media had reports on the incident and we | | | | smoke some weed. Anticipate a bad decision and |
| are expected to be outraged. The girl died and | | | | plan for that eventuality. |
| somebody had to take the blame, because | | | | The drug culture lives in the shadows and avoids |
| society needs somebody to take the fall in order | | | | the light of day. Programs like D.A.R.E. hopefully |
| to feel better. Had the girl been African-American, | | | | bring the darkness into the light. Prevention and |
| the news media probably would have ignored the | | | | treatment are two tools to fight the war on |
| story. White suburbanites rationalize the loss of | | | | drugs, and while the law will always be there to |
| "one of their own" by telling themselves that | | | | do its duty, it is hardly the answer to the problem. |
| "those people" in the inner city are to blame. It's a | | | | Cain asked God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" |
| double standard. Drug lords live on this double | | | | Yes, especially when your problem becomes his |
| standard. | | | | problem. |
| It's the hypocrisy of the American Dream. If | | | | |