Bridging the gap

Reading Michael Yon’s interview with General Barry McCaffrey (via Frank) reminded me that there are very powerful people who are hard at work establishing in the public mind an ineradicable connection between drugs and terrorism (and hence the need to do Whatever We Can). They have to, because otherwise the use of extreme remedies such as the Homeland Security Act, Patriot Act provisions, TSA Viper Squads operating on public highways, SWAT Teams, Predator drones, and the rest might be questioned by ordinary folks.

But if drugs are a military threat (as well as a huge money maker), then it all becomes a no-brainer.

For both “sides.”

As Hillary says, we can’t legalize drugs because there’s too much money involved.

And if you disagree with the official position, why, there’s a well organized movement that, intentionally or not, will keep you marginalized.

Opposing the Drug War means agreeing with Ron Paul, which means being a racist, a homophobe, and an anti-Israel bigot.

Being anti-Drug War has to mean being a kook. And if you oppose the Drug War and you cannot accept the status of being a Ron Paul kook, then you should be further marginalized — preferably by being driven into the Libertarian Party.  Which is one step away from being an unperson.

God forbid that opposing the misguided and statist war on drugs might ever become a conservative position, much less a respectable or mainstream one.

Thank God that William F. Buckley died, and his arguments have been relegated to the archives.

(Surely there must be a way to further marginalize such thinking.)