Those who fail to learn from history

...are doomed to repeat it.

When Carry Nation and the Temperance Movement gained sufficient traction in the US to get the 18th amendment passed, we were plunged into a period of lawlessness from which we have never fully recovered. As a result of Prohibition (ended by the ratification of the 21st Amendment), several other liberties were infringed (notably firearms - NFA34 passed after repeal but ostensibly as a result of the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre).

Why bring this up now? Because we have been in a hot war for the last couple of decades with gangs over a different prohibition. Namely, the War on Drugs. As a nation, we didn't learn the lesson of Prohibition. As a result of Drug Prohibition, we are now looking at more infringements on our 2nd Amendment rights. As a result of Drug Prohibition, the drug cartels are in open warfare over turf and profits, and at the expense of our liberties.

One only has to look at the citizen abuse by SWAT teams, and the excesses of ATF and DEA to know that it is only a matter of time before the citizens say "enough!". If you couple the illicit drug trade with the human trafficking component of illegal immigration, you will see that our open border is a siren-song invitation to turn a fast buck in America, laws be damned.

Karl Denninger hits one out of the park in this essay on this topic and I encourage you to go read it.

While you are at it, go and review the Militia Clause in light of the article. I believe that we are being invaded from the south. As a member of the unorganized Militia myself, I wonder if I'll be called into service by Congress to support my nation?

Silly me. What was I thinking?

We need to think long and hard about the War on Drugs and the cost to society for continuing it. Not just the cost in treasure, but also the cost in lost Liberty. Think about the injustices we are currently subjected to as citizens now. Things like no-knock entries where a diligent citizens might get killed by LEOs for reasonably defending his property from attack. Things like asset-forfeiture provisions which disregard the 4th and 5th amendments. How about corrupt public officials? Or open warfare on our southern border?

How much of the above would disappear if we declared the War on Drugs a failure and treated drugs like we do alcohol today? Tax and regulate, but do not prohibit. How much of our crime problem would go away like the prohibition-related crime did post 21st amendment? Anybody? Bueller?

Something to think about.

Pax,

Newbius