Of Mice and Men: Gangs, Narco-Terrorism, and the USA

[davidbfpo]

.....the contention that many of the problems discussed here in this thread get fixed by starting with legalizing drugs...it is an idea seemingly dismissed out of hand. Is that a good thing?

PK=COIN,

IIRC the debate over legalising drugs has appeared before and on many threads. It is has had a good airing and this is a small 'c' conservative site, albeit with a variety of opinions that are not 'c'.

davidbfpo

[PK=COIN]

to do with the lack of that debate in policymaking circles. It was sort of an errant thought that popped into my head as I was reading through the thread, since I had just put down that particular Economist yesterday. I guess what I was thinking as I read the thread was that the legalization debate seemed like one of the sides in the discussion taking place in the thread.

But, of course, I see now it might have appeared I was suggesting legalization as an option, which wasn't my intention.

Upon reflection, I probably should have stuck to what I was interested in re: my comment....the gang and insurgency commonalities.

Ah, well.

[Majormarginal]

The elites of society have been at war with the forces of order for years. Some law firms do pro bono for gangsters for sport. Due to the witch hunt environment against the police today the forces of disorder are up in the game.

[selil]

The elites of society have been at war with the forces of order for years. Some law firms do pro bono for gangsters for sport. Due to the witch hunt environment against the police today the forces of disorder are up in the game.

I don't know if the current environment is a witch hunt against police. From what I have observed the corruption of law enforcement in the United States has increased at the same pace as militarization of the police. The type of corruption has changed from simple graft to contract killings and homicide. You list Chicago in your sig/block I don't have to mention the special unit that was recently broke up and had charges filed.

[Majormarginal]

I don't know if the current environment is a witch hunt against police. From what I have observed the corruption of law enforcement in the United States has increased at the same pace as militarization of the police. The type of corruption has changed from simple graft to contract killings and homicide. You list Chicago in your sig/block I don't have to mention the special unit that was recently broke up and had charges filed.

Police corruption is in the eye of the beholder. There are many standards and definitions of corruption. As far as I can tell every corruption article or academic paper has a different definition. IMHO a level of corruption is part and parcel of police work. It needs to be weeded out and dealt with but it will never go away. The special unit that was disbanded was brought back under another title. The unit has had eight names that I can think of. I don't know what this has to do with the "militarization" of the police? I have not seen us "Militarized". We have more restrictions on weaponry now than we ever have. These restrictions get tighter all the time. I carry a revolver just as I did when I started.

At the start of my career the chaplain told us to hold tight to our beliefs because we were going to be tempted. I am still waiting to be tempted. Some succumb.

It is also my experience that the police are the least corrupt unit of government.

[selil]

Police corruption is in the eye of the beholder. There are many standards and definitions of corruption. As far as I can tell every corruption article or academic paper has a different definition. .......The unit has had eight names that I can think of. I don't know what this has to do with the "militarization" of the police? I have not seen us "Militarized". We have more restrictions on weaponry now than we ever have. These restrictions get tighter all the time. I carry a revolver just as I did when I started.....

My experience may be slightly different..

In the 1980s when I became an LEO I carried a S&W686 (18 rounds total) and wore a uniform. In the 1990s when I left I was carrying a Ruger P85 (60 rounds total). We went from shotguns to carbines. Our uniforms changed to jump suits and fatigue pants. When I started the number of SWAT teams was unquestionably low. The number in the late 1990s exploded. All related to the war on drugs. Like his politics or not, Balko has a detailed exploration of the issue of domestic militarization of police and the effects. We have a tendency to dismiss that which we disagree but the data within the Balko paper is open source and verifiable.

In the question of narco terrorism there is a pretty good case to be made that the war on drugs has created the narco terrorism. Just like prohibition the criminal society will fill a need when the law is contrary to the general citizens desires.

[Majormarginal]

I'll read the Balko article. The executive summary looks interesting.
I carry a 686 and a 649.
I'll let you know what I think about the article.
Invictus Vae Victus