Boston cop shot-Interesting angle

[Major Blood]

That's nice Hawg...what kind of cookie do you want?

And I stand by my comment...the "it'll never change" attitude is the mindset of a coward, I don't give a frog's fat ass what you've decided to do for a career.

This country has a big problem, and the "mop up the spill but don't secure the container" approach that people like you are brainwashed into enacting doesn't do squat but continue the cycle. It's a stop gap measure, it's not a solution. We need to press for that solution, and the only way is to pressure our government to do the right thing, as the forefathers and writers of your beloved Constitution would want us to do....not surrender to the windbag politicians, concede defeat, and say "...we can't change anything".

THAT'S what happened to this country. All the trouble our forefathers went through to ensure that this country would remain a free people and not subjects willingly submitting to every whim of their government was wasted, thrown right out the window.

And nice language...just what I'd expect though. I must have touched a nerve, hit a little too close to home...people don't react that way to bullshit, do they?

I think you really should work on those anger management issues...and in any case, watch your mouth...I'm not the one.

 

[Mass-diver]

Hey, I'm all for it...as long as the scumbag CEO white collar criminals that bilk thousands of retirees out of their pensions every time we turn around are hanging right there beside them...as long as corupt cops that get caught tampering with evidence to make an charge stick are swinging too...and how about judges, DAs and yes, even juries in cases where someone was found guilty, spent half their life in jail, then were cleared by DNA evidence, let's get them fitted for nooses too...but that's never the case is it?

As far as the respect thing, no of course shooting cops isn't going to garner respect from cops, that's not what I was implying. As far as cops getting respected, it would help if every time they came into one of those high-risk communities it wasn't to arrest someone or shake every one in sight down because they "fit the description"...it's people like you that had no idea that police brutality even existed because it had never and would never happen to you. Most of mainstream America thought it was just "minorities whining" until the King video, then everybody gasped in astonishment. And those cops were coddled, had the trial moved to a cop-friendly jurisdiction to ensure the jurors were sympathetic, and were exonerated despite video taped evidence of those disgraces to the uniform going WAY above and beyond what would be considered justifiable force...and for every King tape we see, there are a thousand cases you don't hear about...unless you're living in those environments. So you tell me, where is this respect for the justice system and police officers supposed to come from? And I know brutality wasn't a factor in this case, I'm just illustrating where most of the attitudes towards cops and the law in general come from, and it's not just the criminal element...I've been profiled more times than I can count, stopped for no reason...I was even held in the middle of the street at gunpoint with those spotlights shining on me so someone that was assaulted could sit in the cruiser and "identify" me as the shooter, whom I was later told by friends on the force AND relatives of the victim was Asian, a description given to the responding officers at the time, and one that I don't fit...if you can't say the same then what you say in the matter holds no weight, you won't understand. Again, not defending the guy or making excuses...I just don't have the luxury of living life and looking at these kinds of issues with blinders on because I've EXPERIENCED the dark side.

And if you think that kid woke up that morning and said "I'm going to shoot a cop today", I'd suggest the decaf. Yeah, he made a choice. He made a choice to do what he had to do to survive in his enviornment, which involved joining a gang and getting a gun for protection, probably selling drugs or whatever for money, all bad choices yes, and ones that put him on the path to shooting that cop, but it's not a straight shot and it's definitely not cut and dry. PERIOD.

Life's not fair. Lots of people grow up poor and don't shoot cops. This person should be hung in the town square for everyone to see. This "kid" didn't shoot some rich, white collar, oppressor, he shot some cop out doing his job, trying to proctect the city from immature, selfish, gangbangers.

That said it's clearly in everyone interest to adress some of the root problems that lead to higher levels of crime in the "inner city." That said, once a violent crime is commited, all bets are off.

I think if they made it a law that anyone who commits a felony gets 20years madatory, you see a lot less criminals carrying weapons.

 

[pdm]

Just so that I'm clear, when does one stop being "a kid" and start being an adult? 18? 21? 30? When can we stop infantilizing fully-grown adults and excusing their inexcusable behavior already?

 

[TY43215]

Just so that I'm clear, when does one stop being "a kid" and start being an adult? 18? 21? 30? When can we stop infantilizing fully-grown adults and excusing their inexcusable behavior already?

As far as I am concerned the day the pick up a knife or gun or other weapon to use against another person, they stepped into adulthood. Whether they are 12 or 21, it is time to grow up and accept the responsibility.

As for your other question as to how someone would not realize they were shot,Adrenaline is a wonderful drug it will keep you going until you have leaked enough to cause a problem.

For the other discussion, I will stay away from that as much as I agree with brother Hawgleg44.

Regards,

Gary

 

[Major Blood]

Life's not fair. Lots of people grow up poor and don't shoot cops. This person should be hung in the town square for everyone to see. This "kid" didn't shoot some rich, white collar, oppressor, he shot some cop out doing his job, trying to proctect the city from immature, selfish, gangbangers.

That said it's clearly in everyone interest to adress some of the root problems that lead to higher levels of crime in the "inner city." That said, once a violent crime is commited, all bets are off.

I think if they made it a law that anyone who commits a felony gets 20years madatory, you see a lot less criminals carrying weapons.

You're absolutely right, life isn't fair. I'm not talking about life though, I'm talking about a system that since it's inception has been administered with bias and extreme prejuidice...I'm talking about the people, and more to the point of this topic, the descendants of those people who have grown up, generation through generation, with that bias against them. At the end of WWII, we didn't tell the Jews "Life isn't fair", did we? No, we helped them recover from the heartless tragedies and treatment they'd received from a harsh govt. that was systematically set up in opposition to them, we pushed for the creation of their own country, we provided them (and still provide them) with staggering amounts of financial, military and business support. My grandfather fought in that war to defend freedoms he was never considered worthy to enjoy, and thousands of people out there can say the same, so pardon me if I retain a little skepticism when it comes to this country or it's motives. People act as if this is ancient history, people were being lynched, burned and hung by cops in these communites a mere 40 or 50 years ago...I grew up hearing these stories and experiencing them myself...you tell me, how long is long enough to make it right?

I feel for the cop, I really do...but part of the blame and anger here should be directed at those at the upper levels sending in these guys to fight a war they can't win, putting their lives in danger for basically nothing, when the politicians themselves have the power to do something about it. You're not going to win the war on street crime by locking up the end result, just as the ill-conceived war on drugs had no chance of being won by locking up the street level dealers...even locking up the kingpins wouldn't do it...you can lock up every druglord in the world, Americans are still going to be the world's biggest drug users...when do we start considering treating the root cause?

And I'm all for the mandatory 20 years for a felony...as long as we apply it equally and rework some of the system that sends a kid with a first time charge for selling coke to a consenting adult away for 5 years on a felony intent to distribute charge yet lets some dirtbag politician that got caught taking bribes or stealing millions from hard-working American citizens or some CEO cooking the books and putting 1000's of employees in the poor house overnight do 3 months in Club Fed on a misdemeanor.

Until that happens, people will have contempt for the law, violence will continue to rise, and they'll be alot more of these stories to come...

 

[Garys]

As far as I am concerned the day the pick up a knife or gun or other weapon to use against another person, they stepped into adulthood. Whether they are 12 or 21, it is time to grow up and accept the responsibility.

As for your other question as to how someone would not realize they were shot,Adrenaline is a wonderful drug it will keep you going until you have leaked enough to cause a problem.

For the other discussion, I will stay away from that as much as I agree with brother Hawgleg44.

Regards,

Gary

Adrenaline mixed with any number of other drugs. PCP and Crack Cocaine come to mind, but Meth will probably do. And good old Alcohol can do the same thing.

Gary

 

[benster]

Hey, I'm all for it...as long as the scumbag CEO white collar criminals that bilk thousands of retirees out of their pensions every time we turn around are hanging right there beside them...as long as corupt cops that get caught tampering with evidence to make an charge stick are swinging too...and how about judges, DAs and yes, even juries in cases where someone was found guilty, spent half their life in jail, then were cleared by DNA evidence, let's get them fitted for nooses too...but that's never the case is it?

As far as the respect thing, no of course shooting cops isn't going to garner respect from cops, that's not what I was implying. As far as cops getting respected, it would help if every time they came into one of those high-risk communities it wasn't to arrest someone or shake every one in sight down because they "fit the description"...it's people like you that had no idea that police brutality even existed because it had never and would never happen to you. Most of mainstream America thought it was just "minorities whining" until the King video, then everybody gasped in astonishment. And those cops were coddled, had the trial moved to a cop-friendly jurisdiction to ensure the jurors were sympathetic, and were exonerated despite video taped evidence of those disgraces to the uniform going WAY above and beyond what would be considered justifiable force...and for every King tape we see, there are a thousand cases you don't hear about...unless you're living in those environments. So you tell me, where is this respect for the justice system and police officers supposed to come from? And I know brutality wasn't a factor in this case, I'm just illustrating where most of the attitudes towards cops and the law in general come from, and it's not just the criminal element...I've been profiled more times than I can count, stopped for no reason...I was even held in the middle of the street at gunpoint with those spotlights shining on me so someone that was assaulted could sit in the cruiser and "identify" me as the shooter, whom I was later told by friends on the force AND relatives of the victim was Asian, a description given to the responding officers at the time, and one that I don't fit...if you can't say the same then what you say in the matter holds no weight, you won't understand. Again, not defending the guy or making excuses...I just don't have the luxury of living life and looking at these kinds of issues with blinders on because I've EXPERIENCED the dark side.

And if you think that kid woke up that morning and said "I'm going to shoot a cop today", I'd suggest the decaf. Yeah, he made a choice. He made a choice to do what he had to do to survive in his enviornment, which involved joining a gang and getting a gun for protection, probably selling drugs or whatever for money, all bad choices yes, and ones that put him on the path to shooting that cop, but it's not a straight shot and it's definitely not cut and dry. PERIOD.

Well, since you think i have no standing about "where I'm coming from", I am a minority, english wasnt my first language, grew up in the projects in Boston, didnt choose the wrong path, decided to better myself, get higher education, get a well paying job, I have been pulled over at gunpoint, probably racially profiled more than once, had a couple dealings with cops where their attitude could have been more congenial but hey that doesnt stop me from applying to join the auxillary police in my neighborhood. Hell, that made me WANT to join, give back to the community and change people's perceptions.

So I do very well understand your point, I just disagree with the fact that people use the environment as an excuse to justify them "doing what they have to do". I agree with you 100% that there is no easy answer, but you can either be one that just stands by and says "it is what it is", complain that it's "messedup" and offer no solutions. Or you can try doing something and becoming part of the solution and fixing the problem.

 

[Major Blood]

Well, since you think i have no standing about "where I'm coming from", I am a minority, english wasnt my first language, grew up in the projects in Boston, didnt choose the wrong path, decided to better myself, get higher education, get a well paying job, I have been pulled over at gunpoint, probably racially profiled more than once, had a couple dealings with cops where their attitude could have been more congenial but hey that doesnt stop me from applying to join the auxillary police in my neighborhood. Hell, that made me WANT to join, give back to the community and change people's perceptions.

So I do very well understand your point, I just disagree with the fact that people use the environment as an excuse to justify them "doing what they have to do". I agree with you 100% that there is no easy answer, but you can either be one that just stands by and says "it is what it is", complain that it's "messedup" and offer no solutions. Or you can try doing something and becoming part of the solution and fixing the problem.

Oh I agree. And I meant to write "what they THINK they have to do". My frustration comes in when people think that more cops, tougher laws and so-called solutions offered by people NO experience with the problems faced in these communities is the only answer. Even moreso on a board like this, where those same kinds of solutions when applied to gun control are vehemently opposed.

Kind of reveals a double standard, which is pretty much S.O.P in this country.

As for your story, congratulations. I made it up through tough times myself, and I know that it's possible. But alot of these kids just have no hope, and it's a repetitive cycle. You say english wasn't your first language, which leads me to believe that perhaps you're a second-generation American (correct me if I'm wrong). I wouldn't expect you to understand the kind of built up resentment created from basically hundreds of years of oppression...you wouldn't have had the opportunity to hear your grandmother talk about the day she got hosed on the street for sticking up for herself, or had dogs sicked on her for "daring" to talk back to a police officer...that kind of resentment doesn't just disappear, and it's that base anger that fosters that "us vs. them" mentality that makes criminals out of potential college students...not everyone has the benefit of good role models or a chance to see something other than their direct environment that would inspire them to rise above it. For the most part, these communities and the people in them were written off. Everbody's hero Ronald Reagan's "trickle down" economics policies turned these areas into war zones, and they've been crumbling ever since...and I commend you for taking your experiences and wanting to give back, but nothing the police do will change the perception out there when those that command the police remain as indifferent to the situation as they've always been.

I'll ask again, when do we attack the roots of the problem, because we can waste our whole lives just trying to kill weeds...

 

[OnTheRoad]

I'll ask again, when do we attack the roots of the problem, because we can waste our whole lives just trying to kill weeds...

Both need to be attacked. You can't back off on one at the expense of the other. The roots are where it grows, but the weeds are it where it spreads.

 

[dixidawg]

I'll ask again, when do we attack the roots of the problem, because we can waste our whole lives just trying to kill weeds...

And I ask, what ARE the roots of the problem(s) and how do you suggest we attack them? Specifics please.

 

[Major Blood]

Both need to be attacked. You can't back off on one at the expense of the other. The roots are where it grows, but the weeds are it where it spreads.

Agreed, but the roots aren't being dealt with at all. I'll use another analogy...you have a leak in your oil tank. How much money do you spend on dumping in quarts of oil until you finally bite the bullet and get the hole plugged?

And I ask, what ARE the roots of the problem(s) and how do you suggest we attack them? Specifics please.

That answer is extremely involved and far beyond the scope of this forum, but we can start by making an honest reassessment of the history of this country on a national level and the ways in which that history influenced how the problems we're seeing today were set into motion and escalated. This would require that all Americans take an unbiased look at the cause and effect of the many policies that were put into place to limit or otherwise eliminate the upward mobility of whole sections of the population. It would require an open and honest dialog, devoid of the typical good 'ol boy, "love it leave it" mentality that most people employ whenever the idea of this country owning up to the many evils committed against certain citizens is brought up. It would require empathy instead of resentment, and an abandonment of the absurd yet widely-held belief that because an event happened some time ago, it has no repercussions or influence on current events and peoples' attitudes towards them.

That's the first step, and we attack by making an honest effort, across the board, to develop that dialogue and understanding. That would help to bring the open-minded, progressive people together, and at that point we'd could address the system specific targets that need to be addressed.

Ask yourself, are you willing to do that? If not, you're wasting my time, as is trying to bait me with questions you didn't think I'd have answers to...

 

[Hawgleg44]

How much is a Sig? I can't imagine a Remington 870 or Mossberg or even Rossi pump shotgun being more expensive.

MA State Police got a steal of a deal on their new DAK's. Some of their P226's they were carrying before were 10+ years old (a small portion of them, but a few anyway), and it was determined that they should overhaul them all with new springs, because some of them were 10+ years old.

Sig offered them such a large trade-in on their old P226's that it cost them less than $100 per gun to swap over to the railed DAK's, especially since they use the suicide holsters that fit so loosely that they also fit the railed guns, so no new holsters were needed.

Since they had to qualify once per year anyway, it was just worked into their qualification time and they got new Sigs for very little cost. By the time you add up the cost of new springs, and the time for the armorers to install them, $100 per gun is a good deal!

 

[Hawgleg44]

I feel for the cop, I really do...but part of the blame and anger here should be directed at those at the upper levels sending in these guys to fight a war they can't win, putting their lives in danger for basically nothing, when the politicians themselves have the power to do something about it. You're not going to win the war on street crime by locking up the end result, just as the ill-conceived war on drugs had no chance of being won by locking up the street level dealers...even locking up the kingpins wouldn't do it...you can lock up every druglord in the world, Americans are still going to be the world's biggest drug users...when do we start considering treating the root cause?

So, it's not the criminal's fault, it's the officer's superiors for assigning him his work assignment?!?! So, don't bother arresting criminals since that's just a reaction to the crime and it's not preventing it?

If you ever find yourself the victim of a crime, who are you going to call? Going with your theory, the officers shouldn't bother responding to your call since that's just a reaction. They should spend their time hugging the street criminals and encouraging them to better themselves instead, right?

Don't bother arresting drug dealers, since there will always be a demand? Maybe if we make mandatory sentencing for possession with intent to distribute that would ensure people would die in prison, fewer people would want to risk dealing, don't you think? So, we shouldn't arrest people for drugs, just send them to treatment, right?

I've seen the results of drug treatments. Even my neighbor who works at a drug rehab facility admits that less than 5% of the patients actually succeed in staying clean. I'm by no means saying to give up on them all, but come one. We have to enforce the laws when people are guilty of breaking them!

I'd love to see things change in this country. Progress has been made, although it's been extremely slow. It would be great if everyone would just join hands and get along overnight, but it's simply not going to happen. Spending all of your time living in this dream world of yours isn't getting anything accomplished. For now, until everyone lives in your dream world, putting criminals behind bars where they belong is the only effective response.

 

[vellnueve]

I was so sure that Boston uses Glock 19s (9mm)

MSP uses 226DAKs

Boston College PD uses 226s.

That's all I know.

 

[pipmaster1971]

I've seen the results of drug treatments. Even my neighbor who works at a drug rehab facility admits that less than 5% of the patients actually succeed in staying clean. I'm by no means saying to give up on them all, but come one. We have to enforce the laws when people are guilty of breaking them!

Actually if you ask me the so-called "War on Drugs" is a total, unmitigated, miserable failure; and is directly responsible for 70% of the murders, crime and misery we suffer from. As far as I am concerned they should just decriminalize and tax the whole thing. One thing that prohibition should have taught us is that the artificial restriction of demand doesn't work. If people want to screw their lives up by taking drugs, and providing they aren't harming others, let 'em do it -- just don't expect others to "bail them out" when they mess up.

 

[Major Blood]

So, it's not the criminal's fault, it's the officer's superiors for assigning him his work assignment?!?! So, don't bother arresting criminals since that's just a reaction to the crime and it's not preventing it?

If you ever find yourself the victim of a crime, who are you going to call? Going with your theory, the officers shouldn't bother responding to your call since that's just a reaction. They should spend their time hugging the street criminals and encouraging them to better themselves instead, right?

Don't bother arresting drug dealers, since there will always be a demand? Maybe if we make mandatory sentencing for possession with intent to distribute that would ensure people would die in prison, fewer people would want to risk dealing, don't you think? So, we shouldn't arrest people for drugs, just send them to treatment, right?

I've seen the results of drug treatments. Even my neighbor who works at a drug rehab facility admits that less than 5% of the patients actually succeed in staying clean. I'm by no means saying to give up on them all, but come one. We have to enforce the laws when people are guilty of breaking them!

I'd love to see things change in this country. Progress has been made, although it's been extremely slow. It would be great if everyone would just join hands and get along overnight, but it's simply not going to happen. Spending all of your time living in this dream world of yours isn't getting anything accomplished. For now, until everyone lives in your dream world, putting criminals behind bars where they belong is the only effective response.

Nowhere in anything I said do I advocate not arresting people for committing crimes. If you insist on reading into my posts whatever supports your position, then it's a lost cause even trying to communicate with you.

And when I spoke of those on higher levels, I wasn't talking about the officer's CO or even his LT. I was talking about the people WAY higher up on the totem pole. The same people that beat the drums of war, fanning the flames of psuedo-patriotism to get us foaming at the mouth and enlisting en masse to fight a war that none of THEIR children will ever have to risk their lives fighting in.

I've found myself the victim of a crime, on more than one occasion. Once my car was broken into, and when the cops finally got around to responding, they acted as if it were MY fault. "That's what happens when you have a nice car I guess." Wow, my hero.

Nah, I take care of my own. Whoever thinks to make me a victim had better be dedicated to the death because I am when it comes to protecting me and mine...I don't rely on the police to protect me or my family, that's MY job.

As far as enforcing the laws when people break them, of course we have to do that. But it has to be fair, equitable and across the board, and at this time it isn't, as evidenced by the CT trooper who was just disciplined after his SEVENTH DUI incident, three of them being IN HIS CRUISER. So, you tell me, where was the "We have to enforce the laws when people are guilty of breaking them! " sentiment then? If that were a citizen, everybody would be saying "How'd that scumbag get away with this for so long? He could have killed somebody." I guess maybe the stress of being a police officer grants you immunity from the laws you take pride in enforcing, huh?

Again, nothing I've written suggests we let people get off scott-free, so please stop responding as if I had. Nor did I advocate a "Hugs for Thugs" program, so again, either work on the reading comprehension skills or don't respond. The present system is far from "effective". Does that mean we swing the prison doors open and let everyone out? Of course not.

As for the drug issue, no I don't think locking them all up is the right answer. Do we lock people up for possession of alcohol? No we don't, even though more people die and are killed in alcohol related incidents each year than every drug combined. Even the most rudimentary awareness of the history of the "War" on drugs reveals how utterly ineffective it was, and how it actually increased crime once drugs were prohibited by creating an underground black market and turning addicts into criminals that had to scheme and commit heinous acts to get what was once happily marketed and sold to them by several companies, the Coca-Cola Company amongst them. And I know addicts that have turned their lives around personally, I used to work in a mental health hospital, so it CAN be done...it's just going to take a huge effort, but the govt. would rather not, as this war on drugs has proven to be a profitable business for alot of people.

I'm not living in a dream world man, I'm living in the real world...maybe you should come visit sometime, I'd love to have you.

 

[Hawgleg44]

As for the drug issue, no I don't think locking them all up is the right answer. Do we lock people up for possession of alcohol? No we don't, even though more people die and are killed in alcohol related incidents each year than every drug combined. Even the most rudimentary awareness of the history of the "War" on drugs reveals how utterly ineffective it was, and how it actually increased crime once drugs were prohibited by creating an underground black market and turning addicts into criminals that had to scheme and commit heinous acts to get what was once happily marketed and sold to them by several companies, the Coca-Cola Company amongst them. And I know addicts that have turned their lives around personally, I used to work in a mental health hospital, so it CAN be done...it's just going to take a huge effort, but the govt. would rather not, as this war on drugs has proven to be a profitable business for alot of people.

Is possession of alcohol illegal by someone over the age of 21? Not the last time I checked, so to answer your question, no we don't, since they are not breaking the law. Do I agree that OUI's cause way too many injuries and deaths? Absolutely. Are we too lenient on people who drink and drive? Yes again. People know that nothing is really going to happen to them when they are caught, especially for a first offense. I hear people laughing and joking about it, and some parents I've spoken with actually called their teenager's OUI arrest a "right of passage". Yes, the attitudes of both the offenders, their parents, the adult offenders, and the general public don't help the issue. Until someone they personally know dies from something as stuipid as drunk driving, they just don't care.

Coca-Cola marketed narcotics to people now addicted? They must be the oldest living addicts in the country! Why are your posts filled with facts and incidents which happened 50, 100 or more years ago instead of dealing with the issues now?

Legalize and tax narcotics? Sure, great idea. It sure worked with opium and China (I'll bring that up since there's a pattern of posting events that happened so long ago). Opium has been credited for being the main factor in the downfall of the Chinese Empires of thousands of years ago. Make narcotics as legal as alcohol, as long as they are taxed? You think this country is screwed up now, I'd hate to see what would happen if we did that! High school kids getting their older looser buddies to make a cocaine, heroin or meth run for them instead of a booze run. Great idea. Oh, wait, that would be illegal and nobody would do it, right?

Yeah, I'm the one living in a dream world.

 

[Major Blood]

Is possession of alcohol illegal by someone over the age of 21? Not the last time I checked, so to answer your question, no we don't, since they are not breaking the law. Do I agree that OUI's cause way too many injuries and deaths? Absolutely. Are we too lenient on people who drink and drive? Yes again. People know that nothing is really going to happen to them when they are caught, especially for a first offense. I hear people laughing and joking about it, and some parents I've spoken with actually called their teenager's OUI arrest a "right of passage". Yes, the attitudes of both the offenders, their parents, the adult offenders, and the general public don't help the issue. Until someone they personally know dies from something as stuipid as drunk driving, they just don't care.

Coca-Cola marketed narcotics to people now addicted? They must be the oldest living addicts in the country! Why are your posts filled with facts and incidents which happened 50, 100 or more years ago instead of dealing with the issues now?

Legalize and tax narcotics? Sure, great idea. It sure worked with opium and China (I'll bring that up since there's a pattern of posting events that happened so long ago). Opium has been credited for being the main factor in the downfall of the Chinese Empires of thousands of years ago. Make narcotics as legal as alcohol, as long as they are taxed? You think this country is screwed up now, I'd hate to see what would happen if we did that! High school kids getting their older looser buddies to make a cocaine, heroin or meth run for them instead of a booze run. Great idea. Oh, wait, that would be illegal and nobody would do it, right?

Yeah, I'm the one living in a dream world.

Yeah, you're right. All of our social problems were instantly created in an isolated vacuum where the laws of cause and effect don't apply. There is no such thing as a cumulative effect, things are the way they are now because that's the way they were when we woke up this morning. History means nothing and has no value in analyzing the present. Detectives make cases by examining only the facts and information that they gathered the day of the crime, whatever happened before that has no relevance. We as a society have learned nothing from our past experience, so if drugs were suddenly to become legal, masses upon masses that had never done drugs before would rush to become users. All the horrors of addiction would be forgotten, and the new legal status would entice people to bombard their bodies with drugs, just because they can. We would revert to a nation of addicts like China did, because the 100 or so years of knowlege we've developed about the effects of heavy drugs like Opium, knowledge that they didn't have the benefit of having at the time, would just go up in a huge puff of legalized crack smoke. And all of our kids would perish, because today it's so much harder for them to get their hands on illegal drugs sold on just about every corner in the country than it is for them to get alcohol, for which they have to find a buyer willing to put his neck out for them. That's why Amsterdam leads the world in murder and other serious crimes.

What was I thinking, thanks for waking me up brother.