I won’t be posting for a few weeks because the missus and I are off on adventures to Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Bangkok. Why those countries? Well, not that it’s your business, but two years ago I befriended a Rwandan police officer when I was a visiting scholar at the National Police College in England. So why not? And I’ve always loved Ethiopia food and Addis Ababa University has been nice enough to let me give a small talk while I there. And Bangkok? We just love it. Hopefully anti-democratic revolutionaries can lay low until after we’re there and gone.
And did I mention my wife has a lot of airlines miles?
Happy New Year and stay safe!
Hey Pete,
I know the real reason you are going 😉 Have fun and talk to you soon!
I am going to add an unsolicited piece of knowledge. You're visiting Rwanda. Genocides, in my experience and observation, are engaged in by ethnic groups/cultures/etc. that for any reason view themselves as being under threat of assimilation or eradication themselves. Therefore, the perpetrators (on the ground) of the actual mechanics of genocide will INSIST they were acting in pre-emptive self-defense. It's really a corrosive thing. If you, in Rwanda, or your wife, feel a sense of confusion or any distress at all, cut short your trip and get out. The after-effects, if you stay too long, will be permanent. You are flying close to the sun; the deepest, most ancient place in the human organism. Just a thought. And some unsolicited advice.
First, enjoy Ethiopia – was there many moons ago and find Africa to be a very beautiful and interesting country. Second, a buddy of mine wrote this and he (just as you) have interesting points on each side of the drug war. I was wondering if you might take a look in your spare time and comment….
us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=3eba8d9117dad63708b5f1469&id=ad0f8f1c2b&e=1dab94f7b4
I'm reading the post and thinking seriously, and I NEVER say anything without it being based on either personal observation or experience. Yes, I've used drugs, yes I've smoked various kinds of pot. I have strong opinions about the pot NOW vs. the pot we smoked in the 1970s. I think pot, if legalized and regulated (I'm a fan) will probably have to be rated on THC content. Story about that.
Anyway,. In the interim, here's a thought about 'enforcers' of various sorts: As a cop, how did you deal with 'contact highs'? As a utility disconnect guy, with powers of persuasion only, I routinely came out of places, honestly, fucked up. Some of them were like the inside of a fog machine. I'd call another op, and we'd be like, "Hey, let's get a burrito…"
Where I worked, it was so a non-issue, nobody who got hurt unless you crashed a truck, got drug-tested. Because literally everyone would test dirty. It was largely ignored. Meth, I hated. Cookers? I would come out of cook sites with splitting headaches and throwing up randomly for days afterward. I carried painkillers and aspirin, and,. later, an Israeli gas mask (my dime) to go in and get equipment.
Off topic: How did your dept. handle pot 'dirty'?
Happy New Year
I almost killed my mother-in-law with very, very, high THC Marijuana, hydro stuff. She fell down her stairs. It was a birthday gift and she smoked it like it was skunkweed. I told her about it, and tried to tell her to smoke it in a one-hitter or a bong, but Noooo! Honestly. The shit now is in fact way stronger than anyday dope. When pot is regulated, it needs to be like alcohol: beer, hard liquor, percentage-wise. I won't back down on that. Drugs need to to legalized, but regulated, and the issue is NOT legalization, but regulation, and how. I do strongly feel that farmer's markets are the best venue for pot. Legalize that thing. Who grows better plants than struggling retirees with green thumbs? Put those rose-growers to work growing pot, and you will have AWESOME bud. I've already made my connections with retiring Master Gardeners. I know a lot of old ladies who are planning their luxurious retirements, and good for them.
DB, the only one I can speak confidently on is "myth 6." And he's a lying (or ignorant) motherfucker and thus not to be believed. I don't have time or desire to debunk the rest. But based on that one fact-check alone, I'd say he's just another lying drug warrier. The problem is that he probably believes the DARE material he's supposed to promote.
Lenard, I'm a bit baffled as to why you distinguish between legal and regulated. The point of legalization is regulation and control. We (those who advocate legalization) have always said that.
And Rwanda was great!
thanx you for that very nice posting