War on Drugs + War on Poverty = War on the poor

#1
volinbham

volinbham

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#1
To Ras's point in the Baltimore thread it appears the "Wars" we've declared internally (on drugs and on poverty) have had disastrous consequences on our marginal communities.

Is either more culpable or was/is it a perfect storm of bad consequences of policy.

Discuss amongst yourselves

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#3
#3
volinbham said:
To Ras's point in the Baltimore thread it appears the "Wars" we've declared internally (on drugs and on poverty) have had disastrous consequences on our marginal communities.

Is either more culpable or was/is it a perfect storm of bad consequences of policy.

Discuss amongst yourselves

SNL_0808_Coffee_Talk_EST.png
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The result of welfare and actions of liberals.
 
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#6
#6
Bigurnge said:
Maybe drugs are the reason they're in marginal communities.
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Drugs, or substance abuse in general does contribute to the state of some neighborhoods, but that doesn't explain why there can be extensive substance abuse in more affluent neighborhoods without the blighting affect.
 
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#9
#9
YorkVol said:
Drugs, or substance abuse in general does contribute to the state of some neighborhoods, but that doesn't explain why there can be extensive substance abuse in more affluent neighborhoods without the blighting affect.
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Its different in affluent neighborhoods.....its typically a private indoor thing......in poorer neighborhoods, its obvious that it is every where and usually out in the open.
 
#13
#13
YorkVol said:
Drugs, or substance abuse in general does contribute to the state of some neighborhoods, but that doesn't explain why there can be extensive substance abuse in more affluent neighborhoods without the blighting affect.
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There has to be some pride along the way, pride in oneself, community, career, family, something. Generations of family members living on government assistance has to strip away any self worth and pride one might have.

I asked one of my employees once why these guys put $1000 wheels and stereos, air bags and other crap on a $2000 car. His answer, it's the nicest thing they know they will ever have. That is sad.
 
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#14
#14
hog88 said:
There has to be some pride along the way, pride in oneself, community, career, family, something. Generations of family members living on government assistance has to strip away any self worth and pride one might have.

I asked one of my employees once why these guys put $1000 wheels and stereos, air bags and other crap on a $2000 car. His answer, it's the nicest thing they know they will ever have. That is sad.
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Your last paragraph is right. But the fact that most have kids and they value their vehicle over their own family says everything needed within this conversation.
 
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#15
#15
hog88 said:
There has to be some pride along the way, pride in oneself, community, career, family, something. Generations of family members living on government assistance has to strip away any self worth and pride one might have.

I asked one of my employees once why these guys put $1000 wheels and stereos, air bags and other crap on a $2000 car. His answer, it's the nicest thing they know they will ever have. That is sad.
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So having a job and actually earning money could decrease some of this right?
 
#17
#17
hog88 said:
Installing aspirations in your children of doing better than their parents at an early age is a start.
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Certainly agree with you. That usually manifests into having a job and respecting other human beings.
 
#20
#20
hog88 said:
Installing aspirations in your children of doing better than their parents at an early age is a start.
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Absolutely. But I think a lot of people who live in these types of neighborhoods/situations don't think their children will ever "get out" or "make it."

That's a tough realization to come to, isn't it?
 
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#21
#21
Most any individual who is a victim of the war on poverty and the war on drugs has to take a significant portion of the blame, regardless of socio-economic factors. I think we can all agree on that.

For some of us, it feels good to point fingers and prop yourself up above entire groups of people and say "I have a good life because I'm good and you have a bad life because you're not good" but that doesn't get us anywhere. That won't fix the problem.

Each case is different. If we didn't have a war on drugs, maybe Gray is still a career criminal. Maybe not. We don't know. But what I am certain of is that he's a lot less likely to be a career criminal if there is no war on drugs.

If you want to point fingers, the next 30 years will look like the last 30. If you want change, start in Washington DC.
 
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#22
#22
hog88 said:
Most certainly.
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So lets expound on that idea. I'm going to focus on jobs.

The number of people arrested in 2013 in the U.S. on nonviolent drug charges: 1.5 million. Number of people arrested for a marijuana law violation in 2013: 693,482.

Then move to this.

Amount spent annually in the U.S. on the war on drugs: More than $51,000,000,000.

Okay so currently, we are spending an insane amount of money to arrest humans for altering their consciousness with a naturally occurring plant. Can we all agree that labeling this drug as sch. 1 drug is also a blatant lie?

Then we move back to the job aspect. How can we expect people with bogus arrest histories to find a decent job? Thousands of successful people use this substance, but we still punish a certain demographic for its use.. ....... I wonder why they are stuck in this cycle?

Let's not evem discuss what happens to many of these people once they are thrown into for-profit prisons.
 
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#23
#23
#VFL__ said:
So lets expound on that idea. I'm going to focus on jobs.

The number of people arrested in 2013 in the U.S. on nonviolent drug charges: 1.5 million. Number of people arrested for a marijuana law violation in 2013: 693,482.

Then move to this.

Amount spent annually in the U.S. on the war on drugs: More than $51,000,000,000.

Okay so currently, we are spending an insane amount of money to arrest humans for altering their consciousness with a naturally occurring plant. Can we all agree that labeling this drug as sch. 1 drug is also a blatant lie?

Then we move back to the job aspect. How can we expect people with bogus arrest histories to find a decent job? Thousands of successful people use this substance, but we still punish a certain demographic for its use.. ....... I wonder why they are stuck in this cycle?
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It probably wouldn't have much effect bc most companies would probably still drug test employees which the majority would still fail.
 
#24
#24
volbeast33 said:
It probably wouldn't have much effect bc most companies would probably still drug test employees which the majority would still fail.
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People can stop smoking....you can't stop a criminal record for following you for the rest of your life. Do you understand the point that I'm trying to make though? That the war on drugs HAS hindered the poor.
 
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#25
#25
volbeast33 said:
It probably wouldn't have much effect bc most companies would probably still drug test employees which the majority would still fail.
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You can't tell him that. Not many companies are gonna assume the liability of someone who can't pass a drug test. Also a job will take away free benefits and that's just not worth it.
 
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