Foreward by Scott Ostrander
Nothing in the history of the United States has been more destructive to the Bill of Rights, than what is commonly referred to as "The War on Drugs." The government does this through the RICO laws and other civil forfeiture laws, which clearly violate the Fourth, Fifth and Eighth Amendments, such as property seizure without a warrant or even an arrest! But these laws have no moral or Constitutional basis.
As the Libertarian party so eloquently stated:
"Because only actions that infringe on the rights of others can properly be termed crimes, we favor the repeal of all federal, state, and local laws creating "crimes" without victims." And even more to the point:
"We call for the repeal of all laws establishing criminal or civil penalties for the use of drugs and of "anti-crime" measures restricting individual rights to be secure in our persons, homes, and property, or limiting our rights to keep and bear arms."
So, in the spirit of personal liberty, this information is presented and the argument that the War on Drugs is not only un-Constitutional, violating personal privacy and self-ownership rights, but it has become a War on People. Further and further draconian measures and cruel paramilitary law enforcement techniques are being used on our citizens, simply because the government wrongly believes that it was given the right to determine what we the People can and cannot ingest.
Criminal Justice or Let's Jail Everyone? A Master's level paper by Gary Shade with an updated look at jailing non-violent offenders and the cost to society (2003).
Letter by Associate Professor of Law Jeffrey M. Blum, of the University of Buffalo School of Law, in response to a request from a federal court judge. A great summation of the problems with the War on Drugs.
"Crime and the Drug War", by Kirby R. Cundiff. An article which appeared in Claustrophobia, August 1994. A short but concise presentation on the War on Drug's effects on crime.
"The Drug War and the Constitution", by Paul Hager of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union (ICLU). A transcript of a speech given at an ICLU meeting, debating the Constitutionality of the Drug War. Includes the companion notes to the lecture.
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