What’s up with this? Kerry-Edwards magnets? Talk about hedging your bets! I mean, I still see a few Gore-Lieberman bumper stickers around Seattle, and I like it. Shows a sense of history, and some degree of party cred (Ok, so those of us who are driving around in ’89 Subarus with the “Clinton-Gore ’92″ sticker have cred to spare).
Imagine being able to withdraw your support for Kerry-Edwards the minute they tank on election day? That’s no fun. I mean, I still have my Adlai Stevenson bumper sticker around here somewhere…
You write: “There must be something we can do to be proactive in our own way — something that gets rid of the dealers without busted doors and tactical squads — but what?”
Answer: Legalize drugs!
Actually, on a more serious note, being tough on crime is something that Democrats have embraced through the 90s. “Progressive” and “tough on crime” shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.
I think small “L” liberal thought prizes personal responsibility as it relates to governance. We all have a responsibility as citizens to participate in democracy, etc., etc. It’s not a big jump to say that we all have a personal responsibility to treat each other in a mutually respectful way — dealing drugs and generally disrespecting one’s neighbors is not cool, and you’re perhaps responding to that.
Of course, you could just be becoming more conservative in your old age. Bwahahaha!
Seriously, though, I could be mangling the philosophical foundations in the paragraph above, but I think there’s a thread there. I haven’t taken a political science class for ten years, though, so forgive me if I’m off base.
Personally, by the way, I feel that when certain parts of society break down, and when state strategies fail — like what you see with the war on drugs, in particular — I think the only way to battle in behalf of civilized society is to make sure you personally do the right thing. It’s a tree and forest thing.
I’ve gotten off topic, though . . . interesting post regardless.
You’re right we have been passive. I hate to sound like a flake, but I like how Amsterdam handles it. They’re not as intrusive as the States are and they’re still proactive. I think the fact that they decided to separate how they deal with hard drugs and soft drugs was smart.
From what I hear, Amsterdam seems to be doing pretty well since they started this system. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea. It might save the tax payer’s money in the long run as well.
Then again our country deals with different social and economical dynamics than the Netherlands. It might not be a realistic approach.
I feel the same way though when I see a bust like the one you saw. I feel the same guilt as well. At least you have an internet radio show and a blog that gets people talking about it.