LEAP on Repeal Day

Radley Balko | December 1, 2008

The gang at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition—a group of ex-cops, judges, and prosecutors who've come out against the drug war—will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition with an event tomorrow at the National Press Club.  From the press release:

On Tuesday, December 2, a group of law enforcers who fought on the front lines of the “war on drugs” and witnessed its failures will commemorate the 75th anniversary of alcohol prohibition’s repeal by calling for drug legalization. The cops, judges and prosecutors will release a report detailing how many billions of dollars can be used to boost the ailing economy when drug prohibition is ended.

“America’s leaders had the good sense to realize that we couldn’t afford to keep enforcing the ineffective prohibition of alcohol during the Great Depression,” said Terry Nelson, a 30-year veteran federal agent and member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). “Now, cops fighting on the front lines of today’s ‘war on drugs’ are working to make our streets safer and help solve our economic crisis by teaching lawmakers a lesson from history about the failure of prohibition. We can do it again.”

Here's LEAP's compelling promotional video:

Comments

|12.1.08 @ 12:01PM|#

I hope they make the most of it. I especially hope they send someone who can speak the inside the beltway language.

|12.1.08 @ 12:04PM|#

I pray for another Great Depression.

|12.1.08 @ 12:08PM|#

FYI, Jennifer had a piece on drug laws published yesterday:

http://www.bristolpress.com/articles/2008/12/01/opinion/doc4931f77b54f6f515482725.txt

lunchstealer|12.1.08 @ 12:13PM|#

Wasn't one of the prime motivators of repealing prohibition (in legislator/policy circles) regaining the liquor tax revenue?

hotsauce|12.1.08 @ 12:36PM|#

I'd say the probability of that video changing a person's mind is about 0.000001%. Hardly "compelling."

Now, and in the months to come, is a good time to press legislatures on legalization. Emphasize the tax revenues, but don't forget the moral case.

punk7|12.1.08 @ 12:37PM|#

Indeed, the scanty revenues of the Depression Era were one of the motivations behind repeal ... we would be too bold to hope for the same now, as we live in the era of borrow and bailout. No matter the evidence, the marijuana-industrial complex will fight any kind of taxation scheme, and will convince the majority of Americans to continue its feckless fight.

|12.1.08 @ 12:44PM|#

The ban on Romulan Ale was never lifted, because look what happened when Kirk served some while hosting Chancellor Gorkon. See, Prohibition is for a reason.

|12.1.08 @ 12:47PM|#

epi, your nerd is showing.

|12.1.08 @ 12:48PM|#

Another plus to legalization is that it would curb a lot of the "gun violence" that the Dems have been so eager to reduce...

It's always amusing to be in a conversation with someone who expresses support for gun control as means to reducing gun violence, yet dismisses or becomes evasive about ending the drug war being a solution.

It's even more amusing when I ask (sometimes tacfully) what they think caused the uptick in crime in the '20s and '30s-they always reply that it was prohibition and 'Al Capone'.

When I loop back and point out the glaring similarities with today's drug prohibition and contrast gun laws by pointing out how truly easy it was to get a gun in the 20s/30s, they get pissed off or begin contorting and talking about how it's different today and the subject diverts into critiques on modern parenting , rap music, and "thug culture", etc.

It's truly disturbing how many people are willing to make excuses and apologies to dismiss the incoming administration's terrible record on the drug war and 2nd amendment.

|12.1.08 @ 12:52PM|#

epi, your nerd is showing.

The WOD is so depressing that I had to do something. I've never trusted Klingons, and I never will. I've never been able to forgive them for the death of my boy.

|12.1.08 @ 1:06PM|#

The WOD is so depressing that I had to do something.

Some would use sex or drugs to dull the pain. Epi prefers Star Trek conventions. Be careful, as they are known to be a gateway to harder conventions.

|12.1.08 @ 1:10PM|#

A while ago (6 months?)I brought this up on PoliceLink.com. Just asking the guys there if they thought the War on Drugs Sanity was a complete waste of time, a danger to civil liberties as well as cop's integrity and safety.

Most of them are all for it, most of them are woefully ignorant of the costs, most of them have the mindset "Mmmm, drugs are bad, don't you get it?" A few admitted that I made serious points, specifically about civil liberties and corruption of law enforcement, but the vast majority of LEOs* just love this shit.

* At Policelink.com who wanted to speak on the subject. I don't pretend there is any scientific rigor in that informal poll/discussion.

Naga Sadow|12.1.08 @ 1:17PM|#

Am I being to pessimistic to believe that marijuana will ever be legalized?

J sub D,

Sometimes I feel you are in the pay of the cartels. Always poking the bears over at Policelink.com. (shakes head)

|12.1.08 @ 1:17PM|#

Be careful, as they are known to be a gateway to harder conventions

The Trek conventions aren't doing it for me any more. Time to go to Winnipeg.

|12.1.08 @ 1:20PM|#

most of them have the mindset "Mmmm, drugs are bad, don't you get it?"

I think being in the law enforcement field drills that sentiment pretty deep.

We had a LEAP representative come speak at one of my classes, and he was very anti-drug. He believed that ending the WOD was the best way to limit the spread/influence of the demon drugs. If he hadn't been convinced of that fact, I doubt he'd have been anti-prohibition at all.*

*That was just this dude. Maybe (hopefully) other LEAP members feel differently. Or maybe it's just a tactic to get the "drug are bad mm'kay" people on side.

|12.1.08 @ 1:24PM|#

Time to go to Winnipeg.

As if merely going to Winnipeg wasn't horrifying enough on its own. You have truly been desensitized.

"I'm a monster!!"

The Wine Commonsewer|12.1.08 @ 1:27PM|#

Another plus to legalization is that it would curb a lot of the "gun violence" that the Dems have been so eager to reduce...

My grandmother's fiance was shot dead by the Feebies in a fire fight at the Canadian border where he and several other folks were attempting to import some Candadian hooch.

She wondered why she hadn't heard from him a a few days until she read about his demise in the St Paul paper.

The Wine Commonsewer|12.1.08 @ 1:29PM|#

but the vast majority of LEOs* AMERICANS just love this shit.

Fixed

Naga Sadow|12.1.08 @ 1:32PM|#

TWC,

Not necessarily. All the casinos where I work do drug tests. But only a piss test not the hair test. Why? They would have to layoff roughly half of their workforce including a lot of upper management.

Jeff P|12.1.08 @ 2:33PM|#

One word: Synthohol.

"It's green."

|12.1.08 @ 3:05PM|#

One word: Synthohol.

"It's green."

That's Midori. It's tasty with soda.

Ska|12.1.08 @ 3:21PM|#

That's Midori. It's tasty with soda.

Unless it's tasty with pussy, there's no reason a man should be drinking melon liqueur.

Naga Sadow|12.1.08 @ 3:31PM|#

I like your style Ska.

|12.1.08 @ 3:33PM|#

Unless it's tasty with pussy, there's no reason a man should be drinking melon liqueur.

Sounds like a taste test is in order.

Nigel Watt|12.1.08 @ 5:12PM|#

but the vast majority of LEOs* AMERICANS just love this shit.

Really? Haven't most used illegal drugs at some point, including alcohol when they were underage?

|12.2.08 @ 7:29PM|#

I wonder if anyone noticed the very first quote of the video where the fellow said, "We have these private prisons that have now hired lobbyists to go get minimum mandatories..."

I don't know how accurate this is or how prevalent. But it's just one more thing that creeps me out about private contractors handling things like prisons, defense and tax collecting.

Just a thought,