tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post6152480176151470903..comments2023-09-20T11:15:28.673+01:00Comments on Transform Drug Policy Foundation Blog: Transform on Newsnight and David Frostjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263261726046054614noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-11357806294083419612009-04-17T15:07:00.000+01:002009-04-17T15:07:00.000+01:00Really excellent to see this.
Listen to @Mar 31, ...Really excellent to see this.<br /><br />Listen to @Mar 31, 9:45pm. There has been way too much respect for dangerous control-freak drug warriors. <br /><br />Speak to the audience and the moderator. Don't let the other person control the conversation. You're not trying to convince her, but the audience.<br /><br />Actually, much of the audience agrees with you already! Especially public health workers. The main point is not to convince anyone at all, but simply to break the taboo and present drug regulation as a common sense, socially responsible position. <br /><br />Good to cite the WHO. Bring in lots of respected authorities. This demonstrates that your position is backed up, and hence is not risky to discuss openly. <br /><br />Speak slower. Practice specific phrases and sentences. You are pretty calm, but look at Sanho Tree.<br /><br />See <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNJEq4URCYE&hl" REL="nofollow">Drew Westen</A>, Emory Univ, for advice on political rhetoric, especially on combining emotion and reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-45071523180470778252009-04-11T02:41:00.000+01:002009-04-11T02:41:00.000+01:00So, Ms. Widdecombe, like many armchair generals in...So, Ms. Widdecombe, like many armchair generals in the DrugWar, believes that more force should be brought to bear on drug users? That 'we're not fighting the DrugWar like a real war!"?<BR/><BR/>This is exactly the kind of rhetoric that was and is quite common in the US DrugWarrior circles, and it is the kind of rhetoric that led to the increase in violence in Mexico that Mr. Frost mentioned, as the government there, operating on the advice of - and adopting the bellicose attitude of - professional American DrugWarriors, ratcheted up the pressure on the cartels by introducing the military into the fray.<BR/><BR/>This was a stunningly stupid move. <BR/><BR/>For one thing, the degree of corruption evident in the Mexican military was graphically demonstrated by the arrest of General Rebollo in the last decade. General Rebollo was the top military man in charge of counter-narcotics operations...who also was a cartel employee. The same man whom the American DrugCzar at the time, General Barry McCaffery, praised as being a bulwark against the narcos. Rather embarrassing, hmmm? <BR/><BR/>Trying to fight the DrugWar as if it was a 'real war' has proven to be a disaster, as one learns that you cannot expect a classic set battle, only an insurgency. It could be said to be Mexico's latest civil war. One that threatens to destabilize an entire geographic region already in bad shape courtesy of the American-sired global financial meltdown. <BR/><BR/>Can Europe and the UK learn that lesson? Or must the mocking laughter of Santayans's ghost be heard in Parliament every time such as Ms. Widdecombe opens their mouths?nemonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-59720618389077905982009-04-02T00:46:00.000+01:002009-04-02T00:46:00.000+01:00A good performance Steve, you come across as calm,...A good performance Steve, you come across as calm, controlled and articulate, and certainly not resorting to personal attacks like Anne...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-17255205727042341532009-04-01T22:09:00.000+01:002009-04-01T22:09:00.000+01:00nicely handled, steve, you naive dangerous cloud c...nicely handled, steve, you naive dangerous cloud cookoo living drug peddler!HR2https://www.blogger.com/profile/00912954878277286954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-32963850282401114952009-04-01T13:52:00.000+01:002009-04-01T13:52:00.000+01:00Anne Widdecombe is the perfect example of those wh...Anne Widdecombe is the perfect example of those who won't listen to reason of any sort. They know what they know and nothing anyone says can dissuade them.<BR/><BR/>They means they can't see that, in a regulated market, you would have the resources to continue the war on drug dealers and have some chance of success. <BR/><BR/>No-one would argue that there won't be people trying to sell drugs to the underage just as people sell booze and cigarettes to children. But, without the need to pretend to be fighting every single user, the police would have a better chance of minimising the numbers of suppliers.thepoisongardenhttp://www.thepoisongarden.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-72979223652304194112009-04-01T12:48:00.000+01:002009-04-01T12:48:00.000+01:00tbf I did caveat 'sincere' with 'horribly wrong'tbf I did caveat 'sincere' with 'horribly wrong'Steve Rolleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11487781869462634203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-72534454509034520352009-03-31T21:45:00.000+01:002009-03-31T21:45:00.000+01:00Sincere, humbug - this is an authoritarian woman w...Sincere, humbug - this is an authoritarian woman who would deny the equal protection of law to millions - she hates the idea of people being high and I hate people who think they have any authority to control others minds. If she was a sincere jew hater would that be convivial and worthy of respect? You let her off the gateway drug nonsense somewhat and when she said look at the problems with alcohol and tobacco, why not say if these are legal, why not everything else? Why not just say its heroin misuse which causes problems, almost any drug can be used safely.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-54707262472175502552009-03-31T11:17:00.000+01:002009-03-31T11:17:00.000+01:00Good performances, Steve. There was a marked contr...Good performances, Steve. There was a marked contrast between Widdecombe's unevidenced assertions (nonsense, nonsense) and your cool rational approach. <BR/><BR/>I think Frost should have challenged Widdecombe to come up with an outline for the heavier enforcement regime, that was her only counter to the manifest failure of current policies. <BR/><BR/>Does anyone still take Mad Mel seriously (no evidence for evolution; Saddam hid his WMDs, etc.)? I think Peter Hitchens is a more serious opponent, although even he is unable to propose anything other than cracking down even harder.chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-32442408465337807832009-03-30T23:11:00.000+01:002009-03-30T23:11:00.000+01:00Good stuff Steve.Just watched both clips and it is...Good stuff Steve.<BR/><BR/>Just watched both clips and it is indeed encouraging to see in the Newsnight Scotland debate that the opening premise was "Why shouldn't they be legalised". It is also interesting that out of the 4 people (You, Gordon Brewer, The university chap and Ms Goldie) that it was only the politician in the discussion who was trying to argue for the status quo. It is heartening to see that the nonsense of the current system is starting to permeate the consciousness of the public like this.Mark Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-23758828672470869852009-03-30T22:31:00.000+01:002009-03-30T22:31:00.000+01:00you can embed the youtube clip by clicking on the ...you can embed the youtube clip by clicking on the arrow icon in the bottom left corner. or just link straight here. you cant embed iplayer unfortunately - you have to just link direct.Steve Rolleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11487781869462634203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28543539.post-9572501263033872932009-03-30T18:30:00.000+01:002009-03-30T18:30:00.000+01:00Can you give me the details of this clip so I can ...Can you give me the details of this clip so I can post it on my blog Organized Rage.Organized Rage.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07627288401631451362noreply@blogger.com