In a recent blog post on the website TownHall.com 20/20 anchor John Stossel has officially advocated the legalization of all hard drugs. “Of course medical marijuana should be legal,” he says, “For adults, everything should be legal.”

He goes on: “After years of reporting on the drug war, I’m convinced that this “war” does more harm than any drug.

I find it hard to disagree with that statement when considering the countless number of no knock raids that end up at the wrong house or the fact that violent crimes occur around drugs because they are illegal.

Here is a fact that everyone should consider: You have been lied to about the harms of most drugs.

Here is some food for thought from the article:

Myth No. 1: Heroin and cocaine have a permanent effect.

Truth: There is no evidence of that.

In the 1980s, the press reported that “crack babies” were “permanently damaged.” Rolling Stone, citing one study of just 23 babies, claimed that crack babies “were oblivious to affection, automatons.”

It simply wasn’t true. There is no proof that crack babies do worse than anyone else in later life.

Myth No. 2: If you do crack once, you are hooked.

Truth: Look at the numbers — 15 percent of young adults have tried crack, but only 2 percent used it in the last month. If crack is so addictive, why do most people who’ve tried it no longer use it?

People once said heroin was nearly impossible to quit, but during the Vietnam War, thousands of soldiers became addicted, and when they returned home, 85 percent quit within one year.

People have free will. Most who use drugs eventually wise up and stop.

And most people who use drugs habitually live perfectly responsible lives, as Jacob Sullum pointed out in “Saying Yes”.

Myth No. 3: Drugs cause crime.

Truth: The drug war causes the crime.

Few drug users hurt or rob people because they are high. Most of the crime occurs because the drugs are illegal and available only through a black market. Drug sellers arm themselves and form gangs because they cannot ask the police to protect their persons and property.

In turn, some buyers steal to pay the high black-market prices. The government says heroin, cocaine and nicotine are similarly addictive, and about half the people who both smoke cigarettes and use cocaine say smoking is at least as strong an urge. But no one robs convenience stores for Marlboros.

Alcohol prohibition created Al Capone and the Mafia. Drug prohibition is worse. It’s corrupting whole countries and financing terrorism.

Read the full article here. 

Mark Edge, who is a host of the syndicated radio talk show Free Talk Live, is planning to sue the city of Keene, New Hampshire.

The suit revolves around an incident where the plaintiff never received a bill from the city for his property taxes. At this point, it is unclear where the bill was initially sent, but it is likely that it was given to the previous owner as Edge just recently moved into the building.

Instead of trying to contact Mr. Edge in a courteous, customer service oriented manner, the city sent a letter threatening him with a lien on his property while also adding late fees to his bill.

“The first interaction I had with these people regarding the taxes,” Edge claimed on a recent episode ofFree Talk Live, “was a threat of a lien [on my property] and I thought this would be a good end to ask some questions about the whole taxation process.”

His questions will revolve around the legitimacy of property taxes and whether or not the city is incorporated. If Keene is, in fact, a corporation he wants to know who the share holders are.

“If [a city] is a plot of land then when did they buy the plot of land, how much did they pay for the plot of land?,” he asks, “If they own the plot of land does that mean I don’t own my property? I thought I owned my property. I certainly didn’t sign any pieces of paper saying that I would pay taxes to these people.”

Is there an inherent obligation to pay taxes? Or do we just pay them because we fear the men with guns that will come after us if we do not pay them? These questions are extremely relevant and poignant in today’s society and are things that many people do not think about on a daily basis. It will be interesting to see how the city bureaucrats respond, but it seems likely that they may just ignore his questions altogether.

digitaljournal.com:

Since 2005, Border Patrol agent Jesus Huizar has headed the illegal alien smuggling ring of over 100 illegals into the United States. In May of 2008, he was arrested for his alleged role in the crime but it does create some issues of trust.  

More proof that positions of power attack those that are willing to abuse it.  After all, if you want to smuggle illegal aliens then what better job is there for you than a border patrol agent?

Charles Allen, the senior intelligence official at the Department of Homeland Security, has recently decried using the term “War on Terror” saying that it creates “animus” in Islamic countries.

According to Financial Times: 

“[It] has nothing to do with political correctness,” Mr Allen said in an interview. “It is interpreted in the Muslim world as a war on Islam and we don’t need this.”

Allen is a CIA veteran who has spent most of his 50 year career fighting terrorism.

Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security secretary, disagrees that the term, coined by President Bush in the wake of the September 11 terrorism attacks, is suggestive of a war on Islam.

Peter Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, on the other hand, agrees with Allen calling the phrase “dumbest term…you could use”. He has urged the Bush Administration, especially Stephen Hadley, the national security adviser, not to use the expression.

Financial Times also points out that military personnel often use the same vocabulary as the President:

While the military in general tends to echo the langauge of the president, Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs who recently met with moderate Muslim leaders to hear their concerns, tries to ensure his language does not create the perception of a war against Islam, Captain John Kirby, his spokesman, said.

“The chairman is aware of the concerns voiced by many in the Muslim community about the phrase ‘war on terror’,” Captain Kirby said.

“He is committed – when speaking of it – to focusing his language and efforts on the violent extremists we are fighting. This is not a war on Islam. It’s a war against lethal enemies who are using a warped view of that faith to justify killing innocent civilians.”

While the Admiral might be using the term in a way that he feels is “focusing… on the violent extremists we are fighting” individuals in the Muslim community might not feel the same way. The terms “War on Terror”, “Islamic Terrorists”, and “Islamo-Fascists” tend to bear negative connotations for Islamic people by equating the religion itself with terrorism.

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The music video for Weezer’s new Billboard topping single “Pork and Beans” was initially released on the video sharing website YouTube and features many of the sites stars including Chris Crocker, Gary Brolsma, and Judson Laipply.

If you recognized even one of those names then you are sure to enjoy the video which contains references to 24 of the most popular YouTube videos of all time. The intro of the video, for instance, references the video One Man Band which has been viewed 1,160,872 times and counting.

If there is one thing that is undeniable throughout Weezer’s long and storied history it is that the band knows geeks (probably because they themselves are considerably nerdy). So its no wonder that they know that referencing viral videos would make “Pork and Beans” more popular in the internet community.

This internet popularity, unlike Presidential candidate Ron Paul’s, has actually translated well into the real world. The single is currently sitting at the top of the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks charts for the 3rd week in a row. It is also Weezer’s fastest rising single, reaching the #1 spot in just three short weeks.

The song will be present on the band’s upcoming self-titled album which has been referred to as The Red Album because Weezer has multiple self-titled albums. It will release on June 3.

The viral videos referenced by Weezer in “Pork and Beans” include One Man Band, Numa Numa, Diet Coke and Mentos Experiment, The Evolution of Dance, Crank That Soldier Boy, Afro Ninja, Chocolate Rain, Dramatic Gopher, Leave Britney Alone, The Most T-Shirts Worn at One Time, How the Dramatic Prairie Dog Was Born, GI Joe Gay, All Your Base Are Belong to Us, Popozao, Miss Teen USA South Carolina, Star Wars Kid, Charlie the Unicorn, Daft Bodies, Daft Hands, Its Peanut Butter Jelly Time,Shoes, and Will it Blend.

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Well, its official, the LP has selected former Republican and Patriot Act supporter Bob Barr as their presidential candidate.

Bob Barr might be a Libertarian (in the sense that he is a member of the party), but he is not a libertarian. This is one of the reasons I’ve stopped paying attention to the Libertarian Party. They’re not even a major party and they still manage to stray away from their principles. Shame shame *wags fingers*

They should have picked Ruwart. I’m fairly appalled by this decision, but I’m not really all that stunned. The LP has been moving farther center every year and for what? Just to gain a half of a percentage point? It’s a pathetic development from the “Party of Principle.” And too think I was once actually a member.

Now theres not even a third party for those who believe in small government to vote for. Whats a true conservative to do? I guess I could write in Ruwart, but what kind of difference could that possibly make. Sorry to rant here, but I’m finally starting to get sick of the whole voting “process”. Every election seems more and more like a scam.

A couple things to remember.  First, Barr supports the War on Drugs, and second he voted for the Patriot Act.

Honestly, this is one of the most upsetting pieces of news to come out of the LP in years. They picked Barr for the little bit of media attention that he will produce and its really kind of sickening. I’m honestly starting to believe that voting and working inside the system will no longer achieve political change. Civil disobedience from the grassroots might really be the only way to go.

Theres a popular campaign sign out there that reads “Ron Paul Cured My Apathy”, but this decision from the LP has certainly brought mine back. The LP used to be the home for disenfranchised Republicans, but now where do the disenfranchised Libertarians go?

The Onion is just absolutely hilarious: