Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
18 December 2008
23:4111174Howard
Colombia are resonsible for supplying cocaine a totally different user unfriendly drug.The figure of 90% was released by the US DEA.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
19 December 2008
01:0511177None of it makes a blind bit of difference. Burn all the crops today and tomorrow there will be even more planted, because it makes a lot of money. That will never change until some unpalatable changes are made in the market for the stuff. Look at the lessons of prohibition.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
19 December 2008
08:1711185Do you mean de-criminalise them so the bottom falls out of the market, then it won't generate money for these drug barons ?
Is the thinking behind this that if it's legal no one will do it and that the only reason drugs are so popular, is because of that illegality ? - i.e. it's naughty, so let's do it ?
And what do we do with all those on drugs ? as they're not criminals, they won't be entitled to help ?
Do we say that it's their own fault and let them suffer, or let them get fixes on the NHS ?
I can't see anything that is as valuable to the farmers to grow, as these poppies - cabbages, beetroot, maize, corn ??? doubt it.
Roger
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
19 December 2008
10:4711206Chris
With respect the poppies need certain conditions climate and soil to flourish.If the soil structure was damaged ,as they are doing in places,it prevents the regrowth of the poppy. The farmer has to move on but in a country where there is not a lot of migration the farmer will struggle to find land available outside his own community.
Land is their God.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
19 December 2008
14:4911224The real 'criminals' are the manufacturers, suppliers and smugglers that are making the large cash out of it all. Even the growers are, in part, working to market forces by producing the crop with the best financial return. Destroying their land won't stop those market forces but it will further impovrish large areas that need the land for food crops, if they can be convinced to change. Opiates do need certain conditions to florish but there is a wide range of poppies that will grow well in a wide variety of conditions.
As to help Roger, is it only criminals that should have help or is it the sick, poor and troubled that we should be helping?
On attractiveness, how would it be if they had to go to a dispenser, say excuse me I want to try heroin, listen to the advice on how to take it and what to expect and then get enough of a controlled quality etc. for that one trial hit before going back for another. One hit and the after effect puking and aching should put most off leaving a few to be refered for medical help. I did not say there were easy options but the current way of doing things obviously does not work.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
19 December 2008
18:2711246I think it should be the sick, the poor and the troubled, but sadly it's not always the case.
Criminals do seem to have it easy - no rent or mortgage to pay, no food costs, no heating or fuel bills to worry about - I'm sure there's many a pensioner who would like not tp worry about the above.
Roger
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
19 December 2008
18:5511250And probably a lot of benefit claiments as benefits do not cover half as much as the 'red tops' would have you think.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
I was sad to see the latest news today that the shoe thrower got 3 years in jail. His family and friends were expecting a fine and are devestated. It is quite ridiculous to put this journalist in jail. He made regular appearances on Iraqi TV with his reports and just got fed up with the "occupation".
Is it any worse than the paint thowing incident with Peter Mandelson?? No, not at all. The police didnt even arrest her. Only after a rumbling of public opinion in the tabloids did they finally get around to following it up with a scratch and a yawn.
I thought the Iraqi journalist made a legitimate protest...it was of course a bit more shocking and sensitive because it was the American President....but
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
shame he missed there again what do expect from an iraqi.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
maybe so ,then they could worth somthing on e-bay.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Jeezez as you can see those one liners failed to stimulate any kind of debate...here am I flogging away trying to revive the sleeping politics thread and any chance of getting the thing revved up again is scuppered at once. One liners generally only attract other one liners.
Im off to the pub!!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
What, now ?
Roger
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
You are right Paul there is no difference in the crime in that it was an assault, apart from the fact it was not over here in the UK where we appear to be more tolerant to such actions. Mind you if that lady had been a protester throwing custard over a Police Officer on a picket line or at a coal fire power station I expect our police would have acted differently.
Three years is ridiculous no mater who he threw his shoes at, yes he should have been punished but 3 years is way over the top. Now the woman who through paint over Peter Mandelson was eventually charged but not sure if she has been told by a court not to be a bad girl again as yet.
As for bringing politics back into the frame we need an opposition that is an opposition. All we get at the moment is one that stands there saying "This will not work" That's no Good" When we here more of what should and should not be done and some loud forceful opposition to what this Government is doing we may just get some political debate going.
So just why are the Conservatives and Liberals sitting back and yawning.
There you go Paul tried a bit of stirring, off to work now.
And there was me thinking that the discussion about decriminalising hard drugs was a little provocative and stimulating.......
PaulB - you are right, the incident was noteworthy but not shocking, the shocking thing is the sentence he attracted. However, we are veering into Cultural territory here: we do not make huge protests about Saudia Arabian punishments because they are internal and "culturally sensitive", ditto other middle eastern countries, so why should we poke our noses into this one? My own opinion, for what it's worth, is that we belong to a Global family and owe it to one another to Poke Our Noses In and not walk by on the other side of the road, but need also to bear in mind what we can achieve and how to achieve it and not go in literally all guns blazing.
PaulB - if you are back from the pub, was that controversial enough?
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
um the good samaritan mode bern,if every body csossed the road and kept our noses clean there would be less trouble about us.
When you clean your nose the snot has to go somewhere - avoiding bad stuff doesn't make it go away, it just forces it up somewhere else.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
PaulB
How on earth can thee complain about the lack of seriousness of this thread and the abundance of one liners when you started and posted this thread as........
Secondhand Shoes available, size 10, one careful owner... ( 1 2 )
by PaulB
Talk about kitchen ware accused of colour prejudice
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
jeezez ...
Well Marek that posting is a wee bit stupid. Just a creative headline. The politics section is dying on its feet so unless people make the effort it will have to be shut down.. We cant just leave it here lying in zombieland. Its a serious section so if people want it then smart arse one liners wont cut it.
PaulB - are you having a bad day?? The politics section seems good to me, and one liners can stimulate powerful responses if done well. Perhaps we just need a more varied selection: we do get a bit bogged down in the he said/she said blue v red ping-pong which admittedly does slow things down a bit and sends me to sleep!
