Pubdate: Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Source: Juneau Empire (AK)
Copyright: 2010 Southeastern Newspaper Corp
Contact:  http://www.juneauempire.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/549
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n592/a01.html
Author: Kirk Muse

METAPHORICAL WARS ARE UNWINNABLE

I'm writing about Bill Dillon's outstanding column: "Losing the word
war"

The war on drugs is just a metaphor. A metaphor that has transformed
the United States into the most incarcerated nation in the history of
human civilization.

The war on drugs metaphor was created by the Nixon Administration to
go after blacks without appearing to do so, according to the diary of
H. R. Haldeman, Nixon's Chief of Staff, who wrote:

"(President Nixon) emphasized that you have to face the fact that
the whole problem is really the blacks. The key is to devise a system
that recognizes this." (Source: "Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the
Politics of Failure" by Dan Baum)

Based upon its original goals, the war on drugs has been a tremendous
success.

Real wars are fought against other nations with armies, navies, and
air forces. Metaphorical wars cannot be won.

Who is going to surrender and sign the peace treaty?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake