Friday, August 29, 2014

A message for Mark Dayton, and slavishness to the will of police union leadership.

From an ocean away, Economist here, this paragraph:

Third, policing would be a lot easier, and race relations a little more cordial, if America legalised drugs. One reason why so many African-Americans distrust the police is that so many young black men are sent to prison for non-violent drug offences. If drugs were legal, no one would be patted down for pills or jailed for possessing them. Illicit drug gangs would go out of business. And the police would be able to concentrate on tracking down thieves and rapists, making everyone safer. Legalising marijuana would be a good first step, following the examples of Colorado and Washington state.

Opposing the view of the majority to serve a political bloc is unhelpful. Join the 21st century instead.