Question 9 on Nevada's November ballot could legalize marijuana possession, but it also endorses life sentences for underage smokers. What are our priorities in drug law reform??
Both War on Drugs and decriminalization lobbies say their top priority is "protecting children from drugs." Which is exactly where America's drug debate has gone hopelessly wrong.
Suicide "experts" have recently told us that teens, especially blacks, are are killing themselves in record numbers. But it's a false crisis, manufactured by twisted stats.
As with older whites who pretend no suburban kids until today's ever harbored guns, dope, or bad values, the illusion among older blacks that drugs, AIDS, and irresponsibility are scourges of "young blacks" is the worst denial of all.
Tim Wise is correct that white suburban culture is indeed violent and drug-plagued, but youth are not the manifestation of those problems. It's white adults -- especially 30- to 60-year-old men -- who are truly dysfunctional.
