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Vancouver’s housing habit
"Money hasn't saved Canada's most blighted neighbourhood, the drug-infested Downtown Eastside. Resources aren't wanting; it's estimated that $1-million is shovelled into the area every day to pay for myriad services and examples of social housing not seen in other communities. "
Interesting indictment of the poverty industry, too.
"Legalization of Drugs: The Myths and the Facts," by Robert L. Maginnis
Maginnis marshals arguments against the legalization of drugs. First, he presents arguments from all sides (pro & con), then skewers 8 myths around the alleged benefits of legalization. Bottom line: drugs do harm and cause social disorder, and since "There is no 'civil right' to do what is wrong or harmful to yourself, your family, or your society," there isn't a convincing argument to be made for proceeding to accept drug use through legalization.
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Add Sticky NoteThere is no "civil right" to
do what is wrong or harmful to yourself, your family, or your society.- If you accept this, then that means there isn't a convincing argument to be made for proceeding to accept drug use through legalization.
It occurs to me that a key objection to legalizing hard drugs (or marijuana that has been 'doctored' to increase its potency) is that it implies *acceptance* of drug use. But given the dangers of addiction and of the fact that these drugs alter the user's brain chemistry (for the worse), *accepting* their use would be like accepting alcoholism or drunkenness or the nicotine-stained chain-smoking cigarette addict. We have laws around public drunkenness or around where you can smoke - why pedal backwards on drugs by making hard drug use legal (and thereby acceptable)? - on 2008-12-13
- If you accept this, then that means there isn't a convincing argument to be made for proceeding to accept drug use through legalization.
"Broken Windows Matter," CEOs for Cities :: Blog, View Entry
Carol Coletta points to The Economist article that featured new research in Holland which showed that low-level social disorder provides a breeding ground for creating more of the same. Based on the "broken windows" theory, it gives back some statistical relevance to a theory that has been falling out of favour. (Why it fell out of favour is a mystery to me, but there you have it...)
QUOTE
The "broken windows" theory had its day in the sun during the "zero tolerance" policies of the Giuliani adminsitration in New York. Petty crime, such as graffiti and subway turnstile jumping, were not to be tolerated because, according to the theory, observing disorder has a psychological effect on people.
The theory later fell out of favor. But new research out of the Netherlands bolsters the belief that tolerance of low level crime matters. According to the new research, it actually doubles the number of people willing to litter and steal.
UNQUOTE
Coletta brings the issue back to city budget slashing, and how this will affect the climate for social disorder.
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The "broken windows" theory had its day in the sun during the "zero tolerance" policies of the Giuliani adminsitration in New York. Petty crime, such as graffiti and subway turnstile jumping, were not to be tolerated because, according to the theory, observing disorder has a psychological effect on people.
The theory later fell out of favor. But new research out of the Netherlands bolsters the belief that tolerance of low level crime matters. According to the new research, it actually doubles the number of people willing to litter and steal.
Read the story in the Economist. Then contemplate what city budget slashing will do to enforcement.
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