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| Ted Nugent: We could be winning war on drugs | |
| 2009-06-15 | |
| The Texas Wildman turns out another rousing sermon. Nuge may yet run for office. Be afraid, "hippies, dopeheads, and corrupt politicoes," be very afraid: One of the most dangerous places on earth is our own 2,000-mile border with Mexico. Our southern border is a drug-war zone, and we're losing. Know it. Before she became secretary of Homeland Security, former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano declared a state of emergency along the Arizona/Mexico border because of drug trafficking, shootouts and an increasing illegal immigration invasion.
There isn't a city in America that has not been scorched by drug-related violence. In 2008 the drug cartels killed more than 4,000 Mexicans. Almost 500 Mexican police officers and soldiers have been killed since January 2007. Add to this increasing acts of violence against Border Patrol agents by the well-financed and well-armed drug cartels. They are as evil an adversary as the voodoo terrorist Taliban our soldiers face in Afghanistan. President Obama has stated he will go after the cartels and increase efforts to combat gang-related crime. Good. But he better be prepared to wage war with them with more than just soaring rhetoric. I'm aware there are prominent conservatives who make strong arguments in favor of legalizing drugs -- for one, that it will take away a tool of organized crime. I don't believe that. Legalizing drugs would be like pouring gasoline on a blazing fire in hopes of extinguishing it. We have all the laws we need to fight drugs. What America needs is the willpower and a renewed warrior spirit to crush evil and evil-doers. I was ready to serve. Unfortunately, the president tapped former Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske as his drug czar. Merlikowske then suggested we tone down our "war on drugs" rhetoric. I disagree. Too bad you didn't pick me, Mr. President. Hippies, dopeheads, corrupt politicos and various forms of human debris hate me, making me the perfect for the job. As drug czar, I would charge our mayors and police departments to commit to fighting the drug gangs. It would be our top priority. Our inner cities will remain war zones until we commit to taking the trash out. America needs to better arm our Border Patrol agents and we need more of them. The governors of the border states should call out the National Guard to assist the Border Patrol in securing the border. As drug czar, I would challenge them to do this today, as I would the governments of Mexico and South America. Working with the Colombian government a few years back, U.S. Special Forces filled Pablo Escobar with bullet holes. Until assuming room temperature, he controlled 80 percent of all the cocaine shipped into America. Every American who smokes dope, manufactures, buys or sells meth or uses any illegal drug is aiding and abetting the enemies of America. Case closed. This spiritual inbreeding and cannibalism must be identified, admitted and stopped immediately. America can and must do this. Good over evil. Next. Ted Nugent is a Waco-based musician, television show host and bestselling author of two books. Contact him directly at tednugent.com. | |
| Posted by:Therert Fliling2918 |
| #14 Oh my ... I was backstage at the San Antonio Tea Party, and got to meet him very briefly, after his terrific rant in front of the Alamo ... the one in which he did drop some salty language that put paid to our claim to have been a family-friendly event. But everyone on the planning committee just looked at each other, and sighed indulgently. One very striking thing about him that I noticed, that even though he was meeting and hand-shaking dozens of people backstage afterward, he seemed very intensely interested in each person that he was talking to - just for those few moments, and that he really saw you. It wasn't like that with Glenn Beck - for him one had the feeling that all of us were just passing in a blur in front of his eyes. But the Nuge really engaged with each person, no matter how briefly. This is a useful quality to have ... the other quality was that he seemed to feed off the audience's energy, and reflect it back onto them, magnified. Oh, BTW - if any Rantburgundians will be in South Texas for the 4th of July, we're planning a bash at a local ranch, with music and entertainment, and fireworks and all. Sign up for it here. More about the speakers and all, here. |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2009-06-15 17:57 |
| #13 For those of you who don't know - Ted walks the walk. He was one of the few rockers from that era who never did drugs or alcohol, and he's actually gotten grief from other performers because of his sobriety. Like him or not as you wish, have whatever opinion regarding drug regulation you see fit, ut at least he's not a hypocrite with his own consumption habits. Oh, and he's not a Texas Wildman, but the Motor City Madman (grew up in Detroit area). |
| Posted by: no mo uro 2009-06-15 14:59 |
| #12 I first became aware of him around 1980 from a "dopehead" who really admired him. |
| Posted by: Goober Glomonter4456 2009-06-15 14:17 |
| #11 I remember seeing Ted at the Long Beach Arena in 1978. A huge cloud of dope smoke completely engulfed the arena. I was one of the rare non-stoned people in the building, but I don't recall the Nuge calling anyone a hippie or dopehead at the time, or saying anyone was abetting the enemies of America. His attitudes probably haven't changed that much over the years, but he was sensible enough not to bite the hand that fed him at that point. |
| Posted by: abu Chuck al Ameriki 2009-06-15 14:08 |
| #10 Criminalising chemical choices is something authoritarian governments love to do. If you beleive that people own their own bodies then what they put in it should be NO concern of the states. What people DO while they are high could be a concern. Don't ban the drugs, just ban being high in a public place. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-06-15 13:43 |
| #9 By the way, I didn't vote for Obama, most of the people I know do not smoke marijuana but Did vote for Obama, and at no time have I ever been as "Doofy" and lazy as when I was half unconscious or even totally uncoscious (in my young days) from some good old-fashioned alcoholic beverage. |
| Posted by: Goober Glomonter4456 2009-06-15 13:43 |
| #8 I don't have any sources for numbers, but this editorial seems to imply that marijuana exports aren't a major source of $$ for the Mexican gangs, or at any rate not a major source of the violence. Anybody know of moderately reliable estimates? |
| Posted by: James 2009-06-15 13:13 |
| #7 You can have your drug war and I say good for you. Just remember there will be casualties. And before you jump on me for saying that take your heads out of the sand. There are 10.000 corpses in Mexico in the last 2 years alone. Yeah guys rah rah. let's ramp up the drug war. Good vs evil. Right. And by the way Alcohol is a drug and a dangerous and addictive one oh warriors of the side of good. Rah rah. |
| Posted by: Elmeaque Hitler1313 2009-06-15 11:37 |
| #6 Doofy and lazy, huh? So let 'em have marijuana and television and they'll keep on voting for Barack Obama...that is, if they can get up off the couch and focus long enough to find the polls. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-06-15 11:08 |
| #5 Goober, I know a lot of cops that agree with you. They would rather arrest a pothead over a drunk anyday, as they are doofy and lazy but not belligerant and violent. PCP and crack are an entirely different story. Allowing marijuana to be grown as a crop, regulated and taxed would pacify many so the dangerous hard drugs could be focused on. Decriminalizing is not the same as make it legal, either. We need treatment to transition the addicted or crime and violence will only escalate but the borders must be contained, as it is not only drugs that can be smuggled in. It is a national security issue. |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2009-06-15 10:27 |
| #4 Well sorry - here's probably some more trite and discredited snide whatever. I get tired of marijuana being thrown into the same pile as heroin, cocaine - not to mention murder etc. Marijuana is a hundred times less dangerous than even cheap wine. That's a fact - not rhetoric. Despite the tons and tons of propoganda that says otherwise. Some witty people call it a "Gateway Drug". Well then let's call aspirin a gateway drug. Chances are that anybody who's ever smoked marijuana has started off with aspirin. So let's abolish aspirin and jail all the users and dealers. Extreme?! So is Ted Nugent. |
| Posted by: Goober Glomonter4456 2009-06-15 10:14 |
| #3 Goober, the question here are drugs, not alcohol. Can you not address his argument instead of dragging out trite and discredited rhetorical tactics? There is a case for decriminalization but snide words are not it. |
| Posted by: Lagom 2009-06-15 10:04 |
| #2 I mean Re-criminalize. |
| Posted by: Goober Glomonter4456 2009-06-15 09:38 |
| #1 Yeah Ted - Even better, let's criminilize the most destructive and evil drug of all - Alcohol - which you're probably drunk on half the time yourself. |
| Posted by: Goober Glomonter4456 2009-06-15 09:37 |