SIR_Sergeant

The fact that Swedish police can take you in for a drug test just because you appear to be high and then charge you if the test comes back positive is appalling. Even the War on Drugs in the US never criminalized the state of being high.

Sounds like they were trying to make an easy bust and got burned. Glad it worked out like that.

I do think you're right that the cartels are so deeply entrenched into Mexican society and government but perhaps the cuts to cartel revenue would at least Mexicans a fighting chance. I wouldn't say the the drug issue is entirely their problem. The American drug market is what ultimately fuels cartel activity. Also, while the Mexican state may have not participated in the Civil Rights movement, Mexican Americans (as well as people from all over Latin America), did have their own Civil Rights movement (Cesar Chavez, farm workers...).

This is an opinion. Like any president that has come before him and any that will come after. What does this have to do with restricting the police?

That wouldn't be the case. Look at Colorado. Gangs aren't supplying weed shops, honest farmers are.

Mexico's war on drugs has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Carrying on with a war against drug cartels isn't going stop anything. Decriminalization and legalization is the answer. The impact of marijuana legalization efforts alone has taken millions, if not billions from the cartels.

Yeah, but that isn't going to happen. I think there might be a few states that have no/minimal restrictions at all, but I'm not sure. No states have completely banned it but some municipalities throughout the country have.

It depends on the state. Here in Maryland getting a concealed carry permit is difficult. There are "may issue" and "shall issue" states. May issue states may give you a concealed carry permit if you meet the proper qualifications, but they don't have to. Shall issue states are required to grant you a concealed carry permit if you meet the qualifications. Maryland is a may issue state.

I've only read this last page. I'm terrified of the previous eight if they look as poor as this one does. To me, the area of what gear is acceptable for police departments and what isn't acceptable is a bit of a grey area. My biggest problem with giving police military style equipment is that it is used primarily to fight the War on Drugs (which is another discussion in itself) which is something that I do not agree with.

Dramas: 1. Mad Men 2. House of Cards 3. Game of Thrones Comedies: 1. Trailer Park Boys 2. Archer 3. The Office

In regards to the things posted about Nazi Germany on the previous page... I think there are a few problems. I would hardly call Nazi Party membership an entirely voluntary affair. While many people did actively decide to join the party, many didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. I'd imagine things would be a bit difficult for you if you were a member of a party the Nazis didn't like, and you'd have to join or ultimately suffer consequences. I think it's fair to say that many Germans joined and supported the Nazis without understanding how self-destructive this would be for Germany, Europe, and their peoples. That being said, I think some parallels can be drawn to the pre-war South. The vast majority of southerners were not slaveholders. In fact, it's become well understood that slavery negatively impacted the average, poor, white farmer and just benefitted the aristocracy. Yet, people then rose to defend the rebellion and the institution it backed. And still today, people today celebrate a romanticized adaptation of a traitorous nation that defended an institution that likely helped keep their ancestors in a lower place in southern society. Germans today don't look back on 1933-1945 as some kind of profound era that they should take pride in. Yet so many people try to pull some positive feelings out of 1861-1865 when it's really not true. Also, don't try to suggest that the Wehrmacht was a glowing force for the German nation while the SS was the only evil force. The "Clean Wehrmacht" myth has been thoroughly debunked

While I don't have an issue with people displaying the Confederate flag on their own property, I don't think it should be displayed on public property, like southern state capitols. I understand the historical significance, but for a state to display the flag of a rebellious nation that sought to break apart the union we all live in is wrong.

I'm glad this has finally been taken care of. The arguments over this were so frustrating. Proponents of gay marriage were talking about permitting consenting adults to enter into a legal contract. Opponents were talking about how this is going to make Jesus angry and that this would destroy "traditional marriage." This wasn't even the same conversation. Gay marriage changes absolutely nothing about "traditional marriages." Neither influences the other. It's just a legal contract. The GOP should be happy. This issue was really dragging them down. The party was starting to turn, but it still would have cost them more political capital to continue fighting against it.

When will pigs like these guys learn that it isn't 1950 and you can't do this kind of thing? The dramatic increase in police activity being recorded by whatever sources (civilians, body cameras, helicopters, etc.) should be enough to make these guys realize that they can be held accountable for their actions. Hopefully some proper consequences are administered, and not just a typical slap on the wrist.