I'm too agitated for any other comment

This is just nuts! What will it take for us (American citizens) to put a stop to this unbelievable police brutality? I'm so pissed off at law enforcement and the law makers, we really need to fight back. It's the only way we'll be heard...

The U.S. because of it's War on (some) Drugs, has found a way it can use militarized police units to invade our homes for commiting what are essentially considered victimless crimes. We Americans are victims of degrading civil liberties and rights. We have to stop these instances when the Police are using excessive force. We must not sit by and allow the Government to continually erode our freedoms. This election we can TRY to change things by joining OBAMA's web site and join the group ObamaSupportersforMarijuanaLawReform. It's a start. We are about 500 strong so far but need many more to join in order to make a greater impact. Send a message to Obama's campaign by joining.
J. Velasco Brownsville Texas

I do truly value my rights, but a lot of times politics is about holding your nose as you vote for the lesser of two evils. On the key issue of medical marijuana, Obama is willing to let states decide, McCain says no, I wouldn't be surprised if he finesses that, given how thoroughly he is taking on public opinion by being against. I call this a key issue because it is ripe for rapid progress due to the very strong public support and positive studies on its efficacy. The widespread use of MMJ should then make it very clear what a safe substance marijuana is, compared to its competition alcohol. I think that's already happening. In my opinion McCain is old and set in his ways and Obama has the brains and heart to be sympathetic to ideas like harm reduction and science based drugs policy.

..will probably be kinder under Obama,but still continue.He has the behemoth law enforcement, prison industry to consider.And he has this corrupt office down the hall to deal with (ONDCP).

This is just outrageous. The people have got to put a stop to this.

"People" would put a stop to this ,but we are now a nation of sheeple. Just say bhaaa, in corporate unity. A few hundred more of these types of killings and even sheeple may say bhaaaa...ck off !

It's difficult to see how anyone can think this makes any sense at all?They just keep on doing the same thing over and over and somehow expect a different result.Isn't that a definition of insanity?

I am so sick of the apathy in this country regarding the horrific nature of our drug policy. It seems that so many just don't care. We are creating a violent underworld of crime that would immediately be suppressed by decriminalization. Jason Whitlock wrote an excellent piece titled the "Black KKK" that touched on many ills facing minority communities in California in particular. I know the Mexican Black rivalry issue that is destroying so many lives in California especially has gotten at least a degree of attention. However as Whitlock points out in his piece that was published in either the May or June edition of Playboy this year, it is the prison industrial complex that stands in the way of any incarceration reform and subsequently any drug policy reform. We have to make a national stand by pressuring first local media outlets in our own communities and hoping that a grassroots network can emerge. The main points being the fact that this is a war on people in poverty, not simply a war on drugs. The fact that it is the illegality of drugs that causes crime not merely the drugs themselves. The fact that people have to pay outrageously high amounts for illegal drugs in which they are addicted to empowers the black market and subsequently causes people who's only crime is being an addict to rob, steal, etc to get their fix. The 2007 film American Drug War: The Last White Hope demonstrates that our drug policy clearly has its roots in racism. It is painfully evident that many drug laws were created as a means of oppressing marginalized groups or races of people that the government wants to control. I hope we as a nation can wake up and include the issue of our drug policy and ending the drug war to the mainstream national dialogue along with the critical issues of the War in Iraq, the economy, and healthcare reform. If not the consequences will continue to be grave and more unnecessary blood will be forced to be shed.