More on Police Dept. Blocking Officer From Speaking About Legalization
As I mentioned yesterday, LEAP speaker David Bratzer has been ordered by the Victoria Police Dept. not to speak at a city-sponsored harm reduction event. If they thought they could silence the case for legalization, their plan backfired:
I agree with Pete Guither that it's a great segment. No matter what you think about drug policy, it just seems stupid and cowardly to deny this man his chance to speak. When opponents of legalization start resorting to this sort of petty obstructionism, it doesn’t exactly reflect confidence. If the drug war is so frickin' great, it should be easy enough to defend it without attempting to silence its critics.
I agree with Pete Guither that it's a great segment. No matter what you think about drug policy, it just seems stupid and cowardly to deny this man his chance to speak. When opponents of legalization start resorting to this sort of petty obstructionism, it doesn’t exactly reflect confidence. If the drug war is so frickin' great, it should be easy enough to defend it without attempting to silence its critics.
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Oh no!! The public might be
Oh no!! The public might be CONFUSED!!!! Because even though he's explicitly saying he's not speaking for his department....we might think he's speaking for his department? Think of the children!
Why didn't they just put out a PA that said he's not speaking for them? That would have been a lot smarter than gagging him. Now they're getting all kinds of shit. No offense, but that sergeant isn't very bright.
Great piece of reporting from A News or whoever they are.
Yea!
The harm reduction people are getting a lot more publicity, out of this, compared to the department making a better choice! By gagging him, they have caused at least three videos, that I saw this morning, on the event! And to think, the wouldn't let him attend a HARM REDUCTION seminar. Does that mean they don't want to reduce the harm?
That should clearly show harming people is exactly what the LE people like! They like to inflict harm upon "civilians". It appears that they, also, don't believe in anyone's right of free speech, either!
I agree, cops should STFU.
The chief is right on this one, cops should not speak out to influence the making of public policy. They are responsible for enforcement of the laws, and the legislative branch should be able to make laws without undue influence from the enforcers.
I am 100% behind the idea that law enforcement should stay out of the marijuana legalization debate! Too bad about the hypocritical double-standard that allows cops to speak in support of the status quo...
who's going to cheerlead for prohibs in CA before November?
If it's like previous referendums (Colorado and Nevada in 2006) it will be law enforcement. I remember they got some bad press in Colorado for interfering in the campaign in 06, even from newspapers that agreed with them in opposing the referendum. Hopefully the feeling that police are there to enforce the laws, not to use their official position to tell voters how to make laws, will be stronger this time around, in California, and heavy handed/hysterical rhetoric from the cops will backfire.
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