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Veterans For Peace, Inc. overwhelmingly passed the following
resolution at their national convention in Albuquerque NM August
23-26, 2001.
Not by accident, Joe Minella of New Mexico wrote and presented
the resolution to his fellow veterans.
Many people write or call asking what they can do to help end
the drug war. You can follow the example of TNC members like
Joe, bringing the drug war issue to other groups you may be involved
in.
RESOLUTION
 WHEREAS the government of the United
States has, for the last 30 years and more, attempted to control
the problems of drug abuse and addiction by means of policies
collectively known as the "war on drugs",
WHEREAS these policies are primarily militaristic, punitive,
and brutal, and are therefore causing an unacceptable level of
collateral (innocent) damage,
WHEREAS these policies, even after many expensive, cold-blooded,
and constitutionally dangerous expansions, have brought only
increased and ongoing misery, suffering, and death in our society
and other societies,
WHEREAS these policies are irrefutably linked to the dissolution
of families, to the neglect of children, to joblessness, crimes
of violence, historic levels of official corruption, property
crimes, and to the empowerment of an endless parade of well-heeled
and vicious criminal organizations, large and small,
WHEREAS these policies have needlessly cost the lives of too
many hundred police officers, and put the lives of thousands
of officers needlessly at risk, and have corrupted thousands
of officers in hundreds of communities, and have distorted and
strained the relationship between police and citizens,
WHEREAS these policies have left certain drugs, like heroin,
cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana on the streets where
our children can more easily find them,
WHEREAS these policies have caused dishonest, confusing, and
shameful messages to be sent to our children,
WHEREAS these policies have caused the long term imprisonment
of hundreds of thousands of non-violent Americans for victimless
crimes, making the United States the world's leading jailer.
WHEREAS these policies have led to the serious erosion of the
constitutional protections which are the birthright of every
American,
WHEREAS these policies have led directly to the suffering and
death of many thousands of innocent people in other countries
and have contributed to national and ecological and human catastrophes
in Colombia, and have seriously destabilized and corrupted other
Latin American countries, and many other countries around the
world.
WHEREAS these policies have taken away several hundred billion
dollars, the wealth of a generation, from education, health care
and families, forever, to no meaningful positive effect,
WHEREAS these policies, in practice, have greatly exacerbated
the problems of race relations and demolished much of the progress
made by minorities in the last 50 years,
WHEREAS these policies have caused the reduced availability of
legal, effective and safe pain medications for millions of seriously
ill and terminally ill patients,
WHEREAS these policies have led to the demonization, terrorization,
and abandonment of those Americans most in need of help, those
who are trapped in a serious problem with drugs.
WHEREAS these policies have not, in eighty years, reduced drug
use, drug abuse, drug availability, or the negative effects of
these behaviors,
WHEREAS the government of the United States has imposed these
destructive policies, by threat and force, on all the States
of the United States, on most other countries, and on the United
Nations,
WHEREAS the government of the United States and, for the most
part, our elected representatives, have repeatedly and stubbornly
refused to acknowledge the destructiveness and lack of effectiveness
of these policies or to even consider an official examination
of these policies, even after being strongly and repeatedly encouraged
to do so by many prominent, experienced, and knowledgeable citizens,
WHEREAS it is most probable that continuing and/or expanding
these failed policies will lead only to more misery, destruction,
and death,
THEREFORE, be it resolved by the members of Veterans for Peace,
Inc., that we condemn the arrogant and callous disregard for
life and family and children, and the scandalous and indefensible
squandering of enormous resources of the people of the United
States, all of which permeates these policies and their application.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the members of Veterans for Peace,
Inc., that we hereby strongly oppose the efforts by the government
of the United States to continue these destructive and cruel
policies.
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Veterans for Peace