Newt Gingrich praises Singapore's "successful," "draconian" drug laws, endorses death penalty for drug dealers

Chris | InformationLiberation
Nov. 29, 2011

From an interview with The Ticket:

In 1996, you introduced a bill that would have given the death penalty to drug smugglers. Do you still stand by that?

I think if you are, for example, the leader of a cartel, sure. Look at the level of violence they've done to society. You can either be in the Ron Paul tradition and say there's nothing wrong with heroin and cocaine or you can be in the tradition that says, 'These kind of addictive drugs are terrible, they deprive you of full citizenship and they lead you to a dependency which is antithetical to being an American.' If you're serious about the latter view, then we need to think through a strategy that makes it radically less likely that we're going to have drugs in this country.

Places like Singapore have been the most successful at doing that. They've been very draconian. And they have communicated with great intention that they intend to stop drugs from coming into their country.

Why not execute anyone found with drugs? Wouldn't that be even more "successful?" Also, why stop with illegal drugs? Lets execute people found with prescription medicine which could be abused, not to mention alcohol users!

Why are you being so soft on these "un-American" drug users, Newt?

Hell, let's just execute everyone for everything the government says is a crime, just like Draco himself!

Boy, this "governing" thing sure is easy!

Meanwhile, Ron Paul didn't endorse heroin use like this would-be-dictator would have people believe, he called for the end of drug prohibition the same as ending alcohol prohibition in the 30's.

What Newt conveniently ignores is the level of violence the state uses against non-violent, non-criminals under the pretense of "enforcing drug laws."

How many innocent people have been abused and killed in botched drug raids?

Here's a few recent examples:

- SWAT Team Flash-bangs Grandmother During Botched Drug Raid, Gives Her Heart Attack

- 68-year-old grandfather of 12 called “nicest guy in the world” killed in drug raid

- Drug cops smash into wrong house, terrorize elderly couple: "My parents are refugees from the Soviet Union. They are naturalized citizens. They have relatives there who were abused for political reasons. You might expect it there, but not here..."

How is this not considered horrible violence? Oh that's right, because the people in state issued costumes with shiny badges are above the laws and moral codes which apply to us little people.

Header image Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0