cannabisnews.com: Pro Drug Protesters Target US General





Pro Drug Protesters Target US General
Posted by FoM on October 25, 1999 at 08:28:35 PT
Source: This Is London
There were angry scenes when the US drugs czar visited a south London college with his British counterpart Keith Hellawell today to launch a new anti-drug website. 
When General Barry McCaffrey and Mr Hellawell, the UK's drug co-ordinator, arrived at Goldsmiths College, in New Cross, they were surrounded by protesters shouting "Go home CIA Nazi scum" and calling them hypocrites. The demonstrators, who included students from the college, claimed that the American government was responsible for flooding inner-city areas with cheap crack cocaine. Shane Collins, drug spokesman for the Green Party, said he was knocked down two concrete steps by an American plainclothed security man as he tried to ask the general a question. Mr Collins, 38, who is running for election to the London Assembly this year, said: "I was knocked down the steps by an American security guard. I've got a couple of cuts to my hand. "When they turned up there was a bit of a scrum to ask them questions but then loads of American security men were manhandling people out of the way." The 20-strong group of protesters was made up of members of the Green Party, the Socialist Workers Party and Legalise Cannabis campaigners. General McCaffrey was visiting the college to help launch an initiative to stamp out drug abuse. He and Mr Hellawell unveiled the new £120,000 anti-drugs web page. ResourceNet is a glossary of information for people who educate children about drugs. The Department of Health has funded the initiative and claims it will provide a comprehensive list of anti-drugs resources such as books, videos and CDs, for police officers, teachers and social workers. Mr Hellawell, speaking in a packed computer room in the college, said: "I am delighted to launch this service. It is essential that everyone involved in drugs education and prevention is able to make an educated choice about the many resources on offer." Department of Health officials hope the website will become the country's most comprehensive list of drug education aids. They also hope its forum page will be used to promote discussion and education. As the general and Mr Hellawell prepared to leave, protesters started shouting slogans and jostled them. Mr Hellawell ignored the protesters but the general joked: "You can tell this is a democracy." As the two men, surrounded by security guards, were bundled down a flight of stairs, a library bookcase was knocked over. A student photographer fell to the ground as a security guard tried to move him out of the path of the general's departing car. This Is LondonOctober 25, 1999© Associated Newspapers Ltd. Related Articles:Americas Drug War General Brings Battle to Britain-10/24/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3400.shtmlDrug Czar Harassed at Speech - 10/08/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3196.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on October 25, 1999 at 17:25:09 PT
Europe's cold shoulders, part 2 coming up
As had been mentioned before, MISTER McCaffrey was bound to get a cold reception after his slandering of the Dutch. What really amazes me is the fantastic gall this man has in, as we used to say, "teaching Grandma how to suck eggs." The Europeans (with the exception of France, which has a similar, US style mad-dog approach towards drug users)have wrestled with this problem for *centuries* and the more enlightened of them have come to the same conclusion as the Dutch did 25 years ago.But the Europeans have an (in this case, unenviable) advantage: they know all too well the price of flirtation with fascism. Ask any one in their seventies what it was like to have a Nazi jackboot on their neck. Ask anyone from Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary, Romania, etc. what Communism was like. And then keep in mind that these philosophies were supposed to bring enlightenment and peace - as well as law and order. It was always the same; they spoke sweet words of reason, and when they had attained power, the carnage started.Just like the apologias given for the War on (Some) Drugs.The hard lessons of history are indelibly etched on the European psyche. Pray we don't have similar ones etched in our national consciousness by McCaffrey and his ilk.
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Comment #2 posted by observer on October 25, 1999 at 09:04:51 PT
Kudos to UK Protesters!
> When General Barry McCaffrey and Mr Hellawell, the UK's > drug co-ordinator, arrived at Goldsmiths College, > in New Cross, they were surrounded by protesters > shouting "Go home CIA Nazi scum" and calling them > hypocrites. I'm not sure this is fair ... the Nazis were fascist, racist, and wicked to the core; true: but the Nazis themselves did not have the historical example of the the Nazis to learn from. US drug warriors like McCaffrey can claim no such ignorance: they should know better for they have the example ofthe Nazis in fron of them. Greater is the US Drug Warriors' shame.Hats off to the courageous protesters in the UK !
read: Drug Warriors and their Prey
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Comment #1 posted by Sledhead on October 25, 1999 at 08:46:13 PT
Excellent
Way to go. Keep him on the run.
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