Do you own your body? The answer is no if one considers drug prohibition laws. Ownership guarantees the right to full use, and yes, even abuse, of that which is owned.

Self-ownership is the basis of all property; how can one claim a right to any of the products of his labor without first having a right to the self that made those things possible?

The government denies individuals their rights in the name of keeping people “safe” from the adverse effects of drugs. When it comes to your body, Big Brother knows best.

Few people recall that the government in this country was not established to keep you “safe” from every bogeyman that exists in the world but to protect personal liberty. Thus, drug prohibition flies directly in the face of the spirit of the American Revolution.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Drug prohibition has given this country exactly what it deserves. Wars are fought in our streets over substances that could be easily produced by business and sold by pharmacists.

Terrorists use American drug prohibition to pile up money because of the hyper-inflated price generated on the American black market. Kids die from using impure drugs. Millions of nonviolent individuals are jailed at the cost of billions of dollars.

Lives are ruined. Men and women are shot in property grabbing raids. The government kills in order to keep you “safe,” and the only solution the bureaucrats offer is more of the same.

It is time for students to act as leaders and stand up in righteous indignation against this gross injustice. Bush and Kerry are both advocates of the status quo; if you agree with me, a vote for them is a vote for continued tyranny.

Chris Reardon

Senior

Political Science