What Does “Inalienable” Mean?

When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he chose the word "inalienable" to describe something that cannot be taken away. According to Webster's Dictionary, the word "inalienable" means "absolute, sacred, and incapable of being surrendered."

Jefferson believed that God has bestowed on all human beings, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as “inalienable rights.” Further, he stated that congress cannot take away those rights.

Anyone who has studied the war on drugs over the last century knows that Jefferson was wrong. A large number of self-serving individuals in powerful positions have frightened Americans into giving up those rights for a greater good. This greater good is an unrealistic fantasy called "a drug-free America."

Why is it that after 93 years of persecution, one trillion dollars of our tax money and twenty million prison sentences, illegal drugs are cheaper, more potent and more available than ever before? Because it is a war against people. Prohibitionists fail to understand that economics – not morality, regulates the illicit drug market. The use of mind altering, pleasure inducing substances can weaken moral standards but no more so than a huge pile of drug money.

When the drug war becomes too expensive to prosecute, and enough of us wake up to its failure – then we will reconsider the 19th Century policy of education and regulation.

In the meantime, the illegal and extremely profitable war on drugs will continue to reward both anti-drug warriors and drug lords.

For more information or to help law enforcement reform drug laws visit www.leap.cc (law enforcement against prohibition.)

James Wiley

48 Woodland Ave

San Anselmo, CA 94960

415-453-8715

Updated May 2009