Freedom should start at home

Stephen Young of decrimwatch wrote an excellent article in rebuttal to Bush's inauguration speech, Bring Freedom Home First. He points out that as inspiring as Bush's pledge to bring freedom to the world should be, the reality here on the ground in the US is that the war on some drugs violates those freedoms daily. His closing paragraphs sum it up well.

"We will encourage reform in other governments by making clear that success in our relations will require the decent treatment of their own people. America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty."

That last sentence is inspiring, in theory. Unfortunately, in reality, freedom, justice and human liberty are under assault by the drug war. Let's get it right here before insisting that everyone follow our lead.

Indeed.