“I can’t fucking do nothing,” he said, holding his only possessions—a newspaper, a carton of milk, and a sweater. “My body’s just so far gone. And nobody is helping me at this point.”
I live on Vancouver Island, Canada where we’ve been witnessing this madness for years. Our government’s drug policies to allow for open drug use in our neighbourhoods is now carrying over to hospitals where these idiots are allowed to carry on taking their drugs and hospital staff are being told not tp intervene.
This rot needs to be cut out so it won’t fester and spread. But the first step is to reject this societal acceptance of celebrating victimization, and acknowledge that the pursuit of excellence, and a healthy life through hard work, and diligence, must once again prevail. Sheeple gotta snap out of it.
The modern democrat platform would make the kkk proud. Harm the black population by increasing drugs, crime, and abortion in cities. Lower standards in schools and push segregation.
This article, and the photographic journalism that accompanies it, brought me to tears.
I spent the formative years of my adult life, right out of college, in Philadelphia. I love that city. It was a great place to start my career nearly 30 years ago. But it was broken then, and it is broken now. The images depicted here could have been right out of 1995, where there was still a crack epidemic and heroin was abundant. I knew many people like these addicts. Some of them are dead. The ones who got sober did so through hard work, and removing themselves from the environment that made them addicts to begin with, many leaving Philadelphia altogether. I moved to NY eventually during the same era, and it wasn't better there, except Mayor Giuliani had taken the helm and things were improving (Tomkins Square Park was still terrifying, though). The musical Rent was a big hit at the time, and I loathed it for its glamorization of drug addiction.
Here we are again. These fools who think that they are "reducing harm" by creating drug incubators in these neighborhoods are promotors of death. This will not end well.
Safety and drug addiction/use do not go hand in hand. Almost 8 million syringes handed out last year!? What do these people think is happening to all those needles? Un less each and every one is safely tucked into a bio waste container then they are responsible for an epidemic of toxic needle trash.
This same type of thinking labels prostitution as "sex work" trying to dignify it! It is a degradation of humanity and a perversion of sex. When someone sells their body, their soul is crying out for help. No amount of re-naming will scratch that itch.
Canada started their experiment in safe supply in Vancouver. It has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. Last week, I asked an indigenous addictions specialist on his current safe-supply take. He said, "I thought it was a good idea initially but crossed that bridge a while ago; and recently went back to bomb it." Meanwhile, Alberta is focussing on recovery projects instead and is considering forcing 'some' people into treatment.
As a former addiction counselor, I can tell you that none of what they are doing will ever work. You have to remove the drugs and separte the junkies from the drugs. Whether it's in a prison, or other institution, that is the only way to stop them from using. And, even then, when they get out, many will go right back to using. Even with job training and a guarenteed job when they get out, it will be a struggle to maintain sobriety. Everyone involved has to work to get the drugs off the street. If it means shooting the sellers, so be it. Either that, or set aside a walled-in area in a state, fill it with junkies, feed them all the junk they want and let them die. No great loss to society.
Thank you, Olivia Reingold, for this excellent piece. As a recovering alcoholic and addict with 36 years of continuous sobriety, I am appalled at what harm reduction has done to many of our cities and especially to addicts. Harm reduction actually enables addicts to continue using instead of facing the consequences of their addiction. Like Michael Schellenberger I also originally supported harm reduction and needle exchanges for the same reasons he did but as I watched my city deteriorate because of its policies I joined the naysayers. Harm reduction isn’t how alcoholics and addicts come to recovery! It’s obvious to most of us in 12 Step programs. The only thing that ever got me to face my alcoholism and addiction was feeling my pain full on. I got sick and tired of feeling that endless, merciless pain. I couldn’t take it anymore so I sought help in a real recovery program, not in more drugs because I knew full well the drugs and alcohol stopped working, they stopped helping. Of course I knew the answer was getting off them, not taking more of them. Now at 36 years of being clean and sober (and yes, we addicts and alcoholics were dirty when using, filthy inside ourselves) I am absolutely convinced that harm reduction has done nothing but continue to HARM.
I am a pastor who has worked in street and related ministry in NYC for 30 years. All of the criticisms of drug use enablement written here are accurate. Enablement is a deception from evil which destroys many lives. The enablers are completely deceived by evil and do not understand addiction. There are treatment/recovery programs that work, proven for decades. Christian long term recovery programs have a significantly higher success rate. These programs know that addiction is slavery, physical, spiritual, moral, and people must be transformed in mind and heart to stay clean. I have never met an addict who disagrees that addiction is slavery. The medical and psych professions are covetous of control and deny that transformation is possible. I was a hospital chaplain here in NYC for several years, I did patient visits and held Bible studies and prayer time with the patients in the secure psych unit, many of whom were drug addicts. The nurses were strong supporters of this. When the head psych MD learned about it he told my supervisor he didn't want chaplain care in the psych unit, even though the patients wanted it.
“Those who advocate for harm reduction—a Biden-endorsed policy that prioritizes users’ safety over their sobriety or abstinence”
—————————————————
Basically every Democrat policy is what you would come up with if you were one of the stupid fat kids who failed the marshmallow test.
Yes, if you are incapable of looking downstream and you are governed by impulse and emotion, giving more drugs to people having withdrawals seems like a good plan.
Good Intentions = Unintended Consequences
That sums up so many of the progressive platforms.
No one thinks it through to the end.
“I can’t fucking do nothing,” he said, holding his only possessions—a newspaper, a carton of milk, and a sweater. “My body’s just so far gone. And nobody is helping me at this point.”
I live on Vancouver Island, Canada where we’ve been witnessing this madness for years. Our government’s drug policies to allow for open drug use in our neighbourhoods is now carrying over to hospitals where these idiots are allowed to carry on taking their drugs and hospital staff are being told not tp intervene.
This rot needs to be cut out so it won’t fester and spread. But the first step is to reject this societal acceptance of celebrating victimization, and acknowledge that the pursuit of excellence, and a healthy life through hard work, and diligence, must once again prevail. Sheeple gotta snap out of it.
“Luxury Beliefs” strike again.
The modern democrat platform would make the kkk proud. Harm the black population by increasing drugs, crime, and abortion in cities. Lower standards in schools and push segregation.
Everything the leftists touch, turns to shit. Question is, are they THAT stupid or is it all intentional?
This article, and the photographic journalism that accompanies it, brought me to tears.
I spent the formative years of my adult life, right out of college, in Philadelphia. I love that city. It was a great place to start my career nearly 30 years ago. But it was broken then, and it is broken now. The images depicted here could have been right out of 1995, where there was still a crack epidemic and heroin was abundant. I knew many people like these addicts. Some of them are dead. The ones who got sober did so through hard work, and removing themselves from the environment that made them addicts to begin with, many leaving Philadelphia altogether. I moved to NY eventually during the same era, and it wasn't better there, except Mayor Giuliani had taken the helm and things were improving (Tomkins Square Park was still terrifying, though). The musical Rent was a big hit at the time, and I loathed it for its glamorization of drug addiction.
Here we are again. These fools who think that they are "reducing harm" by creating drug incubators in these neighborhoods are promotors of death. This will not end well.
Attention minorities: your values, beliefs and preferences and don’t matter; white liberals will decide all things on your behalf.
Safety and drug addiction/use do not go hand in hand. Almost 8 million syringes handed out last year!? What do these people think is happening to all those needles? Un less each and every one is safely tucked into a bio waste container then they are responsible for an epidemic of toxic needle trash.
This same type of thinking labels prostitution as "sex work" trying to dignify it! It is a degradation of humanity and a perversion of sex. When someone sells their body, their soul is crying out for help. No amount of re-naming will scratch that itch.
Harm prevention is a business, all businesses need clients, the junkies are the clients, more junkies, more jobs for harm preventioners.
Canada started their experiment in safe supply in Vancouver. It has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. Last week, I asked an indigenous addictions specialist on his current safe-supply take. He said, "I thought it was a good idea initially but crossed that bridge a while ago; and recently went back to bomb it." Meanwhile, Alberta is focussing on recovery projects instead and is considering forcing 'some' people into treatment.
As a former addiction counselor, I can tell you that none of what they are doing will ever work. You have to remove the drugs and separte the junkies from the drugs. Whether it's in a prison, or other institution, that is the only way to stop them from using. And, even then, when they get out, many will go right back to using. Even with job training and a guarenteed job when they get out, it will be a struggle to maintain sobriety. Everyone involved has to work to get the drugs off the street. If it means shooting the sellers, so be it. Either that, or set aside a walled-in area in a state, fill it with junkies, feed them all the junk they want and let them die. No great loss to society.
Thank you, Olivia Reingold, for this excellent piece. As a recovering alcoholic and addict with 36 years of continuous sobriety, I am appalled at what harm reduction has done to many of our cities and especially to addicts. Harm reduction actually enables addicts to continue using instead of facing the consequences of their addiction. Like Michael Schellenberger I also originally supported harm reduction and needle exchanges for the same reasons he did but as I watched my city deteriorate because of its policies I joined the naysayers. Harm reduction isn’t how alcoholics and addicts come to recovery! It’s obvious to most of us in 12 Step programs. The only thing that ever got me to face my alcoholism and addiction was feeling my pain full on. I got sick and tired of feeling that endless, merciless pain. I couldn’t take it anymore so I sought help in a real recovery program, not in more drugs because I knew full well the drugs and alcohol stopped working, they stopped helping. Of course I knew the answer was getting off them, not taking more of them. Now at 36 years of being clean and sober (and yes, we addicts and alcoholics were dirty when using, filthy inside ourselves) I am absolutely convinced that harm reduction has done nothing but continue to HARM.
I am a pastor who has worked in street and related ministry in NYC for 30 years. All of the criticisms of drug use enablement written here are accurate. Enablement is a deception from evil which destroys many lives. The enablers are completely deceived by evil and do not understand addiction. There are treatment/recovery programs that work, proven for decades. Christian long term recovery programs have a significantly higher success rate. These programs know that addiction is slavery, physical, spiritual, moral, and people must be transformed in mind and heart to stay clean. I have never met an addict who disagrees that addiction is slavery. The medical and psych professions are covetous of control and deny that transformation is possible. I was a hospital chaplain here in NYC for several years, I did patient visits and held Bible studies and prayer time with the patients in the secure psych unit, many of whom were drug addicts. The nurses were strong supporters of this. When the head psych MD learned about it he told my supervisor he didn't want chaplain care in the psych unit, even though the patients wanted it.
“Those who advocate for harm reduction—a Biden-endorsed policy that prioritizes users’ safety over their sobriety or abstinence”
—————————————————
Basically every Democrat policy is what you would come up with if you were one of the stupid fat kids who failed the marshmallow test.
Yes, if you are incapable of looking downstream and you are governed by impulse and emotion, giving more drugs to people having withdrawals seems like a good plan.
This is a perfect illustration of what Rob Henderson calls a Luxury Belief and its effect in the real world on real people.