Blacks in America have long been victims of the state and its allies. From slavery to the war on drugs, laws which prevent a person using his own body and property as he sees fit, have had terrible effects on generations of black folk. Initially, the oppression of blacks was widespread and decentralized. This required a different set of strategies from the widespread, centralized oppression of today. Many blacks are concerned when the matter of rolling back the federal government is broached. It is undeniably true that the various state governments of the past supported terrible atrocities against black people. At such a time, political strategies had to be developed to deal with the most pressing threat. As the political winds have changed, so too must the strategies change, even for those who believe in the legitimacy of government.

The war on drugs is the most pressing legal issue facing black people. Racial profiling, raids on homes which result in death and oppression, such as the cases of Kathryn Johnston and Corey Maye, are directly attributable to the war on drugs. States and localities have been moving in the direction of decriminalization for marijuana for decades. The federal government has been opposing such measures for the entire time. A Presidential candidate’s position on the war on drugs is the first legitimate political litmus test I have seen within my lifetime. The issue is serious, affecting the lives of millions. It is something which calls into question the most fundamental of all human rights: the right to treat your own body as you see fit. Of all the major Presidential candidates, one, and one alone has called for an end to this scourge to the black community: Ron Paul. The other candidates are unconcerned, in favor of the drug war, or too cowardly to speak. Ron Paul has shown the courage of his convictions through his unabashed opposition to the drug war.

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