When most people think of Uruguay, on the edge of the River Plate and the Atlantic, they think of the scuttling of the Graf Spee. That battle of the River Plate was the opening sea engagement of the Second World War. But for me the most important thing about Uruguay was its amazing President Jose Mujica. If only all other politicians could be like him. Here’s a President who, instead of becoming a power-mad dictator, chose to be one of his people. He lived in a humble house, no different to most of his citizens, and donated 90% of his income to charities. He presided over liberal, egalitarian policies that made Uruguay prosperous and created the sort of equal society I wouldn’t mind living in. He brought in liberal policies that made sense. He legalised cannabis. He did not agree with cannabis use. He stated that the only good addiction was love. But Jose said that the illegality was putting money in the pockets of evil characters and putting his citizens at health risk from adulterated drugs; legalisation was the lesser of two evils. What a man. I was only surprised that the CIA hadn’t overthrown him. Hopefully the new president Tabare Vazquez will be man enough to follow in Jose’s footsteps.
Uruguay and Jose Mujica the great
You will have to wait and see
I don’t hold my breath. Politicians of that calibre are a one off.
Too true
I dream of finding one who will change the system
They all become tainted sooner or later
Legalize cannabis! amen to that.
Not all – Jose didn’t.
I just think it would do America some good to have it at least decriminalized. The damage unjust laws are doing to the young (and others) there are far too much
Quite agree. The harm it does has been built up out of all recognition. It is far less harmful than alcohol. There is no case for criminalisation even if prohibition worked.
Prohibition puts billions of dollars into the hands of criminals, makes crimi9nals out of good citizens and means they are sold drugs full of impurities and nasties.
It needs decriminalising.
It needs to be taken out of the hands of the hoods. It is pointless to criminalise so many young people. Prohibition simply does not work. I think it attracts young kids to do it. There’s a hypocrisy in it that annoys people.
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
I love this guy.