In this unit, we read about the War on Drugs and the criminalization of drugs. For this paper, please describe the effects or consequences of the War on Drugs. Also, evaluate whether you think it is effective at preventing drug use and sale. In other words, your essay has three parts: 1) Describe what is the War on Drugs 2) Explain whether the war on drugs is successful (effective) at solving the problem of drug use and sale 3) Explain the unintended effects or consequences of the War on Drugs ( describe 2 clear unintended effects). Please write an essay and use at least three readings from this module to defend your claim. You are not expected to do any additional research for the paper, only to use material you have already read for class. Your essay should include:
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The War on Drugs: Assessing Effectiveness and Unintended Consequences
By [Your Name]
The War on Drugs, a government-led initiative aimed at combating the use and sale of illicit substances, has been a prominent feature of drug policy in the United States for decades. This essay will delve into the concept of the War on Drugs, evaluate its effectiveness in addressing drug-related issues, and discuss the unintended consequences that have emerged as a result of this campaign.
Description of the War on Drugs
The War on Drugs, initiated by President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, encompasses a set of policies and strategies designed to deter drug use, trafficking, and production through law enforcement measures and criminal penalties. This approach prioritizes punitive actions, such as arrests, prosecutions, and incarceration, as a means of deterring individuals from engaging in drug-related activities.
According to Alexander (2010), the War on Drugs has disproportionately targeted minority communities, leading to widespread racial disparities in drug-related arrests and convictions. The author highlights how punitive drug policies have contributed to the mass incarceration of Black and Hispanic individuals, perpetuating social inequalities and systemic injustices within the criminal justice system.
Evaluation of Effectiveness
Despite decades of aggressive enforcement efforts and substantial financial investments, the War on Drugs has been largely ineffective in achieving its stated goals of reducing drug use and availability. As noted by Reinarman and Levine (1997), the policy of prohibition has fueled a lucrative underground market for illicit drugs, leading to increased violence, corruption, and organized crime involvement in the drug trade.
Moreover, research by Caulkins et al. (2005) suggests that punitive approaches to drug control have failed to significantly impact drug consumption rates or curb the availability of illicit substances. The authors argue that the criminalization of drug use has driven users underground, hindering access to treatment and harm reduction services while exacerbating the stigma associated with substance abuse.
Unintended Consequences
One of the unintended consequences of the War on Drugs is the phenomenon of drug-related stigma and marginalization. According to Alexander (2010), punitive drug policies have perpetuated negative stereotypes about drug users, contributing to social ostracism and discrimination against individuals struggling with substance abuse issues. This stigmatization can impede access to healthcare services and support networks, further isolating vulnerable populations.
Another unintended consequence of the War on Drugs is the erosion of trust between law enforcement agencies and communities affected by drug-related issues. As highlighted by Reinarman and Levine (1997), aggressive policing tactics, such as stop-and-frisk operations and SWAT raids on suspected drug houses, have fostered a climate of fear and distrust in marginalized neighborhoods. This breakdown in police-community relations can undermine crime prevention efforts and hinder cooperation in addressing broader public safety concerns.
In conclusion, while the War on Drugs was intended to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking, its punitive approach has yielded limited success in achieving these objectives. The unintended consequences of this campaign, including racial disparities in enforcement, increased violence, stigma against drug users, and community mistrust of law enforcement, underscore the need for a reevaluation of drug policy strategies. Moving forward, a shift towards harm reduction, decriminalization, and community-based approaches may offer more effective solutions to address the complex challenges posed by substance abuse and addiction.
References:
Alexander, M. (2010). The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. New Press.
Caulkins, J. P., et al. (2005). Is the U.S. ready for a ‘drug-free’ decade? Nature, 434(7033), 436-437.
Reinarman, C., & Levine, H. G. (1997). Crack in America: Demon Drugs and Social Justice. University of California Press.
