RICHARD WARREN FIELD'S INTERNET COLUMN

Clinton’s Refusal to End a Cultural War is a Betrayal of his Generation

(First posted on September 10, 1998)
Dan Baum describes a revealing inner-circle episode in his book, Smoke and Mirrors. In 1971, President Richard Nixon’s Presidential Commission on Marijuana, reported that “Our youth cannot understand why society chooses to criminalize a behavior with so little visible ill effect or adverse social impact.” This commission, chosen by President Nixon to study the issue, went on to recommend that marijuana be legalized. Nixon chose to ignore the report, tersely dismissing its recommendations without explanation. When he made that decision, he confirmed that the “War on Drugs” laws against marijuana were really indications of a cultural war; the mainstream culture against the counter-culture. Since Nixon was clearly at war with the counter-culture, leading his “silent majority” legions to holy victory, he would not agree to any change that might confer comfort or validation on the enemy. Even the intoxicant of the counter-culture was subject to attack.

Almost 30 years later, the voters of the state of California have taken a small step to end that cultural war. By a substantial majority, voters approved a ballot initiative that made it legal to use marijuana for medical purposes. Evidence has been overwhelming that marijuana helps some of our most desperately ill citizens; cancer patients undergoing the excruciating treatment of chemotherapy, AIDS patients suffering from a debilitating lack of appetite, and glaucoma patients facing blindness. The voters approved a change in the law that involves the least dangerous of illegal drugs, and stops short of making this drug legal. With all this in mind, the federal government has still decided to try and block this small step toward ending the cultural war.

Is Richard Nixon still in power? Are Ronald Reagan or George Bush still the leaders of the federal government? After all, they are members of the previous generation, with their own credentials for battling the counter-culture. But they’re not the ones calling the shots anymore. The leader of the federal government is a baby-boomer who clearly embraced some of the ideals of that counter-culture. Now, he is leading the fight against the counter-culture as its members come of age and try to update society’s rules to reflect counter-culture values.

So this President has betrayed his roots, telling the people in California that even though the baby-boomer generation has come of age and is now taking leadership positions in the world, we still have to do everything the way our parents did. But we don’t! We should build on our parents’ many successes, but not feel obligated to repeat their mistakes and cling to attitudes we know have no logical basis. This misguided cultural war, started during the 60's, and perpetuated by Richard Nixon despite recommendations from his own advisors, should come to an end. And baby-boomer President should not only allow Californians to make their own choice on this issue, but should be spearheading the drive toward ending the prohibition of this drug of the counter-culture. Let’s urge our fellow baby-boomer to reverse his betrayal.

Copyright © 1998 by Richard Warren Field

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