Throughout history, bigoted - or just plain money-chasing - prohibitionists have always been happy to hang their particular campaign on whatever is popular at the time. It matters not to them how objectionable the bandwagon they join, they'll use it anyway.
For example, anti-alcohol campaigners of the early 20th century were very quick to talk up the threat of 'liquor-soaked blacks', on the hunt for white women to rape, in the Deep South of America to gain support.
Likewise, Hamilton Wright, an anti-opium zealot and darling of our very own British Medical Association of the time, followed this template to the letter by talking of "cocaine-crazed negroes" to sell his chosen grudge to a largely indifferent public. The fact that his stories were anecdotal at best and almost certainly embellished by hideous racism, seeing as cocaine use was mostly used by whites, was irrelevant.
It did the job and he wasn't bothered what other damage he caused by citing it.
The above came instantly to mind when reading this incredible piece from the Israel National News.
You'll note from the article and footage that this is endorsed fully by the UN in many of its various guises.
Just like around a century ago, it seems that it's still perfectly acceptable to employ any residual hatred - religious or racial, it matters not - to advance the current moral public health scare.
Nothing much has changed. When health nutters get involved, it seems there is no lunacy too extreme or dangerous to be used as an ally.
H/T David G in Calif, and ta to P T Barnum for placing it in the Psycho Catalogue.
For more of the history and dubious tactics of prohibitionists, read this book.
For example, anti-alcohol campaigners of the early 20th century were very quick to talk up the threat of 'liquor-soaked blacks', on the hunt for white women to rape, in the Deep South of America to gain support.
Likewise, Hamilton Wright, an anti-opium zealot and darling of our very own British Medical Association of the time, followed this template to the letter by talking of "cocaine-crazed negroes" to sell his chosen grudge to a largely indifferent public. The fact that his stories were anecdotal at best and almost certainly embellished by hideous racism, seeing as cocaine use was mostly used by whites, was irrelevant.
It did the job and he wasn't bothered what other damage he caused by citing it.
The above came instantly to mind when reading this incredible piece from the Israel National News.
A Palestinian Authority-based NGO, the Burj Luq-Luq Social Center Society organization, recently performed a puppet show for children in east Jerusalem to promote non-smoking.There's a video too.
The educational message delivered by the puppets, however, instructed children to replace cigarettes with machine guns.
You'll note from the article and footage that this is endorsed fully by the UN in many of its various guises.
Just like around a century ago, it seems that it's still perfectly acceptable to employ any residual hatred - religious or racial, it matters not - to advance the current moral public health scare.
Nothing much has changed. When health nutters get involved, it seems there is no lunacy too extreme or dangerous to be used as an ally.
H/T David G in Calif, and ta to P T Barnum for placing it in the Psycho Catalogue.
For more of the history and dubious tactics of prohibitionists, read this book.
