While the opioid epidemic continues to kill around the country we don’t hear as much about meth any more. I seriously doubt that his is because it has ceased to be a significant problem. Cutting off easy access to the precursors has put a big dent in the home lab industry, but that hasn’t stopped the supply from flowing in rural America. Many biker gangs were organized around meth dealing. It both enriched them, and was the perfect drug for biker warrior-outlaws. I find it hard to believe that they just quit when Sudafed went prescription only.
I have known some folks involved in meth, including friends and a relative. The whole vibe of their scene is pretty much identical to the vibe of a Trump rally. The hyper-aggression, the willingness to believe conspiracy nonsense, the intensity of belief in things with no evidence or proof … THE PARANOIA. This came to mind when I read this story tonight about Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s latest stunt in which she accosted AOC in much the same manner that she accosted David Hogg.
Yikes! (WaPo)
Two Washington Post reporters witnessed Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) exit the House chamber late Wednesday afternoon ahead of Greene (Ga.), who shouted “Hey Alexandria” twice in an effort to get her attention. When Ocasio-Cortez did not stop walking, Greene picked up her pace and began shouting at her and asking why she supports antifa, a loosely knit group of far-left activists, and Black Lives Matter, falsely labeling them “terrorist” groups. Greene also shouted that Ocasio-Cortez was failing to defend her “radical socialist” beliefs by declining to publicly debate the freshman from Georgia.
“You don’t care about the American people,” Greene shouted. “Why do you support terrorists and antifa?”
Ocasio-Cortez did not stop to answer Greene, only turning around once and throwing her hands in the air in an exasperated motion. The two reporters were not close enough to hear what the New York congresswoman said, and her office declined to discuss her specific response.
“Representative Greene tried to begin an argument with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez and when Rep. Ocasio-Cortez tried to walk away, Congresswoman Greene began screaming and called Rep. Ocasio-Cortez a terrorist sympathizer,” Ocasio-Cortez spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said in a statement. “We hope leadership and the Sergeant at Arms will take real steps to make Congress a safe, civil place for all Members and staff — especially as many offices are discussing reopening. One Member has already been forced to relocate her office due to Congresswoman Greene’s attacks.”
I know, this is her shtick. But between the hyper-aggressiveness of her tactics and the paranoia exhibited in her stated beliefs (Jewish Space Laser?) I have to wonder if things are functioning in a normal and healthy manner up there in her thinking cap. Meth has been the drug of choice for authoritarians since its invention. I think it still may be.